French Theatres in the Ottoman Capital

Abstract

The nineteenth-century Ottoman cultural life changed more significantly than in previous centuries. The district of Istanbul, whose Ottoman name was Beyoğlu, was called Pera by the non-Muslim community living there. Greeks, Jews, Armenians, and Levantines living in this region along with Muslims. Italians, French, and Armenians were the leaders in the changing music culture of Pera. The French culture, the dominant culture of the period, also constituted the dominant language of Pera society. French music activities first started within the French Embassy in Pera. The information about the foundation of the first French theatre is unclear. Nevertheless, the name of the French Theatre is always mentioned together with the Naum Theatre, which was the leading one and also used as the Court Theatre. In the nineteenth-century, more than one French theatre venue is mentioned in Pera. Occasionally, information about these places needs to be clarified in the literature. There is almost no visual material showing the structures. Therefore, in this study, the stories of French theatres will be revealed as a more explicit panorama, with the help of documents such as Pera newspapers, magazines, maps, and trade annuals, which were the primary sources of the period. This research aims to reveal the music culture and venues of the Grand Rue de Pera more clearly, focusing on the French theatres.