Turkish tenor earns praise in Italy

By Eda Ozdener

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish tenor Murat Karahan was praised for his performance in Italy.

He was described as "turco d'Italia (Turk of Italy)" by Italian media outlets.

“After his success in Naples, Parma and Turin, the emotional tenor who breaks into tears easily became the favorite of Italian people," daily La Repubblica wrote.

Karahan will perform Il Travatore, Carmen, Tosca and Aida at the Verona Opera Festival which kicked off on June 21 and will run through Sep. 7.

“I was applauded by the actors in the opera which means my Italian was good enough," he told the daily.

He said he was mentored by Italian soprano and opera director Renato Scotto and Bruno Cagli in Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Italy.

“Scotto taught that there is no limit for a tenor if you have a good technique and work hard.”

Karahan said he wanted to study politics but his family, especially his mother, insisted he studied opera.

“My mother told me that I would understand her when I turn 35 years old,” Karahan said.

"When I sang 'Onegin' with the orchestra of the State Opera in Ankara for the first time, my masters and choir started to applaud for me, and my mother's words echoed in my head. I was 27 then.

"I rushed home and embraced my mother in tears."

Praising the Turkish government for supporting artists, he said: “I can say that our government has invested heavily in art, that artists are respected, and that our artists are better off than the ones in Europe."