ISTANBUL'S OPERA BONANZA
"Istanbul Opera Ballet Festival Presents 'Hamlet' in a Russian Adaptation"
The electrifying ballet "Russian Hamlet" took center stage on the 2nd and 3rd of June at the 16th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival. This ain't no ordinary dance show, partner! Get ready for a mind-blowing psychological masterpiece choreographed by the one and only, Boris Eifman, mastermind behind the St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet.
This knockout performance went down at the Türk Telekom Opera Hall within Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), leaving audiences stunned with its intense drama and choreography that'll make your head spin!
"Russian Hamlet" is a ballet that delves deep into the troubled mind of a ruler, pulls you into the web of intrigue, and prepares you for a royal downfall.
Tan Sağtürk, Director General of the State Opera and Ballet, described the festival as "a ticket to ride through the ages, straight to the core of the human psyche."
"Bringing together the stage-shaking brilliance of the St. Petersburg Boris Eifman State Academic Ballet Theater, 'Russian Hamlet' is here to challenge and provoke. Buckle up because this ballet is all about questioning the norm, pushing the boundaries with its powerful dance moves," Sağtürk said.
The festival waspacked, with over 20,000 dance enthusiasts attending the event.
"'Russian Hamlet' made its debut on June 24, 1999, in St. Petersburg, and tonight, it's making its Turkish premiere. Born from the genius of Boris Eifman and set to the awe-inspiring music of Beethoven and Mahler, 'Russian Hamlet' is an emotional rollercoaster. In this production, the dark worlds of the Russian Prince Pavel and Shakespeare's Hamlet schmooze together through mirrored destinies. Palaces plagued by suspicion, murder, and fractured childhoods offer the perfect setting for this emotive dance drama. Tonight, witness the eternal question, 'To be or not to be?' unravel as Eifman's dance tells the tale. Who knows? Maybe the answer lies hidden within the steps of this hypnotizing ballet," Sağtürk shared.
Eifman blends history and fiction in this emotionally charged ballet inspired by the battles between Shakespeare's Hamlet and Russian Tsar Paul I.
The set and costume design for "Russian Hamlet" were crafted by Vyacheslav Okunev, with the lighting design handled by Alexander Sivaev and Boris Eifman.
Though there's no record of a "Russian Hamlet" performance by the St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet at the 16th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival in 2025, their killer rendition of "Anna Karenina" left audiences spellbound on May 31 and June 1, 2025, at the Istanbul Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) [4][5].
Festival Spotlight
- Location: Istanbul Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM)
- Event: 16th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival
- Notable Performances: The festival featured various captivating dance performances, including the world premiere of "Gilgamesh" by Ahmet Adnan Saygun, and the Eifman Ballet's "Anna Karenina" [1][3][5].
Eifman Ballet's "Anna Karenina"
- Performance Dates: May 31 and June 1, 2025
- Location: Istanbul Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM)
- Based On: Leo Tolstoy’s novel "Anna Karenina"
- Music: Composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Themes: This emotional ballet explores love, marriage, and the pain of betrayal in 19th-century Russia [5].
" prepare for an engaging psychological masterpiece with the Eifman Ballet's "Russian Hamlet", a performance questioning norms and pushing boundaries through powerful dance moves at the 16th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival."
" This spectacular ballet, echoing the struggles of Shakespeare's Hamlet and Russian Tsar Paul I, was a captivating highlight of the festival, alongside the Eifman Ballet's equally mesmerizing performance of "Anna Karenina"."
