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Cengiz Özkan

Masters of Anatolia
Sat 20 May / 20:15 - 21:45
Sat 20 May ’23
20:15 - 21:45
  • Sat 20 May ’23
    20:15 - 21:45
    Nieuwe Kerk, The Hague
    Past event

Cengiz Özkan is the master of melancholy. Just listen to his now classic CD Oh Instanbul. While Istanbul is a bustling, and in some places almost deafening city, Cengiz Özkan showed the tranquil side of the metropolis on Oh Istanbul, of which you recognize the images of Istanbul as Orhan Pamuk describes the city. Cengiz Özkan performs with an ensemble of eminent instrumental accompanists.

Özkan specialized in the saz and first came to prominence when he started working for Turkish radio in 1989. Since then he has built an impressive career at home country and internationally, with high-profile albums such as Kırmızı Buğday, Red Grain (1997), Ah Istanbul (2000) and In Saklarım Gözümde Güzelliğin, I keep your beauty in my eyes (2003). The latter album was inspired by the Alevi troubadour-poet-singer Aşık Veysel (2003). Özkan's CDs all appeared on the Kalan record label, a progressive label that always had an eye for the diversity in Turkish society and combined this with high-quality recordings and detailed documentation, including the beautiful Hayâlmest from 2015.

Özkan's music is firmly rooted in Anatolian folklore traditions, but he is also an innovator. In 2001 he recorded a CD with the Turkish folk music singer Muharrem Temiz, while in 2018 he also did this with the more rock-like singer Hakan Altun. He regularly composes music for films and television series, of which the Turkish public also knows him well. He is also known as an actor, playing the role of a singer in the crime series Pusat.

Ooievaarspas discount
Ooievaarspas holders are eligible for a discount on the ticket price for this concert. To book tickets, we need to see your Ooievaarspas for registration purposes. Please contact our booking office to book your tickets.

Cloakroom and drink
Cloakroom and an intermission drink are included. If the event does not have an intermission, you will receive the drink afterwards.

What is Masters of Anatolia?

Masters of Anatolia is the new festival in the form of a series of concert evenings. Together with eight leading Dutch concert halls, spread across the country, we bring the rich music culture from Anatolia to the Netherlands. The festival, as the name suggests, programs the leading master instrumentalists and vocalists who take their musical inspiration from the Anatolian roots.

Made possible in part by the Fentener van Vlissingen Fonds, Fonds Podiumkunsten and Stichting Dioraphte.