In this ‘Coffee concert’, which commemorates the late Ayşegül Sarıca, a distinguished Turkish lady pianist, the Istanbul Chamber Orchestra is to be conducted by Rengim Gökmen. First, the orchestra is to accompany the young Korean pianist E-Hyun Hütterman, now resident in Germany, in Chopin’s Piano Concerto No 2 in F minor. Following this, they will accompany two young Turkish singers – soprano Merve Timurcuoğlu and bass Berke Tükenmez – in a selection of arias: Vergin, tutto amor by Francesco Durante (1684-1755), Plaisir d’amour by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini (1741-1816), Don Basilio’s aria from The Barber of Seville by Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) and Lauretta’s aria from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). Finally, the orchestra will play the 1931 Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No 3 by Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936), a work freely transcribed from pieces originally written for the lute. The ‘Coffee concerts’ are sponsored by Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, a leading Turkish purveyor of coffee.
Issue 67, December 2024
Beauty in the Wilderness
