Historical development of operetta art in the Ottoman period: Venues and composers

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine the emergence and development of operetta art during the Ottoman period, systematically analysing its structure in terms of the venues where it was staged and the composers who produced works in this field. The research was conducted within the framework of a qualitative research paradigm, and document analysis was used in the data collection process. Within the framework of qualitative research, content analysis was adopted, and the systematically obtained sources were analysed. The research findings show that theatres established in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district and around the palace, particularly in the 19th century, played an important role in the development of opera and operetta art during the Ottoman period. The Gaetano Mele, Concordia, French, Naum, Yıldız, and Dolmabahçe palace theatres played important roles in introducing Western performing arts to Ottoman society and in the development of this art form. Additionally, during this period, composers such as Dikran Çuhacıyan, Muhlis Sabahattin Ezgi, Major Kemanî Ali, Kaptanzade Ali Rıza Efendi, and İsmail Hakkı Bey composed works in the field of operetta for the first time and contributed to the formation of the Turkish operetta tradition. In the production of operettas, which began with Dikran Çuhacıyan and was continued by subsequent composers, the fundamental aesthetic and structural characteristics of Turkish music influenced the compositional approach.