Ἠλέκτρα / Electra [Elektra]

Sophocles (497/496 – 406/405)

Ancient Greek Tragedy written between the years of 420 BC and 414 BC

11 October 1952 (10 Performances)

Ankara State Theaters

Arnulf Schröder stage director
Saadet İkesus Altan assistant director
Turgut Okutman assistant director
Turgut Zaim scene and costumes
 
Afif Obay translator
Alberto Milano stage manager
Nuri Özakyol lighting design
Rauf Erbay
 
Robert Tants music 
Hans Hörner conductor
 
Electra: Ayşe Muazzez Lutas Kurtoğlu
Orest: Nuri Altınok / Ümran Uzman
Aigish: Ahmet Evintan / Coşkun Orhon
Phylades: Oğuz Bora
Klytainanestra: Semiha Berksoy / Meliha Ars
Chrysotemis: Handan Uran Ertuğrul / Serap Sezer

Women’s Choir:
Begüm Aksu, Behire Özozan, Handan Pars, Hasbiye Arslan, Hikmet Gündoğdu, Leyla Gencer, Macide Birmeç, Neriman San, Saime Kentmen, Şadan Candar, Türkan Kutnay, Yıldız Ar.
 
Place: Mycenae

Cast details are from the following link:

https://tiyatrolar.com.tr/tiyatro/elektra-1

A SIGNED PHOTO OF ACTRESS SEMİHA BERKSOY, 1950 ANKARA

Asil sesli Leylacığım… Beni unutma! Kardeşin Semiha Berksoy.

My noble-voiced Leyla… Don’t forget me! Your sister Semiha Berksoy

STATE THEATER MAGAZINE

1952.10.01

STATE THEATER MAGAZINE

1952.11.01

CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA

Pietro Mascagni (1863 - 1945)

Opera in one act in Italian 
Libretto: G. Menasci and G. Targioni-Tozzetti based on a story of G. Verga
Premièr at Teatro Castonzi, Roma – 17 May 1890

19 June 1950

Open-Air Theater, Istanbul

Orchestra and Choir of Ankara State Opera

Conductor: Hans Hörner
Chorus master: Adolfo Camozzo
Stage director: Renato Mordo
Scene and costumes: Turgut Zaim / Tarık Leventoğlu

Turiddu a young soldier SÜLEYMAN GÜLER tenor
Alfio the village teamster ALİ KÖPÜK baritone
Lola his wife MESUDE ÇAĞLAYAN mezzo-soprano
Mamma Lucia Turiddu’s mothern NECDET DEMİR contralto
Santuzza a village girl LEYLA GENCER soprano

                                     BELKIS ARAN soprano
 
Time: The present, on Easter day
Place: A village in Sicily

C A N C E L L E D  

Due to Leyla Gencer’s illness she replaced by soprano Belkıs Aran.

AKŞAM DAILY NEWSPAPER                                                 

1950.06.16                                                                                             

Devlet tiyatrosu opera bölümü sanatkârları ve Cumhurbaşkanlığı filârmonik orkestrasından müteşekkil 135 kişilik bir sanatkâr grubu temsiller vermek üzere Ankara’dan dün şehrimize gelmiştir. Temsillere pazartesi Açıkhava tiyatrosunda başlanacak ve o gece «Cavalleria Rusticana» ve «Palyaço» operaları temsil edilecek, salı akşamı bu iki opera tekrarlanacaktır. Ondan sonra da vaziyete göre temsillere devam edilip edilemeyeceği kararlaştırılacaktır.

Ankara 16 (Telefonla) — Devlet tiyatrosu opera bölümü ve Cumhurbaşkanlığı filârmonik orkestrası tam kadroyla İstanbul’a hareket etti. Diğer taraftan haber aldığımıza göre solistlerden Leylâ Gençer, hastalığı yüzünden turneye iştirak edemeyerek burada kalacaktır. Bu kış Ankara’da oynanan «Cavalleria Rusticana» operasının «Santuzza» rolünde büyük bir muvaffakiyet gösteren Leylâ Gençer’in hastalığı sanat çevrelerinde teessür uyandırmıştır.

AKŞAM DAILY NEWSAPAPER                                                

1950.06.22                                                                                                

TOSCA        

Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)

Opera in three acts in Italian [Sung in Turkish]
Text by Giacosa and Illica after the play by Sardou
Premièr at Teatro Castonzi, Roma – 14 January 1900

1953 (4 Performances)                                  

