Ankara Opera

The best thing about opera is that it is never in English anyways, so going to see one in Turkey is not as difficult as theater would be.

The Ankara opera house has a varied program and simultaneously puts on different operas. For January 2010, the schedule is:

Aida by Verdi: January 16 2010
Idomeneo by Mozart: January 20 2010
Viva la Mama by Donizetti: January 27, 30 2010
A Night in Venice by Strauss: January 18 2010

Turkish Marbelling: Ebru

The Turkish art of marbelling, or Ebru, can be seen at a special exhibit being held at the Ankara Art Gallery in Ulus. The exhibition is on the main floor, is free, and will only take about 10-15 minutes to check out.

Marbelling is a process of dropping natural dye pastes onto thickened water. The paint is manipulated with various brushes and tools to create both innovative and traditional designs. As the paint swirls on the surface of the gummed water, paper is placed onto the paint into order to transfer the design to the surface.

If you are interested in learning or trying this art form, there are artists in Ankara who offer lessons. More information to follow.

Also, Eskisehir's local government has funded free ebru classes for anyone who wishes to learn. The artist is employed by the municipality and is very well known as a marbelling artist in Turkey. Eskisehir is only 1.5 hours away by fast train! Enjoy.

American Turkish Association

The American Turkish Association is in Cankaya Ankara. They provide cultural exhibits, lectures and theater throughout the year to all international residents and Turks living in Ankara. Also, they offer international test preparation classes (SAT, GRE etc.), Turkish courses, English courses and Spanish courses across the city. Check out their programs at:

http://www.taa-ankara.org.tr/eng1/index.php