48th Istanbul Music Festival Will Be Held Online in September

Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the support of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the 48th Istanbul Music Festival will meet with music lovers virtually between 18 September and 5 October 2020. Curated around this year's theme, The Enlightened World of Beethoven, the festival concerts are currently being filmed at historical venues in Istanbul and various cities of Europe for audiences to enjoy on their screens.

Previously postponed from June to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will be held online this year, with the exception of a physical concert to take place at Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre in Istanbul on Wednesday, 19 August with the support of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Kültür AŞ. The concert will see Turkey's leading ensemble Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra on stage and will be held with limited number of viewers due to COVID-19 measures. Online concerts of the festival will be available for audiences both in Turkey and around the world with stunning image and sound quality, and accessible ticket prices.

The 48th Istanbul Music Festival concerts are currently being filmed by professional crews at historical venues both in Istanbul and in various cities of Europe, with ensembles such as the Wiener Akademie, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Kheops Ensemble, Philharmonix, Beethoven Trio Berlin, Borusan Quartet, Semplice Quartet and soloists like Thomas Hampson, Bülent Evcil, Derya Türkan, Yurdal Tokcan, Gökhan Aybulus, and Ezgi Karakaya. The concert venues include the Theodosius Cistern, Palace of the Porphyrogenitus, Khedive Palace, Tophane-i Amire Culture and Art Centre, Harbiye Saint Esprit Cathedral, Surp Ohan Vosgeperan Armenian Catholic Church and Süreyya Opera House in Istanbul; and places such as the Perchtoldsdorf Castle and Abbaye de Stavelot in various cities of Belgium, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

Opening concert by Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra and violinist Emre Engin

The 48th Istanbul Music Festival opens with a performance by the festival's 2019-2022 Opening Concert Orchestra, Tekfen Philharmonic. The concert under the baton of Aziz Shokhakimov, with violinist Emre Engin as soloist, was filmed at the Boğaziçi University South Campus to inaugurate the online festival. Featuring works by Beethoven, Mozart, Prokofiev and Bartok, the concert was held in line with COVID-19 measures, with the participation of a limited number of İKSV's Tulip Card members.

Istanbul Music Festival presents the festival orchestra

With the new edition, Istanbul Music Festival establishes a festival orchestra for the first time in its history of 48 years. Comprised of Turkey's most talented young musicians under the baton of Cem Mansur, the festival orchestra brings a qualified, dynamic, and innovative approach to music making. In its debut concert, the festival orchestra performs a colourful programme with works by composers from various countries.

Festival celebrates the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth

In 2020, the 48th Istanbul Music Festival, centred on the theme The Enlightened World of Beethoven, celebrates the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, along with the rest of the world. The festival will feature iconic works of the composer, as well as new commissions and projects inspired by his music.

The details of the programme and information on tickets will be announced within August.

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