MODERN TÜRK TİYATROSUNUN OLUŞUMUNDA OSMANLI HÜKÜMDARLARININ ROL VE ETKİLERİ: ESİN, İNŞA VE İHYA.

Turkish theater, whose history dates back to ancient times, is basically divided into two categories as "traditional" and "modern". The traditional theater patterns, which was alive until the last century of the Ottoman Empire, gradually left their place to the Western style theater understanding after the contacts with Europe, and this change occurred after the processes that can be characterized by the concepts of "inspiration, construction and revival". The policy of contacting the West and developing relations with the West, which the Ottomans started to carry out as of the 17th century, became very effective during the reigns of Selim III and Mahmud II, and the first real acquaintance with Western-style art and theater was observed in this period of time. At this point, it is necessary to say that Sefaretnames which consist of anecdotes of observations and information, especially from envoys sent to Europe, are quite effective. Another feature of these sefaretnames, which have important functions in terms of recognizing and knowing the West, they are a source of audience and inspiration for the foundation of the modern Turkish theater, which was built in the 19th century. Undoubtedly, the modern Turkish theater experienced the stages of recognizing, knowing and being inspired by Western-style art following the tendencies of Selim III and Mahmud II, but realized the construction and revival in the "3A period", which we call the sultans Abdulmecid, Abdulaziz and Abdulhamid periods. The aforementioned sultans, who acted as triple pillars in the construction of the Western-style Turkish theatre, became the architects of this sharp change in the Turkish theatre, with the will and management approach they showed in the direction of innovation and Westernization. The two main differences between Western theater and traditional Turkish theater were deciphered during these periods. There are two characteristic structures of Western theater. One is that it is based on the text, and the other is that the plays are performed on the stage (theatre hall). These two factors, which are the condition of modern theater, were effectively fulfilled during the reign of the three sultans and both the text theater was switched to and the theater buildings were built and the plays were performed on stages. In addition, almost all the firsts and innovations of the modern Turkish theater took place during this period. In addition, the use of Western-style stage performances as one of the tools of international relations and diplomacy and its becoming a state culture belongs to the mentioned sultans period. In short, any evaluation made in the light of historical data and realities regarding the modernization of Turkish theater and its transformation into drama will undoubtedly bring attention to the positioning of the sultans as the dominant subject in the construction and revival process as a scientific necessity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]