'Harem' ballet on stage for almost two decades

'Harem,' a ballet work on the Ottomans, has been staged by the Ankara State Opera and Ballet for 18 years. It holds a record as the longest-running play on the Turkish ballet stage The Turkish ballet work "Harem" (The Seraglio), which has been staged to a full house by the Ankara State Opera and Ballet for 18 years, has broken a record. 

The longest-running ballet staged by the State Opera and Ballet, "Harem" has been performed nearly 500 times over the last 18 years. 

The choreographer and director of the ballet, state artist Merih Çimenciler, said he enjoyed producing the play. 

"When I [first] produced the 'Harem' ballet, there were no TV dramas about the Ottomans. I wanted to make this work very much. Because it is a ballet that sheds light on our own history, it is successful and draws great interest. 'Harem' is from our own life, from the Ottomans. This is why it is successful. It is an original story featuring Kösem Sultan's passion for power in the palace," he said. 

Stating he had read many books for the choreography of the ballet, Çimenciler said, "I give great importance to literature and script in a ballet work. If the play is based on a true source, people give it importance, too; they find themselves in the story. This is why I made true readings to make a proper basis. I think this is the reason why the ballet has drawn attention for 18 years."

Çimenciler said he had worked on the décor and costumes of the play with Alexandre Vassiliev, who had written a thesis and worked on Architect Sinan in Moscow, and that he had benefited from his knowledge. 

Çimenler added the décor featured the traces of the Ottoman style, emphasizing the powerful effect of décor in ballet. 

Ottoman...