ISTANBUL
- Istanbulites to follow smell of coffee
Turkey’s cultural capital is set to host the country’s first “Istanbul Coffee Festival” between Dec. 25 and 28.
The festival is open not only to coffee professionals but to all enthusiasts as well, says the press release.
The festival, which will take place at Istanbul’s Galata Rum Okulu - a neo-classic architectural Greek school that was closed in 2007 - aims to support coffee culture in the country and provide a gathering place for coffee-lovers.
“This festival will be a celebration of caffeine with degustation of coffee and food samples, tasting from local and international rosters, presentation of various coffeehouses and baristas,” the press release said.
http://www.istanbulcoffeefestival.com/
- Canadian musician to perform in Istanbul
Canadian indie rock artist Owen Pallett will take the stage for the second time at Istanbul’s Salon Concert Hall on Dec. 19.
Winner of the 2006 Polaris Music Award with his second album “He Poos Clouds,” Pallett released his latest record “In Conflict” last May.
Known for his polyphonic performances, the 35-year old musician performed in Istanbul for the first time in 2013.
Pallett and American multi-instrumentalist William Butler were nominated for Best Original Score at this year’s Academy Awards for their work on the soundtrack of the 2013 movie “Her” by American filmmaker Spike Jonze.
http://www.owenpalletteternal.com/
- Contemporary art from Southeast Asia in Istanbul
Istanbul’s modern arts gallery Arter hosts a contemporary art exhibition from Southeast Asia until Jan. 4.
Titled “The Roving Eye: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia,” it presents more than 40 works by 36 artists from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia, according to a press release from Arter.
Curated by Iola Lenzi, a researcher and critic who focuses on Southeast Asian contemporary art, the exhibition aims to offer critical insights into today’s regional culture, said the press release.
The display features installation, videos, sound pieces, photography and performances, according to the statement.
http://www.arter.org.tr/W3/
- Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre to perform in Istanbul
Istanbul ballet-lovers have the chance to see the world-renowned Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre at Istanbul’s TIM Show Center on Dec. 19 and 21.
The group will be performing Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s "Swan Lake" as well as French ballet master Marius Petipa’s "La Bayadere," according to the TIM Show Center’s website.
The ballet group was founded in 1994 by Russian entrepreneur Konstantin Tachkin and has taken the stage more than 200 times in six continents.
Still according to the website, the group is the only ballet theater in the world that does not accept any state funding or sponsorship.
Most of the group members are graduates of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, a classical ballet school based in Saint Petersburg.
http://www.spbt.ru/main/index.php?lang=eng
-French comedy film hits Turkish theaters.
A French comedy-drama focusing on the country's immigration struggle hits Turkish theaters on Dec. 19.
Directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, who boast a huge success with their 2011 movie "The Intouchables," “Samba” tells the story of a love affair between a Senegalese dishwasher who immigrated to France ten years ago and an immigration caseworker.
“A milestone in big budget French cinema, Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache’s latest leverages Omar Sy’s appeal to bring immigration struggles into the mainstream,” said Variety, a weekly entertainment magazine in the U.S..
http://en.unifrance.org/movie/36950/samba
www.aa.com.tr/en
