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The 22nd International Bodrum Ballet Festival, organized by the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet (DOB) under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, opened with a performance of “Swan Lake” at the Northern Moat of Bodrum Castle in Muğla, southwestern Türkiye.
Held with the support of Türkiye Iş Bankası at the Northern Moat of Bodrum Castle, the festival has become one of the region’s most established cultural and artistic events. The opening featured Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s timeless masterpiece “Swan Lake,” performed by the Izmir State Opera and Ballet.
Following the classic choreography of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, the piece was presented with a contemporary interpretation by Armağan Davran and Volkan Ersoy. The ballet portrays the dramatic journey of a cursed princess caught between fate and love, brought to life through magnificent music, striking choreography and rich visual design.
This unforgettable love story, where grace and passion intertwine, featured set design by Çağda Çitkaya, costume design by Nursun Ünlü and lighting design by Oğuz Murat Yılmaz.
DOB General Director and Artistic Director Tan Sağtürk told journalists before the performance that they had increased the number of productions through strong programming and were thrilled to connect with audiences. He noted that tickets were nearly sold out, adding,
“I want to thank everyone at DOB. They worked with great dedication. I believe this will go down in history as a record-breaking event in terms of audience turnout. I also thank Iş Bank for their support. Last year, we reached 13,500 spectators and we aim to achieve similar success this year.”
Türkiye Iş Bankası Deputy General Manager Suat Sözen emphasized that Bodrum is one of Türkiye’s top tourist destinations. He underlined the importance of hosting the International Ballet Festival in Bodrum, saying,
“We’re happy to be at the intersection of art and tourism. Last year was our first time supporting the event and the results were fantastic – we had the best audience turnout ever. This year is already shaping up to surpass that. It’s a great motivation for all of us.”
During the opening night, one of the first-generation artists of Turkish ballet and the festival’s founding visionary, Oğuz Özlem, also took the stage for a speech. He was warmly received by the audience with great interest and applause and Tan Sağtürk presented him with a plaque in gratitude for his contributions to the arts and the festival.
The late Almula Özlem, an artist from the Ankara State Opera and Ballet who passed away last year, was also commemorated during the evening.
The performance of “Swan Lake” will be staged again tomorrow evening.
The 22nd International Bodrum Ballet Festival will conclude on Monday, Aug. 25.
