Program Flyer

Tom Brosnahan Slide Illustrated Talk "Turkey: Bright Sun Strong Tea"

October 16, 2005 5:00 pm
Arlington Arts Center
3550 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201

Tom Brosnahan went to Turkey in 1967 as an American Peace Corps Volunteer. He taught English for a year, and then had an idea: why not write a guidebook? Turkey was beautiful, friendly, inexpensive and undiscovered. Turkey on $5 a Day (Frommer's , 1971) soon became the most popular guide to the country; his Lonely Planet Turkey guide (1985) was its all-time best-seller, and his turkeytravelplanner.com websitenow hosts well over a million visitors a year. Along the way, the author starred in a movie, sipped champagne with "fat capitalists" in the sultan’s gilded palace, fell in love at a circumcision party, almost got eaten by wolves on the Iranian border, drank endless cups of strong tea - and laughed at it all! So what's it like to be a travel writer? Is it in fact the best job in the world? How do you get to be one? Does it answer the question of what we are all doing on this planet anyway? Tom Brosnahan answered these questions and more during an evening of beautiful pictures, humorous memories, and Turkish food and tea.

Dry Summer /Susuz Yaz

October 23, 2005 1:30 pm

Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery

Metin Erksan became the first director from Turkey to receive a major international award when this film won the Golden Bear at the 1964 Berlin Film Festival. This Cain and Abel-like confrontation between two brothers, Osman and Hasan, over the water that springs from their land - and Osman’s desire for Hasan’s wife - earned a special place in Turkish film history for its ingenious depiction of the story’s erotic elements. 1964 / 90 min. / b&w

Style and Status: Imperial Costumes from Ottoman Turkey—Docent Led Tour

November 14, 2005 2:15 PM

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

1050 Independence Avenue, SW

Distinguished by their remarkably bold designs, breathtaking colors and technical complexity, Ottoman imperial silks are considered to be among the most extraordinary works of art from the Islamic world. This exhibition for the first time ever presents approximately 66 of the world's finest and most luxurious Ottoman royal textiles from the collections of the Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul, the Kremlin Armory, Moscow and other national and international collections. Fashioned into clothing, furnishings and movable architecture, such as tent hangings and floor covers, silk textiles denoted rank and privilege and played important economic, political and a ceremonial roles in the life of the Ottoman Empire (1342–1924). By the late 15th century, Bursa in northwestern Turkey was the main center of the Ottoman silk industry and one of the richest cities in the world. Both raw and woven silk, including velvets and brocades, as well as cloths of gold and silver thread were exported to Europe, the Balkans, and to Russia—the Ottoman empire's largest market. Some exported fabrics were fashioned into ceremonial robes or hangings but most became luxurious ecclesiastical items, such as chasubles and copes. The artistic influence of Ottoman textile motifs endures today, inspiring artists like William Morris, who incorporated Ottoman motifs into his textiles and wallpapers.

An Evening of Folk Inspired Classical Guitar Music with Mesut Ozgen

November 14, 2005 8:00 pm

NVCC Ernst Cultural Center,

8333 Little River Turnpike

Annandale, VA 22003

 
Photo credit: Paul Schraub

Mesut Özgen has performed and taught master classes throughout the United States, Spain, and Turkey and has been on the guitar faculty at the University of California, Santa Cruz since 1998.

Özgen's odyssey to Santa Cruz followed a highly unusual path, especially for a Turkish physician. Born in the small city of Malatya, near the Euphrates River in mountainous eastern Turkey, he pursued his medical education in Ankara, and returned to multiethnic southeastern Turkey to practice medicine for seven years. While in medical school, he took up the guitar and, though self-taught, began performing and teaching the instrument at Gazi University School of Music Education and at Hacettepe University.

After his two performances in the International Paco Peña Guitar Festival in Cordoba, Spain in 1989 and 1990, he was invited to the U.S. by Benjamin Verdery to study with him at Yale University, School of Music. Özgen completed both his Master of Music degree and Artist Diploma at Yale. He was the first guitarist to be awarded the "Dean's Prize," which is the highest honorary prize of the Yale School of Music.

In addition to being a prizewinner in the International Portland Guitar Competition, he has performed as featured soloist in the International Paco Peña Guitar Festival in Cordoba, Spain and Santa Cruz Baroque Festival, and premiered new music for guitar at the Yale Guitar Festival and April in Santa Cruz: Contemporary Music Festival. Besides teaching, Özgen has been giving solo recitals regularly, writing solo, duo, and ensemble music for guitar and other instruments based on or influenced by traditional Turkish music.

On this program, Özgen played two of his own compositions, Anatolian Fantasy and Tango Cruz, which include Turkish melodies and ornaments. The fantasy makes no use of actual folk song material, unlike Carlo Domeniconi's Variations on an Anatolian Folk Song, "Uzun ince bir yoldayim,".

Biblical Treasures of Turkey

Directed by Robin Williams

November 22, 2005 7:30 PM

The Inn and Conference Center (Marriott), University of Maryland University College

Adelphi, MD

Biblical Treasures of Turkey is the story of the twenty-nine or so civilizations, which once lived on this beautiful land of ours called Turkey and contributed to the well being of humankind. In Biblical Treasures you not only meet mythological Greek gods, but also real people who shaped the history. Herodotus, Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, King Midas to name a few. At times you travel with Marco Polo, or live with St. Paul in his home at Ephesus. You travel to Nicea, where the first Ecumenical Council took place or visit Virgin Mary's house in Selçuk. Have you ever wondered about the Noah's Ark, The Story about Gordion's Knot or Abraham's birth place? You have the answers in this movie.Biblical Treasures of Turkey is a treat for students of history, teachers and archaeologists. Robin Williams’ movie is not a religious program as he himself explains it. They are discoveries that match the historical account as told by the travelers  

Robin Williams is one of the top filmmakers of America today and a most dynamic public speaker. His film programs have been entertaining audiences in the United States and Canada since 1967 and he has been a regular on the National Geographic Society’s Film Lecture Series since 1972. He is noted for his effervescent stage presence and clarity of voice. His humor is unpredictable and sneaks up on the audience where they least expect it.

Sponsored by Raymond James & Associates, Turkish Embassy—Culture & Tourism Office and Antoini Jones

ATA-DC wishes to thank Raymond James & Associates, Turkish Embassy—Culture & Tourism Office, Ates Temeltas & Golden Horn Records,Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and Erju Ackman for their support and assistance.