Süreyya Opera House

Süreyya Operası

Süreyya Opereti Süreyya Sineması
Süreyya Opera House
Address	Gen. Asım Gündüz Cad. 29 34710 Kadıköy, Istanbul Turkey
Coordinates	40°59′17″N 29°01′43″E / 40.98805°N 29.02864°E / 40.98805; 29.02864
Owner	Darüşşafaka Association
Operator	Istanbul State Opera and Ballet
Type	Opera and ballet theatre, concert hall
Capacity	570
Current use	Opera house
Construction
Opened	March 6, 1927
Reopened	December 14, 2007
Rebuilt	2006-2007
Years active	1927-1930 theatre 1930-2005 movie theatre 2007-present opera house
Architect	Kegham Kavafyan
Tenants
Municipality of Kadıköy
Website
www.sureyyaoperasi.org/

Süreyya Opera House, also called Süreyya Cultural Center (Turkish: Süreyya Operası or Süreyya Kültür Merkezi), is an opera hall located in Kadıköy district of Istanbul, Turkey. The building is designed by Armenian architect Kegam Kavafyan by order of a Deputy for Istanbul Süreyya İlmen, it was originally established in 1927 as the first musical theatre on the Anatolian part of Istanbul. However, due to lack of appropriate facilities and equipment in the theatre, operettas were never staged. The venue was rather used as a movie theatre until the building underwent a functional restoration and reopened as an opera house by the end of 2007.

Süreyya Pasha started the construction of the building in 1924 to meet the need of a venue for cultural and social events lacking in Kadıköy. He was impressed by the glamour of famous theatres in Europe during his visits. The aesthetic and functional influences at the architectural design of the building are reflected in the foyer, an example of Art Deco inspired from the Champs-Elysées Theatre in Paris, and in the interior, which shows styles of German architecture. By the order of Deputy of Istanbul Süreyya İlmen, Kegham Kavafyan was appointed the architect to the Süreyya Opera House which was completed in 1927. Called "Süreyya Opereti" (English: Süreyya Operetta) and opened on March 6, 1927, the theater was the first of its art in the Asian part of Istanbul and the sixth in the entire city.

Since the stage of the musical theatre was not wholly completed and no artist's rooms were provided, operetta performances did not take place at all. Only theatre plays were performed some days a week. In 1930, technical equipment needed to screen sound films was installed and henceforth the venue was renamed "Süreyya Sineması" (English: Süreyya Cinema). Hikmet Nazım, father of the renowned poet Nazım Hikmet, was appointed the movie theatre's first manager.