Composer, pianist, and producer Kaan Bulak presents Maison Lâle, a new interdisciplinary work commissioned by the 54th Istanbul Music Festival, performed as an immersive concert experience featuring ensemble and soprano Sarah Aristidou on Thursday 25 June. Blending contemporary classical music, electronics, and visual storytelling, the performance explores shifting ideas of ritual, beauty, and transformation through a multi-sensory format. Tickets are available via Passo.
At the center of the work is a conceptual journey that moves between historical and symbolic references, from ancient Anatolian rites of death and rebirth to the phenomenon of tulip mania in 17th-century Europe. These elements converge into a narrative that reexamines the idea of fleeting beauty, searching for its place within the fragmented, often disorienting landscape of modern urban life. The piece unfolds as both a sonic and visual experience, where memory, mythology, and imagination intersect.
Performed by Kaan Bulak on piano and electronics alongside an ensemble of strings and double bass, the composition expands traditional chamber music into a hybrid form. Acoustic instrumentation is interwoven with electronic textures, while the presence of soprano Sarah Aristidou adds a vocal dimension that moves fluidly between classical technique and contemporary expression. The result is a layered performance that shifts between intimacy and abstraction, grounded in both structure and improvisation.
Visual direction by Theresa Maria Forthaus plays a central role in shaping the experience, extending the work beyond sound into a spatial and cinematic environment. Through light, imagery, and scenographic elements, the performance redefines the perception of time and place, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that mirrors the thematic core of the composition.
Based in Berlin, Kaan Bulak has developed a body of work that spans chamber music, electronic composition, and audiovisual installations, with performances at venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie, and Zurich Opera. His practice reflects a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach, positioning music not only as sound but as a broader mode of thinking and experience.
With a duration of approximately 75 minutes, Maison Lâle offers a continuous, immersive performance that invites audiences into a shifting world where sound, image, and narrative unfold in parallel.
For more information follow the 54th Istanbul Music Festival. Tickets are available via Passo.
