A “Local and National” Issue: The Place of Turkish National Opera in Opera Education in Turkey

Abstract

The relationship between opera education and Turkish national opera in Turkey is significant and has also been overlooked. National Opera and opera education, which came into being after the foundation of the Republic, are far from where they should be today when we look at the ninety years it has left behind. Turkish operas are rarely staged on Turkey’s opera stages. And in this case, it is also rare to come across operas among the works of Turkish composers. The place occupied by Turkish opera in opera education is equally small.

This article examines Turkish opera and opera education’s historical roots, artistic content, and interrelationships. The study's primary aim is to reveal the current situation’s problematic aspects and make suggestions to solve these problems. According to the results, the problems are quite numerous and deep. With the help of the sources used, an attempt has been made to reveal the reasons for the problems. The conclusion and suggestion section aims to draw attention to the existence of these problems and to close the gap between Turkish opera and Turkish opera education with suggestions. The study shows a qualitative character.