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Entertainment
Guide to Entertainment, Events and Nightlife in Istanbul

Although not renowned as an entertainment city you'll soon find that there's more going on in Istanbul than you might think. The nightlife is ever growing and stays vibrant until very late, while culture vultures are treated to a full programme of arts festivals throughout the year. Added to that you have international standard music venues, both classical and modern, and countless theatres offering ethnic or classical performances.

Music

Classical

Turkey has a long history of appreciating classical music. Ference Liszt spent an extended period giving recitals in the city in the mid-19th century, and Turkey itself has produced several noted, if lesser known composers.

The city's main classical music venue is the huge Atatürk Cultural Centre (Atatürk Kultur Merkezi - AKM) in Taksim Sq, home to the Istanbul Symphony Orchestra, and the State Opera and Ballet. Information on performances is available from: the Atatürk Cultural Centre. Tel: +90 (0)212-251-5600.

Several private ensembles also exist, of which the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic is one of the better known. Information on performances is available from: Tel: +90 (0)212-292-0655.

A large number of classical music concerts take place during the Istanbul music festival - see Special Events below for details.

Traditional Turkish

Traditional Turkish music comes in several varieties all of which are based on a quarter tone scale, and so sound very "oriental" to Western ears. Two forms, Fasil and Baglama are performed widely in bars and restaurants across the city. Venues offering the former tend to do so as part of a package including dinner and drinks while Baglama venues are usually bars that may or may not offer food. The streets around Beyoglu are the best hunting grounds for both styles of music, look out for signs advertising performances or try these two suggestions:

Sal Café Bar
Búyúkparmakkapi Sok
Istiklal Caddesi
Beyoglu
Tel: +90 (0)212-243-4196
Friendly place with decidedly ethnic decoration. Live Baglama every night, and a good range of kebabs and grills. No cover charge.

Suheyla Restaurant
Kalyoncu Kuuluk Cad 45
Istiklal Cad
Beyoglu
Tel: +90 (0)212-251-8347
A proper sit down restaurant offering a "package" of traditional Turkish cuisine, drinks and live Fasil music for around TRL20,000,000 a head.

Theatre

Istanbul's theatre district is located around Istiklal Caddesi and around here you'll find many small to medium sized venues offering plays from around the world as well as domestic theatre. You might find it hard to find foreign language productions however.

Larger productions take place in the Atatürk Cultural Centre in Taksim Sq (Tel: +90 (0)212-251-5600), and this thoroughly modern thinking venue sometimes has subtitled performances. You should check beforehand for details. The Istanbul Open-Air Theatre - in front of the Conference Centre comprises 4000 seats allowing large scale performances to be put on in the sultry atmosphere of an Istanbul evening.

During the International Istanbul Theatre Festival there are usually a few English performances at various smaller venues. Otherwise occasional productions are brought over by the British Council. Tel: +90 (0)212-334-0700 for details.

Cinema

Cinemas can be found all over Istanbul, mostly showing current American and European releases, dubbed into Turkish or sometimes shown with subtitles.

Beyoglu's Istiklal Caddesi boasts five big cinemas including the five-screen Fitas complex and there are further multi-screen complexes in the Milli-Reassurance Mall in Nisantasi and the Akmerkez Shopping Centre in the northern suburb of Levent. Ticket prices vary between TRY5-10 depending on venue and time of show.

Nightclubs

Istanbul's club scene is ever expanding and offers something for most tastes. The past few years has seen a number of new venues offering a mix of live local music and/or foreign DJs. Entrance prices and drinks tariffs can vary alarmingly depending on what's on.

Watch out for "helpful" locals eager to guide you to clubs or bars, tourists are often duped into entering seedy (but expensive) establishments in this way. Stick to the tourist drags and you should be okay. The streets around Beyoglu are the prime hunting ground for casual clubbers, or head for the glamour of Ortaköy and the upmarket clubs round there. Be aware that groups of males are often turned away by doormen.

