Turkey’s Kurdish opera singer inspires Kurds by singing in native tongue

Pervin Chakar opens up a new avenue for inspiring her Kurdish peers who want to accomplish themselves in their mother tongue. (Supplied)
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Updated 13 October 2020
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Turkey’s Kurdish opera singer inspires Kurds by singing in native tongue

  • Chakar began singing opera when she was 21 years old

ANKARA: Pervin Chakar, one of the few Kurdish opera singers to be awarded various international prizes, is inspiring her Kurdish peers who want to establish a name for themselves in their mother tongue.

Chakar, 39, is originally from Turkey’s southeastern province of Mardin, but she has been living in Baden-Baden, Germany, for the past four years, after spending 11 years in Perugia, Italy.

It was no easy choice for her to live thousands of miles away from her home country, where Kurdish identity, language, culture, and political activism are still criminalized.

Unsurprisingly, performing opera in Kurdish is still perceived as a revolutionary act in Turkey.

Asked why she sings in Kurdish, Chakar responded that the greatest propaganda in the world is the use of one’s native language.

“The great German composer Johann Sebastian Bach said that wherever there is music, God is always at hand with his gracious presence. God is always with me. I feel really blessed when I give happiness to my audience through music,” she told Arab News.

Chakar released an opera album with the Bongiovanni record label in Italy, singing in Mysliveček’s “L’Olimpiade” as Megacle at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Italy.

She has two singles on digital platforms. One is the aria “Lascia ch’io pianga” from Handel’s opera “Rinaldo”; the other is the poem “Qimil,” written by assassinated Kurdish intellectual Musa Anter, composed by Chakar and played by harpist Tara Jaff to celebrate Anter’s 100th birthday.

Last year, Chakar was in Turkey for the 150th anniversary of the birth of Armenian composer Komitas Vartabed, for which she performed Armenian and Kurdish folk songs by Komitas at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul and in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

Chakar began singing opera when she was 21 years old. She learned to play the cello at the Diyarbakir Fine Arts High School. She explained how building a career in opera is partly owing to chance.

“I was singing folk songs when I was 14. I didn’t know anything about opera. I wrote some novels, and I won competitions in Turkey during my studies at the Anatolian High School of Fine Arts,” she said. “The competition committee in Ankara then organized a party where I sang the love song by Ludwig van Beethoven, ‘Ich liebe dich.’ The president of the writing competition was impressed by my voice and gave me a CD of Maria Callas after my performance.”

Chakar was unable to listen to the CD for four years because she did not have the money to buy a CD player. When she went to university in Ankara, she received her first scholarship and was at last able to buy a CD player. When she listened to Callas, she was impressed by her voice and decided to start singing opera.

In 2004, while working at the Ankara Opera House, Chakar sang for an Italian opera manager who had come to the city to scout for new voices.

“He invited me to sing in Italy where I continued my studies in opera and completed a master’s degree from the Conservatory of Music in Perugia. He totally changed my life,” she said.

She made her debut in Italy in 2006 at the Teatro Rosetum in Milan. Then, she began winning many international singing competitions and awards in Europe, such as the Golden Orfeo Grand Prix Leyla Gencer in France in 2012; first place at the 28th International Maria Caniglia Singing Competition; first place at the 3rd Giovanni Pacini International Singing Competition in Florence; and special prize at the 10th Ottavio Ziino Opera Competition, among others.

She got the chance to sing with many internationally acclaimed musicians like Montserrat Caballé, Luciana Serra, Salvatore Fisichella, Lella Cuberli, Andrea Bocelli, Ennio Morricone and others.

“I am sorry that Kurdish musicians have trouble finding a place to perform,” she said. “More possibilities and more space must be afforded to Kurdish artists to perform their art and culture. We need to express our art. We are producing a lot, but we fail to sell our product.”

Chakar learned her native language only recently, after the tragic Roboski airstrike in which 34 civilians were killed at the border with Iraq by a Turkish jet in 2011. The civilians were allegedly mistaken for outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party militants while smuggling goods into Turkey.

“I was in Italy for a concert organized by the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation. I read the news about the Roboski airstrike on social media. Then I cried a lot. I asked myself why, as a Kurdish opera singer, I didn’t know my native language and culture. After this tragedy, I started researching Kurdish singers, authors, and music. I realized that I had to learn my language immediately,” she said.

