The Beyoğlu Culture Road Festival, organized as part of the Culture Road project of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, will begin in all its glory on October 1, uniting art visitors from Türkiye and around the world.
From theater to cinema, literature to dance, music to digital art, exhibitions to talks, Türkiye’s largest cultural movement is offering more than 1,000 events with more than 6,000 artists at various 51 famous venues in Istanbul until October 23.
The 4.1-kilometer festival route begins at the Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM), a cultural trail that stretches to historical sites, museums, exhibitions and concerts.
The iconic places of Istanbul such as Taksim, Galatasaray and Tünel Squares will be the main attractions of artistic events related to cultural heritage, including shadow play Hacivat & Karagöz, Nasreddin Hodja and Keloğlan.
Taksim Square in particular will be the address for many different activities, from puppet shows to theatres, workshops and exhibitions where children will have the opportunity to enjoy the festival.
As part of the festival, the Istanbul Cinema Museum hosts the exhibition of cult film director Stanley Kubrick. The exhibition will be the most comprehensive exhibition ever dedicated to cinematic genius Stanley Kubrick, who blazed new trails in cinematic history as the creator of masterpieces.
The exhibition also features manuscripts by Turkish writers such as Behçet Necatigil, Oğuz Atay, Tomris Uyar and Orhan Pamuk.
National poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy and Turkish folk singer Neşet Ertaş, dubbed “Voice of Prairie”, will be honored at the festival for their unique artistic creations. On the other hand, the Galata Mevlevi House offers visitors an ethereal experience, showing the performance of whirling dervishes who sought eternal happiness through the inner exploration of God and the rejection of materialism.
The Caftans exhibition by Hakan Yılmaz, which opens at the Grand Pera Cercle D’orient, will take the public on a magical journey of Turkish-themed caftans.
Grand Pera will also be a magnet for art lovers with its fashion workshops and mask exhibitions. At Beyoğlu Municipality’s Istiklal Art Gallery, the Beyoğlu Through the Eyes of Foreign Travelers exhibition showcases the beauties of Beyoğlu from the past to the present. Salt Galata and Salt Beyoğlu will share the spirit of the festival with the exhibition ’90s on the Stage’, where 90’s culture will be remembered once more.
AKM Türk Telekom Opera Hall will host both the most popular opera and ballet performances as well as world stars throughout the festival. On the first day of the festival, the opera Carmen, staged by Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, meets the audience. On October 3rd, Georges Bizet’s iconic work “Carmen” will be performed once accompanied by a ballet performance.
Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio (Overture),” Don Quixote’s ballet interpretation, “Picasso Eterno” by Carlos Rodrigez, “Swan Lake”, “La Traviata” performances offer a cultural feast for the opera-goers.
Portugal’s Grammy Award-winning passionate fado voice Mariza, Spanish singer Buika with her hair-raising voice, Latvian opera singer Kristine Opolais and Turkish tenor Murat Karahan take the audience on a musical journey through the festival.
