Biography
Born into a family of musicians, Swiss-Turkish director Aylin Bozok started the piano at the age of 4 and sang as a member of the children’s chorus of Grand Théàtre de Genève from the age of 10. She graduated with a degree in Theatre Directing from Bilkent University (Ankara) and was recognised as one of the youngest directors to stage a play in Istanbul State Theatre. Trained in the Stanislavski System, she has experience in opera, physical theatre, new writing and musicals. Her strong interest in Symbolism and Existentialism led her to direct plays such as A Dream Play (Strindberg), No why (Whiting) and The Misunderstanding (Camus).
Selected credits in Opera include Pelléas et Mélisande (Grimeborn Opera Festival 2013, Director), Il tabarro (Grimeborn Opera Festival 2012, Director - Opera magazine review), The Importance of Being Earnest (Royal Opera House, Assistant Director), Così Fan Tutte (Opera Holland Park, Assistant Director), L’Amico Fritz (Opera Holland Park, Assistant Director), The Tell-Tale Heart (Royal Opera House ROH2, Assistant Director).
"The Swiss-Turkish director Aylin Bozok understands Pelléas et Mélisande better than most directors who’ve tackled its mysteries. Using minimal resources she conjures up a forest, a castle and a cave as well as the tower from which Mélisande lets down her hair. Like Maeterlinck’s original play, the production is rich in its own moments of enigma, which is as it should be... It’s a production full of such simple, carefully-considered points of interpretation. " **** 4 stars Whatsonstage (Grimeborn 2013).
“Debussy’s only finished opera is not a simple work but you won’t see it done more persuasively than in Aylin Bozok’s production, which follows the opera’s dreamlike nature and delivers an unreal, minimalist, black-box world where a circle of salt is a pool” **** 4 stars Evening Standard (Pelléas et Mélisande - Grimeborn 2013).
“Arcola Theatre’s coproduction with Bury Court Opera, directed by Aylin Bozok, is a masterclass in restrained intensity.” ***** 5 stars OneStopArts (Pelléas et Mélisande - Grimeborn 2013).
“It is truly amazing what creativity can achieve with hard work and applied talent. Aylin Bozok’s production of Debussy’s complex work is a triumph of femininity over a preordained order.” **** 4 stars Auditorium (Pelléas et Mélisande - Grimeborn 2013).
“The Grimeborn Festival continues in Hackney, last week offering a model of sensitive direction (Aylin Bozok)” The Independent (Pelléas et Mélisande - Grimeborn 2013).
“the stunning Pelléas et Mélisande... hailed as the best fringe opera in London” The Telegraph (Grimeborn 2013).
"In a minimalist setting she handled the drama naturalistically, drawing detailed performances from the singers” Opera Magazine (Il tabarro - Grimeborn 2012).
“the effect is electric... Aylin Bozok’s production allowed the action to move with sincerity and simplicity” Lark Reviews (Il tabarro - Grimeborn 2012).
“This beautiful performance is intensely powerful and the detail is incredible” West End Wilma (Il tabarro - Grimeborn 2012).
