Özsoy (opera)
Encyclopedia
Özsoy is an opera
composed by Ahmet Adnan Saygun
from a libretto by Münir Hayri Egeli. It was the first Turkish
opera composed during the country's Republican period under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
and it was given its premiere performance in the Halk Evi Theatre in Ankara
on 19 June 1934.
The opera tells the story of twin brothers Tur
and Īraj
in three parts. Its theme, proposed by Atatürk,, draws from the famous poetic opus, Shahnameh
, which was written by the Persian
poet Ferdowsi
around 1000 AD. Tur symbolizes the Turkish people
, living in "Tūrān
", all the lands north and east of the Oxus, while Iraj symbolizes the Iranian people, living in Iran.
The premiere was attended by Mustafa Kemal and his official guest, the Shah of Iran
, Shah Reza Pahlavi
, since a major theme of the opera was the long-standing friendship between the Turkish and Persian peoples. Following that performance, the two leaders met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to establish the basis of friendship and cooperation for the two new nations, the Republic of Turkey and the Imperial State of Iran (Pahlavi Dynasty).
Hakan Feridun (Fereydun Khan
) has twin sons; Tur
(Wolf) and Īraj
(Lion). Right after their birth, the two brothers fall victim to the Devil's wrath, and they become separated, each living in a different land. Many years later, they find each other and discover that they are twin brothers.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
composed by Ahmet Adnan Saygun
Ahmet Adnan Saygun
Ahmed Adnan Saygun was a Turkish composer, musicologist and writer on music. Ahmed Adnan Saygun is acknowledged as one of the most important 20th century composers in Turkish music history....
from a libretto by Münir Hayri Egeli. It was the first Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
opera composed during the country's Republican period under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
and it was given its premiere performance in the Halk Evi Theatre in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
on 19 June 1934.
The opera tells the story of twin brothers Tur
Tur (son of Fereydun)
Tur is a character in the Persian epic Shahnameh. He is the second son of the legendary Iranian king Fereydun and brother of both Salm and Iraj. His name, meaning "brave", was given to him by his father when the young prince bravely fights the dragon that had attacked him and his brothers. When...
and Īraj
Iraj
Iraj is a Sri Lankan and Persian given name.Iraj may refer to:*Īrāj, a character in Shahnameh*Lord HanumanPeople with the given name Iraj:* Iraj Danaeifard, Iranian footballer* Iraj Ghaderi, Iranian actor...
in three parts. Its theme, proposed by Atatürk,, draws from the famous poetic opus, Shahnameh
Shahnameh
The Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...
, which was written by the Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
poet Ferdowsi
Ferdowsi
Ferdowsi was a highly revered Persian poet. He was the author of the Shahnameh, the national epic of Iran and related societies.The Shahnameh was originally composed by Ferdowsi for the princes of the Samanid dynasty, who were responsible for a revival of Persian cultural traditions after the...
around 1000 AD. Tur symbolizes the Turkish people
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
, living in "Tūrān
Turan
Tūrān is the Persian name for Central Asia, literally meaning "the land of the Tur". As described below, the original Turanians are an Iranian tribe of the Avestan age. As a people the "Turanian" are one of the two Iranian peoples both descending from the Persian Fereydun but with different...
", all the lands north and east of the Oxus, while Iraj symbolizes the Iranian people, living in Iran.
The premiere was attended by Mustafa Kemal and his official guest, the Shah of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Shah Reza Pahlavi
Reza Shah
Rezā Shāh, also known as Rezā Shāh Pahlavi and Rezā Shāh Kabir , , was the Shah of the Imperial State of Iran from December 15, 1925, until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on September 16, 1941.In 1925, Reza Shah overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar...
, since a major theme of the opera was the long-standing friendship between the Turkish and Persian peoples. Following that performance, the two leaders met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a government ministry office of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for foreign affairs in Turkey. Professor Ahmet Davutoğlu is current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, appointed on May 1, 2009....
to establish the basis of friendship and cooperation for the two new nations, the Republic of Turkey and the Imperial State of Iran (Pahlavi Dynasty).
Synopsis
- Time:
- Place:
Hakan Feridun (Fereydun Khan
Fereydun
Fereydūn also pronounced Farīdūn or Afrīdūn , also called Apam Napat, "Son of the Waters", is the name of an Iranian mythical king and hero who is an emblem of victory, justice and generosity in the Persian literature.-Etymology:All of the forms of...
) has twin sons; Tur
Tur (son of Fereydun)
Tur is a character in the Persian epic Shahnameh. He is the second son of the legendary Iranian king Fereydun and brother of both Salm and Iraj. His name, meaning "brave", was given to him by his father when the young prince bravely fights the dragon that had attacked him and his brothers. When...
(Wolf) and Īraj
Iraj
Iraj is a Sri Lankan and Persian given name.Iraj may refer to:*Īrāj, a character in Shahnameh*Lord HanumanPeople with the given name Iraj:* Iraj Danaeifard, Iranian footballer* Iraj Ghaderi, Iranian actor...
(Lion). Right after their birth, the two brothers fall victim to the Devil's wrath, and they become separated, each living in a different land. Many years later, they find each other and discover that they are twin brothers.