State Theaters - Sabancı International Adana Festival Kicks off with Aquatic Reflections of Dreams

- State Theaters General Art Director Mustafa Kurt said: “We feel the great pride and honor of organizing the 16th of our Festival, which we had first conceptualized as a project back in 1998.”

- The 10th Sakip Sabancı Lifelong Achievement Award goes to “Prof. Zeliha Berksoy”

The State Theatre - Sabancı International Adana Theatre Festival organized upon cooperation of the Sabancı Foundation and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism opened its curtains on April 14 with French show company Ilotopie’s fantastic spectacle “Water Fools and Aquatic Parade”.

Present during the opening ceremony were Governor of Adana, Huseyin Avni Cos; Mayor of Adana, Huseyin Sozlu; Chairman of Sabancı Foundation Board of Trustees, Güler Sabancı; General Manager of Sabancı Foundation, Zerrin Koyunsağan; General Art Director of State Theatres, Mustafa Kurt; actress, Prof. Zeliha Berksoy, along with tens of thousands of spectators.

“We have a festival competing in the international arena”

In her speech in the 16^th year of Adana Theatre Festival, Sabancı Foundation Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Güler Sabancı said that they were celebrating the 40^thanniversary of the Foundation: "The seeds of our Foundation were sown 40 years ago in these lands, in Adana. Since its inception, our Foundation has always prioritized culture and arts. As Sabancı Foundation, we are proud of all the culture and art activities we have been supporting alongside Adana Theatre Festival."

Güler Sabancı, who stated that the State Theaters Sabancı International Adana Theatre Festival had been instituted upon support of the citizens of Adana in the last 16 years, remarked, "The legacy of the late Sakip Sabancı, who passed away 10 years ago, is owned by all of us. It is a great fortune that every year we come together on this stage of peace, friendship and understanding, in Adana Theatre Festival."

Güler Sabancı underscored the successful cooperation that has been in place for the last 16 years between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of State Theaters and Adana Theater Festival: “The offspring of this strong partnership is this festival competing in the international arena. We host world-renowned theaters and distinguished theater ensembles of Turkey in Adana. During the opening ceremony we will host the most famous French ensemble Ilotopie with their water performance. Our city will be welcoming local and international theater companies for a full month until May 16.  With the streets shows at the Stone Bridge the festival will turn into a jovial carnival”.

The State Theatres General Art Director Mustafa Kurt said in his speech: "We feel the great pride and honor of organizing the 16^thof our Festival, which we had first conceptualized as a project back in 1998.This land strengthens its culture with its fertility and hosts many artists with its liveliness and special texture... We are in Cukurova, the beautiful land where productivity of man turns into labor and labor into productivity. We greet all lovers of art once again with the State Theatres Sabancı International Adana Theatre Festival."

This year’s Sakip Sabancı Lifelong Achievement Award went to Prof. Zeliha Berksoy

The Sakip Sabancı Lifelong Achievement Award, which has been in place since 2005 to recognize and pay homage to the masters of the art of drama, went to theater and film actress Prof. Zeliha Berksoy this year. Berksoy’s award was presented by Sabancı Foundation Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Güler Sabancı during the opening ceremony.

Dreams Reflect on the Water of the Seyhan River

The Festival’s opening, which has been marked with spectacular performances on the Seyhan River for the last five years, kicked off with French show company Ilotopie’s epic show this year.  The world-renowned company, which stages innovative performances featuring diverse elements of visual arts, came to Turkey for the first time for the Festival.

Ilotopie’s performance "Water Fools and Aquatic Parade" commenced with a fire show and fireworks. As part of the performance, there were two parades with themes of "Dream" and "Theme Park", which featured many colorful characters parading over the Seyhan River. The Dream ceremony included mythological figures, knights, jesters, wizards, ghosts and clowns; whereas the Theme Park ceremony presented comical and enjoyable moments from daily life. The performance that ended with fireworks captivated thousands of spectators lined up along the shores of Seyhan River.

“Adana” will be the theater capital for a full month

The longest running theatre festival of Turkey with performances that last for a full month will host 16 local and 5 international theatre companies that will stage 21 different plays this year. The Festival, which will run from April 14 to May 16 this year, will host international theater companies including those from Spain, Iran, Azerbaijan, Romania and France. "Muu!" by Ylana Theatre from Spain, "Two of Us" by Passe-Partout Theatre Company from Romania, "Drought and Lie" by&nnbsp;Inruzha Theatre from Iran, and "The Adventures of Lenkeran Khan’s Vizier" by the State Drama Theatre of Azerbaijan are among this year’s performances.

From Turkey, City Theaters, State Theaters and private theaters will be staging their plays at Adana Theater Festival. The festival program includes plays by İstanbul State Theater, “the Miser”, “Hamlet” and “Desert Storms”; Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Theaters, “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”; İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Theaters “ the Istanbul Gentleman”; Ankara Ekin Theater, “Third Gong”; Bursa State Theater, “Sarıpınar 1914”; Mersin State Opera and Ballet, “Scrubbird”; İzmir State Theater, “the Last Scream”; Ankara State Theater “Where to”, Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Theaters, “the Futile World”; Kenter Theater “Good Night Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet” and “Collected Stories”; Theater Cat, “Tell Me About Esme”, and Van State Theater “the Moonlight Circus” children’s play will be staged. The plays will be staged at Hacı Ömer Sabancı Cultural Center in Adana and 5 plays will be staged at Sabancı University Performing Arts Center.

The Festival will host outdoor events on the Stone Bridge as usual. The citizens of Adana will fully experience the festival spirit enjoying the music, dance, and performances at Adana’s symbol, Stone Bridge from May 10 to May 16.

The Festival will also host various workshops for citizens of Adana on dance, music, art, and stage photography at the premises of Hacı Ömer Sabancı Cultural Center Studio.;

More than 80 thousand spectators follow the Festival every year

Adana Theatre Festival has hosted more than 5000 artists and 74 international theatre companies from 38 countries in 15 years. Including the plays staged by the Turkish private theatres and State Theatres, a total of 271 plays and 573 performances were staged. The Festival, which attracts audiences not only from Adana but from all over Turkey, attracts more than 80 thousand spectators each year.