Music–Performance–Video

Meryem’s Ballad

The Odyssey of a Guest Worker

16 October 2026, 20:00

Karbon

Arter will host the Türkiye premiere of Meryem’s Ballad, first performed at Deutsche Oper Berlin in November 2023. Presented in a revised form, the performance will be staged at Arter for audiences in Istanbul on October 16.

Meryem's Ballad is set in November 1973, during a break in the night shift at a factory in West Germany. As Meryem, a migrant worker from Türkiye, writes a letter home, a familiar melody drifting from the radio accompanies her. Drawing on memories awakened by this melody, Meryem constructs a narrative in which past, present and future intertwine.

Bringing together spoken word, video and original music performed by a live orchestra, Meryem's Ballad invites audiences to reconsider the themes of migration, labour and solidarity through the perspective of a migrant woman.

Language: Turkish, German with English & Turkish surtitles

Duration: 65′ (no interval)

Ensemble
Sevda Hamzaçebi (voice)
Cem Dinler (keys, synthesiser)
Serkan Emre Çiftçi (trumpet)
Korhan Erel (electronics)
Penelope Gkika (violin)
Philine Metzger (viola)
Emilia Lomakova (cello)

Concept and Text: Sevda Hamzaçebi / babelfis
Musical Direction: Cem Dinler / babelfis
Music: babelfis
Video: Mert Akbal
Direction: Seçil Honeywill
Sound: Bora Küçükyılmaz
Lighting Design: Utku Kara
Research: Sevda Hamzaçebi, Selen Müldür
Photography and Trailer: Arda Funda
Graphic Design: Suat Can Beldek
Production: babelfis

Credits

Support
The performance was first presented in November 2023 as part of Musicboard Berlin's Hinterhalt Commission, in cooperation with Deutsche Oper Berlin and with additional support from Stiftung Menschenwürde und Arbeitswelt.

The Istanbul premiere was made possible with the cooperation of Arter and the support of the Goethe-Institut Istanbul and Musicboard Berlin.

Special thanks
Ali Kemal Gün, Beate Riple, Dieter Braeg, Edith Marcello, Elif Miral-Oktay, Gerhard Grosche, Görkem Akgöz, Gülçin Şahin, Hıdır Çelik, Irma Wittenberg, Joachim Gester, Laura Bielau, Pieter Verstraete, DOMiD – Dokumentationszentrum und Museum über die Migration in Deutschland e.V., FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum, Michael Schmidt Archive.

General: 800 TL
Discounted: 600 TL*

*Discounted admission only applies to participants under 24 and over 65 years of age.

Tickets are available for purchase at Arter's Info & Ticket Desk, Biletix and Mobilet.

Ticket sales terms & conditions

• No service fee is added to tickets purchased from Arter's Info & Ticket Desk.

• Tickets at varying discount rates for Arter Together members are solely accessible for purchase at Arter's Info & Ticket Desk.

• The event is suitable for participants aged 18 and over. Audience members under the age of 18 may attend if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

• No audio or video recordings will be permitted at the event.

• Discounted ticket holders are required to present a valid ID.

• Refunds will be made only if the event is postponed or cancelled.

For inquiries, please send an e-mail to biletler@arter.org.tr or call +90 212 708 58 01.

Tickets

Side Events

As part of the Türkiye premiere of the performance Meryem's Ballad on 16 October 2026, Arter will also host a series of side events including a masterclass and two workshops.

Conditions for participation:

• Participation in the masterclass and workshops is for free. To attend, please send your details to etkinlik@arter.org.tr.

• The masterclass and workshops will be held in Turkish.

The events accompanying Meryem's Ballad are supported by the Goethe-Institut.

Artist Talk: Electronic Music and Improvisation
Led by: Korhan Erel

15 October 2026, 13:00
Sevgi Gönül Auditorium

In this artist talk, Korhan Erel will share the experiences he has accumulated—and believes to be correct—over his more than 20-year career in music and the arts, covering topics such as improvised music, experimental electronic music, and navigating a career in musical fields with limited resources. He will also be open to learning from participants if there are any errors or omissions in his insights. Participants are encouraged to come with curiosity, an open mind, and questions.

Format: Artist Talk
Duration: 60 minutes

Workshop: Objects Remember What We Forget – Creative Writing and Personal History
Led by: Seçil Honeywill

17 October 2026, 13:00
Sevgi Gönül Auditorium

In this workshop led by Seçil Honeywill, participants will write texts from the perspective of a small personal object they bring with them. The "object as witness" technique makes it possible to approach personal material from a creative distance, opening up space for both imagination and reflection. Guided prompts and short writing exercises will offer participants practical tools for translating lived experience into creative work.

The workshop is open to writers, performers, and anyone interested in creative approaches to memory and personal history.

Format: Hands-on workshop for adults
Duration: 120 minutes
Capacity: 15 participants
Materials: Paper and pen, a personal object brought by each participant

Workshop: Generative Visual Storytelling – Image, History and Creative Labor
Led by: Mert Akbal

17 October 2026, 16:00
Sevgi Gönül Auditorium

Drawing on the visual practice developed by video artist Mert Akbal for Meryem's Ballad, this workshop brings together pencil drawing, classical animation, 3D rendering and generative AI, combining archival material with designed imagery. Working within collage techniques inspired by Surrealism, participants will develop their own visual material in response to a historical or personal narrative. The workshop will also explore how contemporary image-making can serve sociopolitical storytelling and how generative tools are transforming the definition of creative labour.

The workshop is open to artists, game developers, choreographers, AI developers and platform architects.

Format: Hands-on workshop for adults
Duration: 120 minutes
Capacity: 15 participants
Materials: Collage materials (found images, magazines, printed texts), scissors, glue, tracing paper, textured paper, card, charcoal pencils, drawing pencils, coloured pencils and a smartphone.

This workshop is organised as part of the HAMLET project (HORIZON-CL2-2024-HERITAGE-01-03).