The Opera “Arap Ali Destanı” (“The Epic Story of Arab Ali”) Was Performed on Stage with the Support of TİKA

The Turkish Premiere of the opera “Arap Ali Destanı” (“The Epic Story of Arab Ali”), the first local opera of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the first play performed at the State Opera and Ballet Coordination Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Education and Culture of the TRNC, took place in Ankara with the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).

The final performance of the Turkish tour of the opera “Arap Ali Destanı” (“The Epic Story of Arab Ali”), the first local opera in the history of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the first play performed at the State Opera and Ballet Coordination Center (KKTCDOB), affiliated with the Ministry of Education and Culture of the TRNC, took place at Ankara Opera House of the Turkish State Opera and Ballet and was jointly produced by the State Opera and Ballet Coordination Center of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the TRNC, the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey; and the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of the TRNC.

The final performance of the tour was attended by Sibel Tatar, the wife of the TRNC’s President Ersin Tatar; Olgun Amcaoğlu, Minister of National Education and Culture of the TRNC; Kemal Köprülü, the TRNC’s Ambassador to Ankara; and Orhan Erdem, Chairperson of Turkey-TRNC Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group and AKP’s MP for Konya.

At the end of this sold-out performance, which was met with great appreciation, the actors received a long standing ovation and were presented flowers by Sibel Tatar, the wife of the TRNC’s President Ersin Tatar, after their bow.

Throughout the tour, the successful performances of the opera “Arap Ali Destanı” were attended by thousands of art lovers. Efforts are being made to re-stage the play in several places.

The opera “Arap Ali Destanı,” the World Premiere of which took place in Famagusta, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, on October 19, 2019, was composed by Ali Hoca and written by Havva Tekin.

The second performance of the opera, which was directed by Aytaç Manizade and focuses on the story of Arab Ali, a national hero who has a special place in the story of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, adopted a humanistic worldview, and always stood by those who were right, took place at Süreyya Opera House in Kadikoy, Istanbul, on December 10, 2021, while its third performance took place at Ankara Opera House on December 13, 2021.