Istanbul concerts to mark Beethoven's 250th birthday

ISTANBUL

Led by a top Turkish conductor, the Cemal Resit Rey Symphony Orchestra will give three free concerts as part of events marking Beethoven's 250th birthday, the city of Istanbul announced on Tuesday.

The Beethoven 2020 concerts will be held at municipality culture centers in the Sultangazi, Kartal, and Bakirkoy districts of the Turkish metropolis, the Istanbul Municipality said in a statement.

Ahead of the free concerts, conductor Cem Mansur will also hold half-hour discussions on the German composer and his famed 5th Symphony.

In 2020, the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the pillars of classical music, will be celebrated across the world.