The 9th International Ephesus Opera and Ballet Festival came to a spectacular close on 8 July with a performance of Giacomo Puccini's masterpiece Tosca at the historic Ephesus Ancient Theatre, bringing to an end a 13-day celebration of opera and ballet. Nearly 2,000 spectators filled the ancient venue for the festival's final performance.

Organized by the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet of Türkiye, the festival opened on 26 June with Swan Lake and featured a diverse artistic program over 13 days. A total of eight performances of five productions—including one opera, two ballets, one staged cantata, and one children's production—were presented at the Ephesus Ancient Theatre and the Bornova Culture and Arts Center.

The closing performance of Tosca was presented by the İzmir State Opera and Ballet, conducted by Roberto Gianola and directed by Yiğit Günsoy. The production featured stage and costume design by Gülden Sayıl and lighting design by İnan Sefer.

Last-Minute Cast Change

The evening also saw an unexpected cast change. Italian tenor Ivan Magrì, originally scheduled to perform the role of Cavaradossi, was unable to appear due to health reasons. The role was successfully assumed by Erdem Erdoğan, a leading tenor of the İzmir State Opera and Ballet.

The principal cast included Filiz Güneş as Tosca, Cengiz Sayın as Scarpia, Sabri Çapanoğlu as Angelotti, Görkem İbrahim Özcan as the Sacristan, Tankut Eşber as Spoletta, Christopher Gagliardo as Sciarrone, Suhan Arslan as the Jailer, and Ceylin Horasan as the Shepherd Boy.

Distinguished Guests Attend the Finale

Among the audience was Tan Sağtürk, who served as Director General of the State Opera and Ballet between 2023 and 2026 and currently serves as Artistic Advisor to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Sağtürk attended the performance with his family, only days after being unanimously re-elected in Moscow as Vice President of the International Ballet Federation and President of the European Competitions Committee during the General Assembly of the International Ballet Union.

Summer Festival Season Continues

Following the conclusion of the Ephesus Festival, the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet will continue its summer festival programme with two major events on Türkiye's southern coast.

The 23rd International Bodrum Ballet Festival will be held from 31 July to 17 August at the Bodrum Castle North Moat Stage. The festival will feature 10 performances of five productions, including guest artists from the Kosovo National Ballet.

The summer festival calendar will conclude with the 33rd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival, scheduled for 12–26 September at the magnificent Aspendos Ancient Theatre in Antalya. The festival will open with Giuseppe Verdi's Attila.

Further information on festival programmes and ticket sales is available at operabale.gov.tr and biletinial.com.