Japanese drummers open İzmir Festival
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolian Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 16, 2009 00:00
İZMİR - The 23rd International İzmir Festival started Sunday with a performance by the world-renowned Japanese drum group Kodo. An opening ceremony was held before the concert at the Ahmet Adnan Saygun Art Center.
Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül, who attended the opening ceremony, said when he was governor of İzmir 23 years ago, they decided, along with a group of businessman, including the late Nejat Eczacıbaşı and other leading figures in the city, to organize a festival unique to İzmir. Gönül said the festival had became a part of cultural life in the city.
İzmir Culture, Arts and Education Foundation, or İKSEV, Chair Filiz Eczacıbaşı Sarper said one of Turkey’s leading composers, Ahmet Adnan Saygun, a native of the city, had performed the "Yunus Emre Oratorio" during the 1st International İzmir Festival in 1987. "Today, Saygun hosts us," she said. After the speeches, Kodo took the stage and performed a magnificent show.
Renowned artists
The festival, which will continue through July 20, will host renowned artists including Shlomo Mintz, who is recognized as the most successful violinist of our time, and Yuri Bashmet, both of whom will play with the Moscow Soloists. Another top featured name will be classical guitarist Giovanni Senec, who will be accompanied by the Marchigiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
Romania-born French soprano Leontina Vaduva and pianist Alexandru Petrovici will also be among the music guests of the festival, which will feature a closing concert by one of today’s best tenors, Mario Frangoulis, on July 20.
The festival won’t end with the closing concert, though. One of the world’s best-known orchestras, the La Scala Philharmonic, conducted by Korean Myung-Whun Chung, will perform Oct. 18, under the auspices of the festival, which is organized by İKSEV, the Prime Ministry Secretariat of Promotion Fund, the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Eczacıbaşı Group and the İzmir Konak Municipality.
Kodo will perform tonight at Istanbul Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater.
İzmir Culture, Arts and Education Foundation, or İKSEV, Chair Filiz Eczacıbaşı Sarper said one of Turkey’s leading composers, Ahmet Adnan Saygun, a native of the city, had performed the "Yunus Emre Oratorio" during the 1st International İzmir Festival in 1987. "Today, Saygun hosts us," she said. After the speeches, Kodo took the stage and performed a magnificent show.
Renowned artists
The festival, which will continue through July 20, will host renowned artists including Shlomo Mintz, who is recognized as the most successful violinist of our time, and Yuri Bashmet, both of whom will play with the Moscow Soloists. Another top featured name will be classical guitarist Giovanni Senec, who will be accompanied by the Marchigiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
Romania-born French soprano Leontina Vaduva and pianist Alexandru Petrovici will also be among the music guests of the festival, which will feature a closing concert by one of today’s best tenors, Mario Frangoulis, on July 20.
The festival won’t end with the closing concert, though. One of the world’s best-known orchestras, the La Scala Philharmonic, conducted by Korean Myung-Whun Chung, will perform Oct. 18, under the auspices of the festival, which is organized by İKSEV, the Prime Ministry Secretariat of Promotion Fund, the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Eczacıbaşı Group and the İzmir Konak Municipality.
Kodo will perform tonight at Istanbul Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater.