♫ Leyla Gençer, also known to the world-wide opera loving public as “La Diva Turca”, is being remembered on the first anniversary of her death in Milan Italy, where she had been the pride of La Scala, the finest opera house in the world. Her career included title roles in the great operas and she was internationally recognized on par with the greats, including Maria Callas. Fazıl Say, the renowned contemporary Turkish pianist and composer wrote a commemorative piece about Leyla Gençer in the daily newspaper “Radikal” lamenting the fact that in her own country she suffered the fate of those other artists or writers who fell afoul of some religious bigots and nationalist fanatics: rejection. The great Diva’s ashes were scattered in the Bosphorus in accordance with her last will but even that simple ceremony was a source of unbecoming comments by some of these extremists. What a pity! What a loss! And then we remember the outpouring of emotion during the State funeral given by Greece to Maria Callas…Bodrum will remember and pay homage to Leyla Gencer at a concert on Saturday 16 May at 19:30 hrs at Marmara College.

►The week beginning on May 18 promises to be busy. The week starts with the International Museum Day celebrated world-wide on that day (18 May) with the Bodrum Castle open to visitors free-of-charge – many are expected especially since the next day, May 19, is the Youth, Sport and Atatürk Commemoration Day, a national holiday in Turkey. All schools above the primary level participate in parades with marching bands and sporting events. Everyone is holding their fingers crossed hoping that the world financial crisis will not hold back tourists from coming, and the initial signs don’t appear cataclysmic – though a notable decrease can be expected. The authorities advise businesses to lay the groundwork for the next season by greeting those who do come here with the best of service, fair prices – and a smiling face.