The Art Codes

BY EFE UTKU URAL (HART/IV)
u_ural@ug.bilkent.edu.tr

Calling all art lovers, cinephiles, intellectuals, rockers, classical music freaks, and aestheticians of all stripes! I salute you all! Hereafter, every week, you can find art and culture events from our campus or elsewhere in this column: The Art Codes. My aim is to put everything in one place for your convenience.

Art Gallery Unveils Important Works of Turkish Painters:
Masters and Youngsters

On November 4, the Bilkent University Library Art Gallery opened its doors for the most prominent exhibition this term: “5x5 Masters and the Youngsters: Original Prints from the collection of İstanbul Museum of Graphic of Arts (IMOGA)." The exhibition, which will hang until December 8 and features highly important and famous Turkish contemporary painters such as Burhan Doğançay, Mustafa Plevneli, Ferruh Başağa, Adnan Turani and Süleyman Saim Tekcan as well as new generation artists: Demir Kardaş, Ecehan Toprak, Elvan Tekcan, Sırma Kefeli, and Olca Uzunokur. The gallery is open everyday, except Sundays, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Bilkent Symphony and İdil Biret:
Remember, remember the Fifth of November! Of course we don't celebrate Guy Fawkes' Night on November 5, so I prepared my self to see the new performance of Bilkent Symphony with İdil Biret on the piano and Francesco Belli at the helm.

Bilkent Symphony and İdil Biret performed Mozart's “The Abduction from the Seraglio” and “Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor (Kv.491),” and ended their performance with Mendelssohn's Symphony No.4 in A major known as “The Italian.” It was a smart playlist to assemble the genius Austrian with the Romantic German. Plus, the dynamics of the Symphony were so strong. And of course, Biret was absolutely marvelous as always. At the encore, separately from BSO, Biret ended her remarkable performance by playing two pieces from Schubert and Bach.


Interestingly, this time, I felt like I've grown up because I even did not yawn once during a classical music performance. And again this time, I wondered how would I feel like if I stopped liking Metallica anymore? (No worries, it is not happening.)

Not interestingly, I did not see many young people around and felt like a nerd (that I am absolutely not but to tell you the truth, it is a sophisticated feeling). So, I will not hesitate to join to the upcoming performances of Bilkent Symphony. For performance schedule, please check: www.bso.bilkent.edu.tr

What's next on BSO: Bilkent Symphony is going to perform "In Memory of Atatürk" at the Bilkent Concert Hall on November 12, at 8 p.m. The BSO will play Mozart and Tchaikovsky.

Theatre:
Bilkent University Theater Hall will host three plays within the scope of 15th Ankara International Theater Festival. On November 29, Theatre Cinematografff from Russia will perform "Give Me The Father The Second One" at 8 p.m. In another play, Lenkeran Dovlet Dram Teatrosu of Azerbaijan will perform "Şeytanın Oyunları" on December 1 at 8 p.m. Finally, the Croatian Hotel Bulic Theatre will visit with "Ma and All" on December 3 at 8 p.m. Note that every play will be performed in the native language of the troupe. If you know all these languages, I congratulate you! If you don't, treat some exchange friends from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Croatia. You can also try to find audio-guides in these languages or enjoy your time on Facebook. But before I let you go, for those who are interested in the plays above, please check: http://www.taksav.org/15-festival/15-program.html for details.

Allright chaps; I guess it's enough for art and culture this week. Have a nice midterm week. Cheers y'all.