The first performance of the epic "The Longest Night" was held at the Presidential Complex.

The first performance of the ‘Longest Night’ epic, organized by the Presidency to immortalize July 15th, was held at the Beştepe National Congress and Culture Center within the Presidential Complex with the participation of President Erdoğan. The performance re-enacted the historic moments that occurred on the night of July 15th. Attendees of the performance included Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Numan Kurtulmuş, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu, AK Party Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala, Chief of Staff to the President Hasan Doğan, Director of Communications Burhanettin Duran, Secretary General of the Presidency Hakkı Susmaz, and Chief Advisor to the President on Foreign Policy and Security Ambassador Akif Çağatay Kılıç.

"The Longest Night" explores the struggle for homeland and independence that followed the investigation into the FETÖ case against Turgut Aslan, then-Counter-Terrorism Department Director, and the subsequent mobilization of members of the terrorist organization who realized they would be caught. The film, staged on the Ankara-Istanbul axis by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is set against the backdrop of the Counter-Terrorism Directorate, the Gendarmerie General Command, the Special Forces Command, and the July 15th Martyrs' Bridge, where the fiercest battles unfolded.

The project was directed by Chief Advisor to the President Fecir Alptekin, realized with the consultancy of Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin and the coordination of Prof. İbrahim Sarıtaş; the epic "The Longest Night," written by author Gürkan Tanyaş, features music by Ali Otyam, Aytuğ Ülgen, and Selim Atakan. Presidential Symphony Orchestra Conductor Cemi'i Can Deliorman conducted the orchestra, staged by Bora Severcan, and produced by Volkan Severcan; the Ministry of Culture and Tourism ensembles' artistic direction is by Ömer Faruk Belviranlı, choreography by Özgür Adam İnanç and Serbülent Biçer, set and costume design by Özgür Usta, and lighting design by Kemal Yiğitcan.

It was carried out with a staff of 500 people.

The leading roles in the work are shared by Umut Temizaş, Oktay Gürsoy, Ziya Kürküt, Kaan Kızıldere, Sefa Zengin, and Burak Durmaz. A 72-piece mixed orchestra comprised of artists from the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, the Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, Antalya, and Çukurova State Symphony Orchestras, and the Opera and Ballet Orchestras; 145 from the State Performing Arts Ensemble; 63 from the State Polyphonic Choir; 35 from the Maarif Choir; 14 soloists and 14 theater actors from the State Opera and Ballet; and 13 from the State Turkish Folk Music and Historical Turkish Music Ensembles; along with the backstage production, technical, direction, set, and costume teams, the project featured a staff of approximately 500. For the epic of ‘The Longest Night’, poems such as ‘Unity’, ‘War March’, ‘Despair’, ‘Martyrs’ Monument’ by Mehmet Akif Ersoy, ‘Allah’ by Bahtiyar Vahapzade, ‘From Exiled Countries to the Capital of Capitals’ by Sezai Karakoç, ‘Wake Up Now My Hero’ by Nurullah Genç, ‘Aydınlık’ and ‘Hold My Hands’ by Abdurrahim Karakoç, ‘I Am Obliged to You’ by Attila İlhan were composed and orchestra arrangements were made.

Following the performance, the Chief Advisor to the President, Turgut Aslan, a veteran of the July 15 coup attempt, and his wife, Nadire Aslan, were invited to the stage by the family of Chief Master Sergeant Ömer Halisdemir, who was martyred after shooting the putschist general at the Special Forces Command in Ankara during FETÖ's July 15, 2016 coup attempt.

Following the performance, flowers were presented to President Erdoğan and his wife Emine Erdoğan.

DHA

Reporter: News Center

In an event organized jointly by the Istanbul Governor's Office and the July 15 Association to commemorate the 9th anniversary of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day, a procession was formed on the Bosphorus. Twenty-five boats participated in the procession in memory of the 253 people who were martyred in the coup attempt on July 15, 2016. The procession departed from Aşiyan Bay at 5:00 PM. Proceeding as far as Sarayburnu, the boats reached the Üsküdar coast along the route, returning to Aşiyan to complete the procession. Families of martyrs, veterans, and many others also attended the event. Aerial footage of the boats' passage through the Bosphorus was provided.

Kaan Şahin, Secretary General of the July 15th Association, said in his speech, “Nine years have passed since the treacherous FETÖ coup attempt. That night, we all joined our nation's resistance in the streets. Neither veteran status nor martyrdom were granted to me, but we all witnessed the courage of this noble nation with our own eyes. Today, we are honored by your participation in this flag procession, which we coordinated with the Istanbul Governor's Office and the Coast Guard Command, and in which we participated with the families of our martyrs and our veterans, for the souls of our cherished martyrs.”

EVEN AFTER 30 YEARS, OUR PAIN IS ALWAYS FRESH.

Deniz Ergin, who lost her son Batuhan Ergin on the night of July 15th, said, "Our pain is just as fresh. Whether nine years have passed or 30, our pain is always the same. We've just learned to forget the pain. I lost my son; he was 21. He was martyred on the Bosphorus Bridge."

dha

Reporter: News Center