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"Music Unites" 20th Mersin International Music Festival

13 May 2022

"Music Unites"
20th Mersin International Music Festival
21 May > 11 June 2022

Mersin's festival is 20 years old.


Mersin International Music Festival (Merfest), which is the voice of Mersin in the national and international arena with its events, opens its curtains for the 20th time between 21 May and 11 June 2022 with the theme "Music Unites". The festival, which will last for 20 days with a total of 12 events, 3 of which are free admission, will be held this year at Mersin Cultural Center, Tarsus Baca Square, Mezitli Municipality Amphitheater, Tarsus St. Paul Museum, Toroslar Municipality Amphitheater, Yenişehir Municipality Atatürk Cultural Center, Mezitli Municipality Cultural Center, Latin Catholic Church, MEÜ. It will take place at Nevit Kodallı Concert Hall.

The Composition Competition and Nevit Kodallı Polyphonic Choirs Festival, which are held every year in order to highlight Mersin's cultural richness, have been postponed again to the next year. While the festival will hand out awards in 3 different categories, namely the Art Award, the City Award and the Nevit Kodallı Young Talent Award, the MUMF 20th Anniversary Special Award will also be given this year.

The curtains are opening with Turkey's opera stars. The festival also organises a concert in the memory of UNESCO prized inter-religions peace envoy Lina Nasif from Mersin who passed away last year.

The 20th Mersin International Music Festival will host soloists and musical ensembles from different musical genres from the Netherlands, Austria, Kazakhstan, China and Turkey. Leading opera stars Asude Karayavuz (Mezzo Soprano), Hale Soner Kekeç (Soprano), Erdem Erdoğan (Tenor), Caner Akgün (Baritone) will take part in the opening concert, which will be conducted by conductor Murat Cem Orhan. The concert, accompanied by the Festival Orchestra, will take place on Saturday, 21 May 2022 at 20.00 PM at Mersin Cultural Center.

Other soloists and ensembles that will take place in the programme are as follows; Elif Sanchez, Utrecht String Quartet in cooperation with the Dutch Embassy, Ceylan Ertem, Kerem Görsev Trio, Turan Ethno Folk Band from Kazakhstan, MBB City Orchestra under condutor Daniel Fedorean and soloist Zeynep Casalini, under the baton of conductor İbrahim Yazıcı cellist Jamal Aliyev, recital with Hasan Gökçe Yorgun and Jiao Li, Melek Mosso, Wiener Klavier Quartett in collaboration with the Austrian Cultural Office, and closing event is Two Turkish Tenors.

>>> Check the full programme of Merfest <<<