The opera house opened in 1927 but, as the stage facilities were never completed, the building was used as a cinema. At the time of preservation it was dilapidated, with shop signs on the facades and a tailor’s atelier complete with new mezzanine in the ballroom. The building is unique in its Western detailing and the renovations preserved and revealed these original features. The building now meets its original purpose with the unfinished backstage structure and side stages built in contemporary glass and steel to separate them visually from the existing architecture. It has revived interest in classical performing arts and is now a prominent landmark in Kadiköy.
Source:
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 2011.