State Opera and Ballet, Ankara   

Conductor: Hans Hörner

Chorus master: Adolfo Camozzo

Stage director: Vedat Gürten

Scene and costumes: Sabih Kayan

Floria Tosca a celebrated singer LEYLA GENCER soprano
Mario Cavaradossi SÜLEYMAN GÜLER / SAVNİ SUBAŞI / NURİ TÜRKAN / NİHAT KIZILTAN a painter n/a tenor
Baron Scarpia Chief of Police VEDAT GÜRTEN / NEVZAT KARATEKİN / NURULLAH TAYKIRAN / ALİ KÖPÜK baritone
Cesare Angelotti a political prisoner RIFKI AR / RUHİ SU / SELİM ÜNOKUR / MUAMMER ESİ bass
A Sacristan ALİ KÖPÜK / FİKRET KUNTAY baritone
Spoletta a police agent AZMİ ÖRSES / ESAT TAMER tenor
Sciarrone a gendarme MİTHAT DEMOKAN / MUAMMER ESİ / FİKRET KUNTAY bass
A Gaoler MUZAFFER GÜRGÜNEŞ / İSMAİL ÖKTEM bass
A Shepherd Boy BERGAM AKSU / SAİME KENTMEN / MÜJGAN KUTUCUOĞLU / AYŞE ÖRSES contralto

Time: June 1800
Place: Rome

STATE OPERA MAGAZINE

1960 January

TIEFLAND

Eugen d'Albert (1864 - 1932)                  

Opera in a prologue three acts in German [Sung in Turkish]

Libretto: Rudolf Lothar after a Catalonian play Tierra Baixo by Angel Guimera
Premièr at Neues Deutsches Theater, Prague – 15 November 1903

21 February - 5 March 1951 (5 Performances)                                

State Opera and Ballet, Ankara 

Conductor: Hans Hörner

Chorus master: Adolfo Camozzo

Stage director: Renato Mordo

Scene and costumes: Sabih Kayan

Sabastiano a rich land-owner ORHAN GÜNEK / VEDAT GÜRTEN baritone

Tomasso the village elder RUHİ SU / SELİM ÜNOKUR / ALİ KÖPÜK bass
Moruccio a miller FİKRET KUNTAY / NEVZAT KARATEKİN / MUAMMER ESİ baritone
Pepa ŞÜKRAN SÜLÜNER / RABİA ÇUBUKÇU soprano
Antonia MESUDE ÇAĞLAYAN / MUKADDER GÜRTEN soprano
Rosalia NECDET DEMİR / HİKMET SESAR tenor
Nuri a little girl AZRA ÇAPLI / ATIFET USMANBAŞ soprano
Martha a servant and ward of Sebastiano LEYLA GENCER [Role debut] / BELKIS ARAN / SEMİHA BERKSOY soprano
Pedro a shepherd in Sebastiano’s service AYDIN GÜN / NİHAT KIZILTAN / NURI TÜRKAN tenor
Nando a shepherd AZMİ ÖRSES / ESAT TAMER / SAVNİ SUBAŞI tenor

Time: Early Twentieth Century

Place: The Pyrenees and the Lowlands of Catalonia 

Photos © OSMAN DARCAN, Ankara

STATE OPERA MAGAZINE                                            

1960 January

KULİS MAGAZINE                                             

1960 April

MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)

Opera in three acts in Italian [Sung in Turkish]

Libretto: Giacosa and Illica
Premièr at Teatro alla Scala, Milan – 17 February 1904

04 October 1952 (4 Performances)

State Opera and Ballet, Ankara

Conductor: Hans Hörner

Chorus master: Adolfo Camozzo

Stage director: Aydın Gün

Scene and costumes: Turgut Zaim

Cio-Cio-San, Madam Butterfly LEYLA GENCER soprano [Role debut]

Suzuki, her servant NECDET DEMİR mezzo-soprano 
Kate Pinkerton, Pinkerton’s American Wife BEHİRE BELBEZ mezzo-soprano
B.F. Pinkerton, Lieutenant in US Navy SÜLEYMAN GÜLER tenor
Sharpless, US Consul at Nagasaki ALİ KÖPÜK baritone
Goro, a marriage broker ESAT TAMER tenor
Prince Yamadori, a rich Japanese FİKRET KUNTAY/RIFKI AR baritone
The Bonze, Cio-Cio-San’s uncle HİLMİ GİRGİNKOÇ bass
The Imperial Commissioner AYHAN BARAN bass
The Official Registrar MUAMMER ESİ baritone

Time: Early Twentieth Century

Place: Nagasaki

Drawing © TURGUT ZAİM

With sopranos Güher Güney and Meral Menderes

THE CONSUL [Konsolos]

Gian Carlo Menotti (1911 - 2007)                          

Opera in three acts [Sung in Turkish]

