Young love, a sacred tree, a chalk circle that no one can cross, and Melek Taus, the Peacock Angel, watching over all. Mahmud and Yezida come from adjoining villages, but they may as well live in opposing worlds. He is Muslim, she is Yazidi – an ancient religion whose mystical beliefs are often confused with Satanism. […]
It’s been an incredible 12 months for Çiğdem Aslan. Described by the Guardian as, “one of the best British-based discoveries of the year”, she released her debut album Mortissa last October to critical acclaim in both the UK and in her native Turkey. Among her many achievements this past year was to be nominated in […]
The Mayor of London has lent his support to a new annual event for British Turks. Referring to his Turkish ancestry, Boris Johnson said he was “a proud descendant” and that “London Turkish Heritage Day will be a fantastic opportunity for all Londoners to marvel at the contributions that the Turkish-speaking communities have made to […]
Slight in frame but big in voice Çiğdem Aslan, is an enchanting addition to the musical world of rebetiko or ‘the Aegean Blues’. In her most recent London concert, Aslan transported audience members from the wooden pews of Islington’s 19th Century Gothic style Union Chapel to the cobbled side streets of Smyrna (Izmir), the […]
Massenet’s tragic masterpiece, based on Goethe’s Sorrows of the Young Werther, is a passionate and thrilling tale of forbidden love. A young poet, Werther, falls passionately in love with his beautiful muse, Charlotte. He learns that she has promised her dying mother to marry another man, Albert. When the melancholy poet Werther escorts Charlotteto a ball, he […]
A new Turkish festival planned to take place at Trafalgar Square this Saturday has been cancelled. The organisers of a Turkish Day in London made the announcement yesterday, stating that the “continuing tragedy of [the] mining accident at Soma. Turkey” meant they could not “justify celebrating at Turkish Day in London”. Over 280 miners […]
Acclaimed international Turkish dancer Özgen returns with his much anticipated new community dance theatre show Aşk (Love). Produced in conjunction with Dunya Bellydance, Aşk uses a cast of professional and amateur dancers to tell two tales of tragic love: one set in a modern Roma camp, the other at the Ottoman Court. Through Oriental and […]
A young Swiss-Turkish director emerged as a surprise winner in the third annual What’s On Stage Opera Poll. Aylin Bozok’s production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande (pictured), staged at the Arcola Theatre’s Grimeborn Festival last year, was voted the Best Newcomer to the UK Operatic Scene in this year’s awards. A total of 15,000 votes – the […]
British Turks are invited to attend a remembrance service for fallen Turkish soldiers as part of Martyrs Day, commemorated in Turkey and the wider Diaspora. The service will take place at 11.30am on Tuesday 18 March 2014 at the Turkish Air Force Burial Ground, situated in Brookwood Cemetery in Woking, where 14 Turkish servicemen killed […]
Visual artist Canan Tolon’s work is on display in her first major exhibition in a London institution. Titled Sidesteps, this grand scale solo exhibition at Parasol unit provides an in-depth insight of her works from 1986 to the present day. A mixture of abstract and organic, the exhibition includes Futur imparfait, 1986–1999, an impressive series […]
