theater in nineteenth century istanbul: .theater in nineteenth century istanbul: cases for the...

THEATER IN NINETEENTH CENTURY ISTANBUL: CASES FOR THE

TRANSLATION OF AN ARCHITECTURAL TYPOLOGY

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

BY

EZG YAZICI

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

SEPTEMBER 2010

Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences

Prof. Dr. Meliha Altunk

Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gven Arif Sargn

Head of Department

This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Ass. Prof. Dr. Namk G. Erkal Supervisor

Assoc. Prof Dr. Elvan Altan Ergut (METU, AH)

Ass. Prof Dr. Namk G. Erkal (METU, AH)

Assoc. Prof Dr. F. Cn BLSEL (METU, ARCH)

I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name :

Signature :

iii

ABSTRACT

THEATER IN NINETEENTH CENTURY ISTANBUL: CASES FOR THE TRANSLATION OF AN ARCHITECTURAL TYPE

Yazc, Ezgi

Master, Department of History of Architecture

Supervisor: Ass. Prof. Dr. Namk G. Erkal

September, 2010, 156 pages

As far as the traditional Turkish theater does not refer to any architectural

structure; the theater buildings that are built during the nineteenth century are

identified with the ideals of modernity and treated as the literally translations of

the Western typologies.This study aims to investigate the possbility of a geniune

architectural language in the theaters of nineteeenth century Istanbul. While doing

this, rather than offering a pure formal analysis,the study concentrates on the

cultural panorama of the nineteenth century Istanbul, political and ideological

changes, international relations, economic downturn and their impact on theater

that starts to appear as a popular leisure time activity of the capital of the Ottoman

Empire.

Key Words: Ottoman Theater, Nineteenth Century, Leisure time in Istanbul, Ottoman daily life

iv

Z

ONDOKUZUNCU YZYIL STANBULUNDA TYATRO YAPILARI: MMAR TPOLOJLERDE EVRYE BR RNEK

Yazc, Ezgi

Yksek Lisans, Mimarlk Tarihi Blm

Tez Yneticisi: Yard. Do. Dr. Namk G. Erkal Eyll 2010, 156 Sayfa

Geleneksel Trk tiyatrosu hibir mimari yap ile tanmlanmadndan

ondokuzuncu yzyl boyunca ina edilen tiyatro binalar modernizm fikirleriyle

zdeletirilmi ve Bat tarz tiyatro tipolojisinin bir kopyas olarak

grlmlerdir. Bu tezin amac ondokuzuncu yzyl stanbulundaki tiyatro

yaplarnn otantik bir mimari dile sahip olma ihtimalini ortaya karmaktr. Bunu

yaparken, formal bir analiz yerine, ondokuzuncu yzyl stanbulunun kltrel

panoramasna, politik ve ideolojik deiimlere, uluslaras ilikilere, ekonomik

darboaza ve bunlarn Osmanl bakentinde popler bir elence haline gelen

tiyatro ile olan ilikilerine deinilmitir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Osmanlda Tiyatro, Ondokuzuncu Yzyl, Istanbulda

kltrel yaam, Osmanlda gnlk yaam

v

To My Parents

vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express her deepest gratitude to her supervisor Ass. Prof Dr.

Namk Erkal for his guidance, advice, criticism, encouragements and patience

throughout the research.

The author would also like to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Paolo Girardelli for his

suggestions and comments.

The technical assistance and iner support of Dr. Cem T. Ylmaz and Dr. Burak

Erkol Ylmaz gratefully acknowledged.

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM........................................................................................................iii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................... iv Z ............................................................................................................................ v DEDICATION........................................................................................................vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................ix

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Theaters of Istanbul in Nineteenth Century ..............................2 1.2 Urban Space and Daily Life.....................................................10

1.3 Political and social background of the change.........................13

1.4 The Task of Translation............................................................17 1.5 Meeting with the 'other'............................................................18 1.6 Translate or not to translate......................................................20

1.7 Cultural Translations................................................................26

1.8 Architectural Translations........................................................28

2. COURT THEATERS

2.1 Dolmabahe Court Theater..................................................................32

viii

2.2 Dolmabahe Palace Complex ..............................................................40

2.3 Yldz Court Theater.............................................................................41

2.4 Yldz Palace Complex.........................................................................44 2.5 The duality of being visible and invisible............................................46 2.6 Imperial Boxes.....................................................................................48 2.7 Morality and Boxes..............................................................................52 2.8 Embassies.............................................................................................56

3. THEATER IN PERA 3.1 Levantine Background.........................................................................68 3.2 Social Structure ...................................................................................70 3.3 Borders of the District..........................................................................73 3.4 The name of District.............................................................................73 3.5 Urban Structure....................................................................................74 3.6 Arcihtectural Language........................................................................76

3.7 Theater in Pera......................................................................................78

3.7.1FrenchTheater.........................................................................78

3.7.2 Varyete Theater.....................................................................80

3.7.3 Naum Theater........................................................................81

3.7.4 Elhamra Theater....................................................................84

3.7.5 Caf Des Fleurs ....................................................................85

3.7.6 ark Theater...........................................................................86

ix

3.7.7 Talimhane-Croissant Theater................................................87

3.7.8 Concordia- Jardin des Fleurs.................................................89

3.7.9 Tepeba Summer and Winter Theaters.................................90

4. DIREKLERARASI

4.1 Ramadan: time for the appearance of performances and spaces102

4.2 Armenians and Theater .....................................................................106

4.3 Gedikpaa Theater..............................................................................111

4.4 Urban Structure .................................................................................114

4.5 Meddah Orta Oyunu and Tuluat.........................................................119

4.6 Coffee-house as the setting of performance.......................................125

4.7 Theater Buildings...............................................................................130

5. CONCLUSION.......................................................................