Libretto: Gian Carlo Menotti 

Premièr at Philadelphia – 1 March 1950

08 June 1953 

State Opera and Ballet, Ankara in Istanbul

Conductor: Hans Hörner

Chorus master: Adolfo Camozzo

Stage director: Aydın Gün

Scene and costumes: Tarık Leventoğlu

John Sorel ALİ KÖPÜK/NEVZAT KARATEKİN baritone
Magda Sorel his wife LEYLA GENCER soprano
The Mother NECDET DEMİR/NERİMAN ESİ contralto
Secret Police Agent HİLMİ GİRGİNKOÇ/RIFKI AR bass
First and Second Plain-clothes men n/a silent
The Secretary MESUDE ÇAĞLAYAN/MESERRET HÜROL mezzo-soprano
Mr. Kofner waiting in the Consul’s office AYHAN BARAN/SELİM ÜNOKUR bass-baritone
The Foreign woman, waiting in the Consul’s office ŞÜKRAN SÜLÜNER/NİMET AKALIN soprano
Anna Gomez waiting in the Consul’s office VASFİYE BARANSEL/ŞADAN CANDAR soprano
Vera Boronel waiting in the Consul’s office NİMET AKALIN/ŞÜKRAN SÜLÜNER contralto
The Magician (Nika Magadoff), waiting in the Consul’s office BEHİREÖZOZAN/NERİMAN SAN mezzo-soprano
Assan friend of John Sorel FİKRET KUTNAY baritone
Voice of the Record SAİME KENTMEN/BEHİRE ERSÖZ soprano

Time: After World War II
Place: Somewhere of Europe

STATE OPERA MAGAZINE                                          

1953.05.29

TOSCA        

Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)

Opera in three acts in Italian [Sung in Turkish]
Text by Giacosa and Illica after the play by Sardou
Premièr at Teatro Castonzi, Roma – 14 January 1900

1952 (29 Performances)                              

State Opera and Ballet, Ankara   

Conductor: Hans Hörner

Chorus master: Adolfo Camozzo

Stage director: Vedat Gürten

Scene and costumes: Sabih Kayan

Floria Tosca a celebrated singer LEYLA GENCER soprano
Mario Cavaradossi SÜLEYMAN GÜLER / SAVNİ SUBAŞI / NURİ TÜRKAN / NİHAT KIZILTAN a painter n/a tenor
Baron Scarpia Chief of Police VEDAT GÜRTEN / NEVZAT KARATEKİN / NURULLAH TAYKIRAN / ALİ KÖPÜK baritone
Cesare Angelotti a political prisoner RIFKI AR / RUHİ SU / SELİM ÜNOKUR / MUAMMER ESİ bass
A Sacristan ALİ KÖPÜK / FİKRET KUNTAY baritone
Spoletta a police agent AZMİ ÖRSES / ESAT TAMER tenor
Sciarrone a gendarme MİTHAT DEMOKAN / MUAMMER ESİ / FİKRET KUNTAY bass
A Gaoler MUZAFFER GÜRGÜNEŞ / İSMAİL ÖKTEM bass
A Shepherd Boy BERGAM AKSU / SAİME KENTMEN / MÜJGAN KUTUCUOĞLU / AYŞE ÖRSES contralto

Time: June 1800
Place: Rome

Sketch © SABİH KAYAN

STATE OPERA MAGAZINE                                         

1952 March

THE CONSUL [Konsolos]

Gian Carlo Menotti (1911 - 2007)                          

Opera in three acts [Sung in Turkish]

Libretto: Gian Carlo Menotti 
Premièr at Philadelphia – 1 March 1950

03 October 1954 (4 Performances)                                

State Opera and Ballet, Ankara 

Conductor: Hans Hörner/Hellmut Fellmer

Chorus master: Adolfo Camozzo

Stage director: Aydın Gün

Scene and costumes: Tarık Leventoğlu

John Sorel ALİ KÖPÜK/NEVZAT KARATEKİN baritone

Magda Sorel his wife LEYLA GENCER soprano
The Mother NECDET DEMİR/HİKMET SESAR/NERİMAN ESİ contralto
Secret Police Agent HİLMİ GİRGİNKOÇ/RIFKI AR bass
First and Second Plain-clothes men n/a silent
The Secretary MESUDE ÇAĞLAYAN/MESERRET HÜROL mezzo-soprano
Mr. Kofner waiting in the Consul’s office AYHAN BARAN/SELİM HÜROL bass-baritone
The Foreign woman, waiting in the Consul’s office RABİA ÇUBUKÇU/ŞÜKRAN SÜLÜNER/NİMET AKALIN soprano
Anna Gomez waiting in the Consul’s office VASFİYE BARANSEL/ŞADAN CANDAR soprano
Vera Boronel waiting in the Consul’s office NEVZAT ŞENOL/BEHİRE ERSÖZa contralto
The Magician (Nika Magadoff), waiting in the Consul’s office AZMİ ÖRSES/ESAT TAMER/NURİ TURKAN tenor
Assan friend of John Sorel MUZAFFER GÜRGÜNEŞ/FİKRET KUTNAY baritone
Voice of the Record SAİME KENTMEN/BEHİRE ERSÖZ soprano

Time: After World War II

Place: Somewhere of Europe

OPERA MAGAZINE                                         

1955 May