Yaşar Anter / Muğla, Aug 26 () - The 6th Bodrum Baroque Festival, organized by the Karya Culture and Arts Association (KARSANAT), will be held this year on Sept. 4, 5 and 6 at a 3,000-year-old ancient theater.

The festival was recently launched at a press conference by Bodrum Deputy Mayor Mehmet Kocair, KARSANAT President Esen Deveci, festival consultant Gülderen Erdoğmuş, art director Nihan Simpson and Patrimonium Castellonum Europe, PCE Director Jurgen Werobel La Rochelle.

The festival will feature 19 Turkish and foreign artists and concerts will be open to the public for free. The festival committee expects some 6,000 people to attend the festival this year.

The opening of the event will be held on Sept. 4 by the Karya Turkish Music Band and soloist Özge Eyüpoğlu with an extraordinary repertoire, Erdoğmuş said, adding:

“The program, prepared by the founder of the association, includes works by famous Turkish composers from the baroque era between 1600 and 1750. The Venice Carnival, one of the most important events in this era, as well as open air events of magnificent costumes and masks will be a part of the program to be presented by the Karya Turkish Music Band.”

The president of the association, Esen said upon the invitation of the Patrimonium Castellonum Europe, PCE, they had given concerts in various castles in Europe, adding, “Our concerts were very successful and receive very good [reviews from] critics in the German press. This year we received the invitation within the same project and now we are preparing four concerts in four different castles. The proceeds of one of the concerts will go to the orphan children in Africa. We will represent Turkey and Bodrum during these events.”

World famous stars

Within the scope of the festival, Austrian Les Accords Extraordinaires will be on the stage for the closing event of the festival. Award-winning soprano Anna Magdalena Auzinger, famous harpsichord artist Elke Eckerstorfer, baroque cellist Jörg Zwicker and Annemarie Podesser will also take the stage. The theme of the concert will be Faustina Bordoni, one of the divas of the baroque era.

Bodrum Deputy Mayor Kocair said nearly 80,000 people attended concerts in the district annually, adding, “Bodrum is not only a tourism city but tourists have a chance to see concerts by world famous stars here.”

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