The Life of Eliza Binemeciyan
A lecture by Ayşe Kadıoğlu followed by discussion with Melissa Bilal. Moderated by Aslı Bâli.
The Armenian Genocide occasioned a change of scene in Istanbul theaters from multi-lingualism and cosmopolitanism to nationalism that was like a microcosm of the policies of Turkification during the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Eliza Binemeciyan (1890-1981) was a leading star of Istanbul theaters for more than a decade until she left her beloved city when she was 35 years old after witnessing the deportation and murder of her colleagues and acquaintances during the Genocide. Her story as well as the stories of her Armenian colleagues reveal the decline of cosmopolitanism and the rise of nationalism in Istanbul.
This event was co-sponsored by the UCLA Promise Armenian Institute