“Lo Şivano” (“The Shepherd”) was the first-ever Kurdish song Chakar learned. Although she loves all Kurdish songs, her favorites are those of the Dengbej (storytellers).

It was in 2013 when she sang in Kurdish for the first time in Istanbul for the Andante Classical Music Award Ceremony, where she was nominated Best Female Opera Singer of the year.

“I was surprised by some of the musicians, who asked what language I was singing in on stage. Their questions bothered me. At that moment, I realized that I needed to face the reality of Turkey,” she said.

Chakar believes that not knowing one’s mother tongue means losing a part of one’s soul.

“The Kurdish language is such a fantastic, rich and musical language. I have the privilege of learning foreign languages ​​such as English, Italian and German. Then I learned my mother tongue. What is a nation without a mother tongue? The Kurdish language is a language of the soul,” she said.

After seeing many international opera singers perform in their mother tongue, she began asking herself what she could do to inspire her Kurdish peers in Turkey.

For Chakar, being a Kurdish singer in the world is an important statement. She hopes to spread messages of peace through her music.

“It is the language and culture of a nation that makes that nation what it is,” she said.

Chakar is saddened by Kurdish youth in Turkey who forget their mother tongue after facing social and political restrictions.

“My father was a teacher. Because he was born in a Kurdish-majority town, he was always assigned to remote villages, far from our hometown. My mom always instructed me not to speak in Kurdish. They were always hiding their Kurdish books and music cassettes. Therefore, I had to wait years before I could discover my Kurdish roots through music. It was the beginning of my return to my soul and inner spirit,” she said.

As a goal in her career, Chakar aims to release an album covering the poems of Melayê Cizîrî, one of the greatest 16th-century poets and philosophers in Kurdistan.

“I would like to publish more songs in Kurdish and Kurdish dialects with piano and the duduk instrument. I am also waiting for my new album of Kurdish songs to be released very soon in Japan by a Japanese label,” she said.


Trump says had advance notice of Israeli strikes on Iran: Fox News

Updated 55 min 8 sec ago
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Trump says had advance notice of Israeli strikes on Iran: Fox News

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier Thursday that the United States was “not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region”

Washington: US President Donald Trump told Fox News he was aware Israel was going to conduct strikes on Iran before it happened, and stressed that Tehran “cannot have a nuclear bomb,” according to the US broadcaster.

His comments to Fox came after Israel pounded Iran in a series of air raids on Friday, striking 100 targets including nuclear and military sites.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation took aim at the atomic facility in Natanz, while Iranian media said the country’s Revolutionary Guards leader Hossein Salami and armed forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri were killed.

Trump told Fox News that he was made aware of Israel’s operation before it happened.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see,” Trump said, according to Fox News.

Fox News also reported that “Trump noted the US is ready to defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliates.”

It added that Trump’s administration reached out to at least one key Middle Eastern ally to acknowledge that the strike was going to happen, but reiterated that the US was not involved.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier Thursday that the United States was “not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

“Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel.”

Trump will be attending a National Security Council meeting Friday morning.


Jordan closes airspace, says it won’t be battleground for any conflict

Updated 54 min 37 sec ago
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Jordan closes airspace, says it won’t be battleground for any conflict

DUBAI: Jordan has not and will not allow any violation of its airspace, nor will it be a battleground for any conflict, a senior minister said in a statement on Friday.

“Jordan’s national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not allow any attempt to threaten its security and the safety of its citizens,” Mohammad Momani, Minister of Government Communication and Government Spokesperson added.

Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft and air defense systems intercepted a number of missiles and drones that entered Jordanian airspace Friday morning, a report from state news agency Petra stated.

The interception operation came in response to military assessments that missiles and drones were bound to fall into Jordanian territory, including populated areas, which could cause casualties, Petra added.

Momani also urged the international community to exercise pressure in order to restore calm and prevent further escalation in the region.

Jordan’s aviation authority closed the country’s airspace and grounded all flights after Israel attacked Iran.

“The Kingdom’s airspace is temporarily closed, and air traffic suspended for all aircraft – incoming, outgoing and in transit, as a precaution against any risks resulting from the regional escalation,” the authority said in a statement.

