Balgarianovinite.com Dead Souls, a production by director Vladlen Alexandrov and the Istanbul State Theatres troupe, was met with enthusiastic applause from more than 500 people at its premiere in Istanbul on Friday evening.
Speaking to the Bulgarian News Agency, Mehmet Fatih Dokgoz, artistic director and head of the Istanbul State Theatres, said that it was the first Bulgarian-Turkish theatre production to be staged on the Istanbul State Theatres stage. Dokgoz said that it was spectacular that the premiere played to a full house of more than 500 people, who applauded both Alexandrov and the Turkish actors.
“I am not surprised because we prepared for a long time. I took part in all stages of the joint work. It was not easy, but this production, with the dances, music, sets, costumes and everything else, produced wonderful teamwork,” Dokgoz said. “This is an achievement worthy of the cooperation between the Istanbul State Theatres and Bulgaria, which will continue,” he added.
Alexandrov , who is director of the Vratsa Drama and Puppet Theatre, takes the audience into a cabaret theatre in his staging of Nikolay Gogol’s Dead Souls. Nearly 30 Turkish actors recited, sang and performed on the stage of the Istanbul State Theatres at the Torun Centre in the Turkish metropolis on Friday evening. The production was a grand show using innovative means that helped convey the grotesque of life described by Gogol in his work.
The originality of Alexandrov’s production impressed Turkish theatre-goers, some of whom shared their views with the Bulgarian News Agency.
“Vladlen Alexandrov is one of the people who sparked Turkish-Bulgarian ties in theatre. The production was met with great enthusiasm by the audience. I congratulate him on the enthusiasm and professionalism he showed to the Istanbul audience, which is demanding. A fine Turkish-Bulgarian theatre celebration,” said Iskender Altin, a well-known Turkish director and the first to stage a Turkish play at the Vratsa theatre.
The set design for Dead Souls is by Nadja Vasileva Kovachovska, and the puppet direction is by Darko Kovachovski. The show’s composer is Burcak Collu, and the choreography is by Pinar Ataer. The music and songs were written especially for the production.
The Turkish translation is by well-known translator of Bulgarian plays in Turkiye Huseyin Mevsim of Ankara University.
One of Alexandrov’s close assistants, especially on language as the actors speak Turkish on stage, is Suzan Sabanci, originally from Silistra, who is an actress at the Istanbul State Theatres.
“I am extremely grateful to Turkish State Theatres Director General Tamer Karadagli, to Mehmet Fatih Dokgoz, and to everyone involved in this grand Turkish-Bulgarian international project, which would not have happened without the efforts and financial resources of the Ankara and Istanbul State Theatres,” Alexandrov said.
The Bulgarian-Turkish production Dead Souls will be performed this season on the Istanbul stage to full houses, as tickets have been sold out for eight performances ahead, the Directorate of Istanbul State Theatres said. Bulgarian-Turkish Theatre Production “Dead Souls” Wins Over 500 Spectators at Its Premiere in Istanbul 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-20 18:14:44 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law