Celebration, Entertainment and Theater in the Ottoman World (Enactments)

Celebration, Entertainment and Theatre in the Ottoman World gathers twenty-four original essays exploring a broad range of historical performances in the Ottoman Empire. Offering a reappraisal of research on Ottoman festivities, celebrations and entertainment, the volume also examines the European-style theater that flourished in Istanbul during the last decades of the Ottoman Empire. Contributors address issues such as the use of Istanbul’s public space in celebrations, the possibilities for “having fun” in a small Aegean town, and the role of the Ottoman Sultans in promoting both art forms and public amusement. Other essays focus on the connections between puppet theater and early Ottoman comedies, the performance of Ottoman and foreign-style music in Istanbul and the everlasting problems of the sultans’ censors. By exploring festivals, ceremonies, and entertainments in their historical context, these essays provide a new approach to historical performances in the age of the Ottoman Empire.