Babylon
Seyhbender Sok 3
Asmalimescit
Beyoglu
Tel: +90 (0)212-292-7368
High-tech music venue with regular live acts and DJs, both local and imported, catering for Istanbul's "Wired" generation. Probably the best music venue in town. Entrance price varies according to what's on.

Harry's Jazz Bar
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Taskisla Cad
Taksim
Tel: +90 (0)212-225-7000
Avant garde, up-market jazz/rock bar with a slight expat kind of feel to it. Live acts are mostly local bands playing Western style music. Also has karaoke on the massive video screens. More tourist venue than anything else but good for cocktails and light entertainment.

Laila
Muallim Naci Cad 141-142
Kurucesme
Ortaköy
Tel: +90 (0)212-327-2621
Summer-only outdoor restaurant-cum-dance club, and second home to Istanbul's "beautiful" rich, as evidenced by the limousines and bodyguards lined up outside. Boasts a changing selection of in-club restaurants offering (typically) Chinese, Japanese or Italian cuisine all of which require reservations. Multi-level dance floors pack to a selection of predictable dance tunes. The location right on the Bosphorus is breathtaking - as are the prices.

Roxy
Arslan Yatagi Sok 3
Beyoglu
Industrial chic live music venue with regular slate of DJs, local groups and occasional visiting stars. The music is varied as is the clientele and there is a bohemian, relaxed air to the place. Admission free on weekday evenings before 11h30, and TRL7,000,000 thereafter. Weekend TRY10 before 11h30 and TRY15 after.

Special Events

Istanbul is justly famous for its programme of festivals and the city can rival the best anywhere in the world for cultural entertainment. The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts does little else but promote the city's annual events, including an annual film festival, theatre festival and two music festivals as well as a biennial festival for the visual arts. Full programmes of performances are usually announced a month or so before the festival opens. Further information on all these events can be obtained from: Tel: +90 (0)212-334-0700

April
For over 20 years, the International Istanbul Film Festival has been held in the city during April. During the two-week festival take your pick from over 150 films selected from across the globe. There is sure to be something to suit all tastes during the movie extravaganza.

May
At the end of May the Istanbul Culture and Art foundation organises the International Istanbul Theatre Festival. During the week-long programme you can enjoy a range of classical and modern theatre, dance/ physical theatre and music theatre from Turkey and across the globe. As well as watching performances you can take part in workshops, conferences and exhibitions. Each year the festival attracts an audience of over 20,000 people. Contact the Istanbul Culture and Art foundation for further details, Tel: +90 (0)212-334-0700. The event is biennial taking place in even numbered years.

June
In mid-June the International Bosphorus Festival, is held at the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall. The festival programme includes performances from world famous bands, chorus and dance groups and attracts an audience of almost 30,000.

July
During Istanbul's International Music Festival, orchestras, groups and ensembles from all over the world perform the classics in venues ranging from state-of the art concert halls to the beautiful Byzantine Cathedral of Aya Irene at Topkapi Palace. Tickets typically TRL5,000,000-10,000,000.

Hear the sounds of summer at the International Istanbul Jazz Festival held each year for two weeks during July. The definition of jazz is loose enough to embrace such performers as Nick Cave, Lou Reed and Sting, but has also brought performers like Dizzy Gillespie, Jan Garbarek and the Buena Vista Social Club to the stage of Istanbul's huge outdoor auditorium. Other venues will also get into the swing of things with jazz performances, and you should check listings for details. Ticket prices vary from USD10 up to USD50 for superstars like Sting. For information, Tel: +90 (0)212-334-0700.

September
If you are an art lover then be sure to plan your visit between late September through November for the International Istanbul Biennial Festival of the Visual Arts. Art works will be displayed in various venues across the city including The Imperial Mint, Hagia Eirene Museum, Yerebatan Cistern and Beylerbi Palace. Tel: +90 (0)212-334-0700 for details.

November
In November you can enjoy the International CRR Mystic Music Festival held at the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall.


December
Don't miss the wonderful sounds of the International Piano Festival if visiting Istanbul during December. The festival is held in the Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall.

 

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