Beyond the Obvious

A night at CSO Ada, the Opera or a state theater

The Presidential Symphony, the State Opera and Ballet and the State Theaters all live here — world-class programs at prices that would be a joke in Istanbul.

₺an eveningseason runs September to June; book the day tickets go on sale

Not yet checked by the Smileys team — prices and hours may have moved.

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Why do it?

This is Ankara's real edge over every other Turkish city. The Presidential Symphony Orchestra (CSO) — descended from the Ottoman court band, the oldest orchestra in the country — plays in CSO Ada, a 2020 concert campus on Talatpaşa Bulvarı with a 2,000-seat hall of serious acoustic quality. The State Opera and Ballet's home is the pink Opera Sahnesi in Ulus, restored in 2018 to its 1948 look; the State Theatres run more stages here than anywhere else in Türkiye; and out at Bilkent the university's own symphony plays a full season. The 2026–27 CSO Ada season, announced on 27 August, runs September to June and brings the Royal Philharmonic with Elisabeth Leonskaja alongside the state opera, choirs and folk ensembles. Because these are state institutions, tickets cost less than a Bestekar bar tab. Ankara does culture because it has an audience of civil servants, academics and diplomats who expect it.

The Smileys Take

Make a Smileys ritual of it: one concert or opera a month, a group of six to ten, a drink on Bestekar or in Ulus afterwards. It's the outing that most surprises newcomers and the one where the conversation afterwards is best. Book early — the good CSO nights sell out in days and the state-subsidised prices are the reason. Dress is smart-casual; the audience is not stuffy. Programmes and ticketing live on the institutions' own sites (cso.gov.tr, operabale.gov.tr, devtiyatro.gov.tr) and the state ticketing platform — ⚠ VERIFY the venue on your ticket, since the state opera performs both at CSO Ada and at its own Ulus house in the same season. If you only do one thing on this list in winter, do this.

How to do it

CSO Ada Ankara, Talatpaşa Bulvarı — the symphony's home; two halls, a café and a bookshop.
Opera Sahnesi, Ulus — the State Opera and Ballet's historic house.
Devlet Tiyatroları — several central stages; plays in Turkish, but the productions carry.
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra — a full season out at the campus concert hall.
Tickets sell fast and cheap; go on the day of release and buy for the whole group.