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Suat Arıkan graduated from the Department of Voice and Opera in the Ankara State Music Conservatory in 1981. In Conservatory he studied with Cemil Sökmen. After graduation, he immediately began his career as a soloist at the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet. He has trained his voice with Dan Iordacescu, Daniel Ferro, Leyla Gencer, and Licinio Montefusco. In 1983 he received the second prize in the International Voice Competition sponsored by the Istanbul State Conservatory of Music. In the same year he was awarded as “the best bass” by the Mustafa Iktu Award and as “the best interpreter of Turkish Classical Works” by the Sevda & Cenap and Music Foundation. In 1984 Arıkan received the “Rovigo Theatre” Honorary Award in the “La Boheme” competition in Treviso (Italy). In 1985 he received the third prize in an opera competition among the bass voice category in Cagliari (Italy). In 1987 he received the first prize as the best “Sparafucile” in the “Rigoletto" competition. He performed this role in many cities in Italy.
Arıkan has sung a wide repertoire of both concert music and opera from the 17th century to contemporary music in Turkey and abroad. In 1992 he was critically acclaimed for his performance of "Leporello" in "Don Giovanni"in the Nico Malan Theater in Cape-Town (South Africa). In 1993 he received a scholarship from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and went to various cities in Italy, Germany and Holland to perform in concerts and continue his studies. In 2000 he performed the leading role of "Selim" in Rossini′s "Il Turco in Italia"; and "Sarastro" in Mozart′s “Die Zauberflöte" in the 25th International Opera Festival in Montepulciano.
Arıkan has also written various articles for opera magazines and newspapers, and presented various radio programs. From November 2002 until December 2003, he was the General Artistic Director for the Mersin State Opera. Since December 2003, he has served as the General Artistic Director in the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet. Arıkan has been giving vocal lectures in Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory. He was honored as a "knight" by the Italian government for his outstanding contributions to opera. In 2001-2003 he was selected as a jury member for both Milan, Italy′s “AS.LI.CO. International Voice Competition" and Albania′s "Maria Kraja" International Voice Competition in Tiran.
Besides being an opera artist, Arıkan is a painter. He has held six solo exhibitions and participated in several group exhibitions.
Online Exhibitions:
2013, Suat Arıkan Paintings - Almelek Art Gallery
2011, Suat Arıkan Paintings - Artisan Art Gallery
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2013, Almelek Art Gallery, Istanbul
2013, Roma Municipality Art Gallery, Italy
2013, Ziraat Bank Art Gallery, Ankara
2011, Artisan Art Gallery, Nişantaşı, Istanbul
2011, AKM Art Gallery, Istanbul
2011, Aya İrini, Istanbul
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2014, ART212, Maçka
Reference: suatarıkan.com; idobale.com, lebriz.com |