The country’s armed forces were also placed on high alert in response to growing regional tensions, a military source said.

The General Command was closely monitoring developments in the region and that the armed forces were at the highest levels of operational and logistical readiness to respond any potential emergencies, the Petra report noted.


After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights, airspace closed

Updated 10 min 56 sec ago
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After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights, airspace closed

  • Iranian airspace has been closed until further notice, state media reported
  • Six commercial aircraft have been shot down unintentionally and three nearly missed since 2001, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions

SEOUL: Airlines cleared out of the airspace over Israel, Iran and Iraq early on Friday after Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran, Flightradar24 data showed, with carriers scrambling to divert and cancel flights to keep passengers and crew safe.

Proliferating conflict zones around the world are becoming an increasing burden on airline operations and profitability, and more of a safety concern.

Six commercial aircraft have been shot down unintentionally and three nearly missed since 2001, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions.

Israel on Friday said it targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defense units stood at high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.

Israeli flag carrier El Al Airlines said it had suspended flights to and from Israel.

Iranian airspace has been closed until further notice, state media reported.

Jordan also closed its airspace to all flights.

Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport said on its social media account that flight disruptions were expected and passengers were ‘advised to check with their airline for the latest status of their flights before travelling to the airport.’

Dubai’s Emirates Airline cancelled its Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran flights on Friday. Qatar Airways also cancelled flights to and from Iraq and Iran.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi also cancelled a number of flights on Friday that were scheduled to fly over areas affected by regional tensions in the Middle East.

As reports of strikes on Iran emerged, a number of commercial flights by airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa and Air India were flying over Iran.

Emirates, Lufthansa and Air India did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Iraq early on Friday closed its airspace and suspended all traffic at its airports, Iraqi state media reported.

Eastern Iraq near the border with Iran contains one of the world’s busiest air corridors, with dozens of flights crossing between Europe and the Gulf, many on routes from Asia to Europe, at any one moment.

Flights steadily diverted over Central Asia or Saudi Arabia, flight tracking data showed.

“The situation is still emerging — operators should use a high degree of caution in the region at this time,” according to Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organization that shares flight risk information.

Several flights due to land in Dubai were diverted early on Friday. An Emirates flight from Manchester to Dubai was diverted to Istanbul and a flydubai flight from Belgrade diverted to Yerevan, Armenia.

Budget carrier flydubai said it had suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran and Israel and a number of other flights had been canceled, rerouted or returned to their departure airports.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East since October 2023 led to commercial aviation sharing the skies with short-notice barrages of drones and missiles across major flight paths – some of which were reportedly close enough to be seen by pilots and passengers.

Last year, planes were shot down by weaponry in Kazakhstan and in Sudan. These incidents followed the high-profile downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 and of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 en route from Tehran in 2020.


Iran’s Khamenei warns Israel faces ‘bitter and painful fate’

Updated 12 min 56 sec ago
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Iran’s Khamenei warns Israel faces ‘bitter and painful fate’

  • Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami was killed in the Israeli military operation

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Israel will face “severe punishment” over its attack on the country.

Khamenei issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. It also confirmed that top military officials and scientists had been killed in the attack.

Israel “opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to commit a crime against our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers,” Khamenei said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami was killed in the Israeli military operation. He was a veteran officer close to the supreme leader and known for his tirades against Israel and its US ally.

“If you make the slightest mistake, we will open the gates of hell for you,” the white-bearded general warned Tehran’s arch foes during a tour of an underground missile base in January.

An Israeli military official said that the Israeli Air Force targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them.

Israel for years has warned it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran insists it does not want – though officials there have repeatedly warned it could.


UN nuclear watchdog says ‘closely monitoring’ situation after Israel strikes Iran

Updated 13 June 2025
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UN nuclear watchdog says ‘closely monitoring’ situation after Israel strikes Iran

VIENNA: The UN nuclear watchdog confirmed Friday that Israeli strikes were targeting an Iranian uranium enrichment site, saying it was “closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation.”
“The IAEA is closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran. Agency can confirm Natanz site among targets,” International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said in a post on the agency’s X feed, as the IAEA’s board of governors meets this week in Vienna.
“The agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country,” he added.