Dresden Symphony Orchestra to Present “Aghet” Program in Istanbul

BERLIN (Armradio) — The Dresden Symphony Orchestra will present the “Aghet” program dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the German Consulate General in Istanbul on November 13, the Turkish service of Deutsche Welle reports.

“Aghet” caused tension between Turkey and Germany last year, as the orchestra commemorated the Armenian Genocide centennial in Dresden on April 30, 2015. Turkey attempted to pressure it and the EU to keep the term “genocide” out of a concert.

The concert was sponsored by European Union’s Creative Europe program. Turkey’s delegation to the European Union demanded the European Commission withdraw 200,000 euros ($224,500) in funding for the concert.

Earlier this month Turkey announced it was exiting the European Union’s Creative Europe Program. Accoridng to reports, the pullout was in response to a concert, supported by Creative Europe and performed in April by Germany’s Dresdn Symphony Orchestra in commemoration of the Armenian genocide.

Conducted by Andrea Molino, the Dresden Symphony is joined by musicians from Turkey and Armenia as well as members of the “No Borders Orchestra.”

“Aghet” was initiated by Marc Sinan together with the orchestra from Dresden. Sinan’s Armenian grandmother lost her parents in the events following the deportations that began on April 24, 1915. The guitarist of German, Armenian and Turkish heritage performs the solo part in Helmut Oehring’s piece “Massaker, hört ihr MASSAKER!” (Massacre, do you hear MASSACRE!) for guitar solo, voice, women’s chorus and strings.