Dünya Maskara is a bilingual greek-turkish performance presenting a contemporary narrative in which dance, text, and music play an equal part. The performance is part of a broader project by choreographer Mairi Pardalaki, aiming to excavate and create unexpected connections between greek and turkish cultures. It draws inspiration from 19th-century bilingual songs and funeral inscriptions found in Istanbul written in “karamanlidika”, a turkish language writing system utilising greek characters, which was invented by the Rum orthodox population of the Ottoman Empire.

Mairi Pardalaki and poet Çağla Meknuze explore the traces of this past linguistic proximity and invent new approaches, juxtaposing their writing with the archival  themes: love, death, religion, and the place of women within them.

The performance is built between Greece and Turkey, engaging the artistic community in each country. Original music is by Emre Malikler, transcription of byzantine music by Nikos Papageorgiou, Voice preparation by Katerina Fotinaki, and Anna Linardou.

Participating Performers: Elina Demirtzioglou (Athens-Istanbul) | Sevasti Zafeira, Marietta Manaroli, Katerina Gevetzi (Athens) | Canan Yücel Pekiçten, Aslı Bostancı, Gizem Seçkin (Istanbul)

Rehearsals will take place in Istanbul and Athens, in September and October respectively, including first professional showcases of the performance. The premiere is scheduled for 2024.

Dünya Maskara is supported by NEON through its annual Grants Programme.