Istanbul theater-goers to see 'Evita' for first time

By Yasemin Kalyoncuoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Evita, a musical written by British author Tim Rice, will be performed for the first time in Turkish public theaters, an official said Thursday.

"As 2019-2020 season opens, Aida, Fiddler on the Roof, Carmen, Swan Lake and La Traviata will meet audiences," Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism told Anadolu Agency.

"Our biggest surprise in Istanbul is the Evita musical which will be performed for the first time," said Yavuz.

Adding that Aida had been absent from public theaters for a decade, while Swan Lake and La Traviata had not been performed in roughly 15 years, he added that audiences have swelled 60% since 2002.

"We want to reach higher levels, increasing audiences by 30-40% every year," Yavuz said, adding that the ministry planned to increase cooperation with universities and conservatoires in the coming period.

*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur