
Itinerant Music,
Myriad Encounters
Constantinople is a musical ensemble that chose the journey—geographical certainly, but also historical, cultural and inner—as its cornerstone. It draws inspiration from all sources and aims for distant horizons.
Constantinople is a musical ensemble that chose the journey—geographical certainly, but also historical, cultural and inner—as its cornerstone. It draws inspiration from all sources and aims for distant horizons.
EXCEPTIONAL MUSICIANS FROM DIVERSE WORLD TRADITIONS
Kiya Tabassian, artistic director

A virtuoso of the setar and an acclaimed composer, Kiya has developed more than 50 creations all over the world.
The Ensemble, the heart of Constantinople

The exceptional musicians who regularly collaborate with the artistic director on his creations.
International collaborators

Prestigious artists from diverse world traditions who join Constantinople to develop new works.
Support us
By making a donation to Constantinople, you are supporting a musical project that not only inspires discovery, passion, exploration and creativity but also recognizes the importance of music in society.
AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ENSEMBLE
Along the years, Constantinople has developed 50 creations and traveled to more than 263 cities in 55 countries.
Don’t miss Constantinople in concert
may 2023
31mayAll DaySongs of Hope(All Day: wednesday) WhereKöln, Germany

Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical
Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical heritage with a fascinating capacity for constant regeneration. Kayhan Kalhor, an uncontested master of this tradition, joins Kiya Tabassian and Behnam Samani on a journey through an immense musical universe.
On stage
- Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh
- Kiya Tabassian, setar
- Behnam Samani, percussion
Time
All Day (Wednesday)
Location
Philharmonie deKöln
Where
Köln, Germany
Organizer
june 2023
02jun20 h 00 minSongs of Hope20 h 00 min WhereNürnberg, Germany

Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical
Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical heritage with a fascinating capacity for constant regeneration. Kayhan Kalhor, an uncontested master of this tradition, joins Kiya Tabassian and Behnam Samani on a journey through an immense musical universe.
Buy your tickets
On stage
- Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh
- Kiya Tabassian, setar
- Behnam Samani, percussion
Time
(Friday) 20 h 00 min
Location
Gemeinschaftshaus Langwasser - Großer Saal
Where
Nürnberg, Germany
Organizer
03jun20 h 00 minSongs of Hope20 h 00 min WhereFreiburg, Germany

Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical
Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical heritage with a fascinating capacity for constant regeneration. Kayhan Kalhor, an uncontested master of this tradition, joins Kiya Tabassian and Behnam Samani on a journey through an immense musical universe.
Buy your tickets
On stage
- Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh
- Kiya Tabassian, setar
- Behnam Samani, percussion
Time
(Saturday) 20 h 00 min
Location
Konzerthaus Freiburg (Concert hall)
Where
Freiburg, Germany
Organizer
10jun15 h 45 minSplendour of Persian Music15 h 45 min WhereSaint-Cloud, France

Event Details
In Mania, the musician is face to face with the unknown. Here the musician is literally playing with sounds at every moment and over time. The music that emerges can
Event Details
In Mania, the musician is face to face with the unknown. Here the musician is literally playing with sounds at every moment and over time. The music that emerges can be unpredictable and, in this case, extraordinary in both form and content. The instruments and the language of these instruments lend the music a recognizably Persian flavor, but it is far from what is known as classical Persian music. Let’s simply call it music.
Buy your tickets
https://www.domaine-saint-cloud.fr/
On stage
- Kiya Tabassian, setar & voice
- Hamin Hanari, percussions
Time
(Saturday) 15 h 45 min
Location
Domaine national de Saint-Cloud
1 Av. de la Grille d'Honneur
Where
Saint-Cloud, France
11jun17 h 00 minSplendour of Persian Music17 h 00 min WhereSaint-Cloud, France

Event Details
In Mania, the musician is face to face with the unknown. Here the musician is literally playing with sounds at every moment and over time. The music that emerges can
Event Details
In Mania, the musician is face to face with the unknown. Here the musician is literally playing with sounds at every moment and over time. The music that emerges can be unpredictable and, in this case, extraordinary in both form and content. The instruments and the language of these instruments lend the music a recognizably Persian flavor, but it is far from what is known as classical Persian music. Let’s simply call it music.
Buy your tickets
On stage
- Kiya Tabassian, setar & voice
- Hamin Hanari, percussions
Time
(Sunday) 17 h 00 min
Location
Domaine national de Saint-Cloud
1 Av. de la Grille d'Honneur
Where
Saint-Cloud, France
13jun20 h 30 minDuo Kayhan Kalhor & Kiya Tabassian20 h 30 min WhereParis, France

Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical
Event Details
From dawn to dusk, music reigns among the stars of Persian civilization. The traditional music of Iran, unique to the Orient, is the fruit of a mystical heritage with a fascinating capacity for constant regeneration. In Under the Persian Musical Sky, Kayhan Kalhor, an uncontested master of this tradition, joins Kiya Tabassian on a journey through an immense musical universe. Carrying on tradition while uncovering the future, they make poetry that sings of times both old and new, and contribute to a culture that is in full swing.
more
Buy your tickets
25, 40 and 60€
20% off for 3 concerts of our Season in Paris, 25% for 4 concerts.
On stage
- Kayhan Kalhor, setar
- Kiya Tabassian, setar
Time
(Tuesday) 20 h 30 min
Location
Salle Gaveau
45 rue La Boétie, 75008 Paris, France
Where
Paris, France
15jun20 h 00 minSplendour of Persian MusicSplendour of Persian Music20 h 00 min WhereKöln, Germany

Event Details
In Mania, the musician is face to face with the unknown. Here the musician is literally playing with sounds at every moment and over time. The music that emerges can
Event Details
In Mania, the musician is face to face with the unknown. Here the musician is literally playing with sounds at every moment and over time. The music that emerges can be unpredictable and, in this case, extraordinary in both form and content. The instruments and the language of these instruments lend the music a recognizably Persian flavor, but it is far from what is known as classical Persian music. Let’s simply call it music.
Buy your tickets
On stage
- Kiya Tabassian, setar & voice
- Hamin Hanari, percussions
Time
(Thursday) 20 h 00 min
Where
Köln, Germany

Event Details
This musical adventure takes us onto the Silk Road, following the steps of the celebrated Venetian merchant Marco Polo, who set out for China in the 13th century.
Event Details
This musical adventure takes us onto the Silk Road, following the steps of the celebrated Venetian merchant Marco Polo, who set out for China in the 13th century.
On stage
- Kiya Tabassian, setar & voice
- Ensemble En Chordais, voice, oud, violin, kanun, percussions
- Didem Basar, kanun
- Patrick Graham, percussions
- Johanna Rose, viola da gamba
- Marco Rosa Salva, flute
- Amartuvshin Baasandorj, throat singing
Time
All Day (Thursday)
Where
Baku, Azerbaïdjan
july 2023
09jul15 h 00 minIn the footsteps of Rumi15 h 00 min WhereElora, Canada

Event Details
Djalaleddine Rumi (1207-1273), with his body of work encompassing over 100,000 lines of verse, left us an immutable treasure that reflects a refined and luminous understanding of the world.
Event Details
Djalaleddine Rumi (1207-1273), with his body of work encompassing over 100,000 lines of verse, left us an immutable treasure that reflects a refined and luminous understanding of the world.
Buy your tickets
On stage
- Ghalia Benali, voice & composition
- Kiya Tabassian, setar, voice & composition
- Didem Basar, kanun
- Patrick Graham, percussions
- Hamin Honari, tombak & daf
- Neva Özgen, kemençe
- Charbel Rouhana, oud
Time
(Sunday) 15 h 00 min
Location
St. John's Elora
Where
Elora, Canada
Organizer
23jul14 h 00 minIl ponte di Leonardo14 h 00 min WhereLanaudière, Canada

Event Details
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and boldest bridge
Event Details
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and boldest bridge of the time, it was to span the Bosporus and thus link Europe and Asia. But it was never built; the plans, however, were preserved in the artist’s archives. Five centuries later, Tabassian re-imagines this bridge with the help of 16th- and 17th-century works from the manuscript archives of the national libraries of Istanbul and Florence.
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On stage
– Kiya Tabassian, sétar et direction artistique
– Marco Beasley, tenor
– Fabio Accurso, luth
– Didem Başar, kanun
– Marco Ferrari, flûte et ney
– Patrick Graham, percussions
– Tanya Laperrière, violon baroque et viola d’amore
– Stefano Rocco, archlute et guitare baroque
Time
(Sunday) 14 h 00 min
Location
AMPHITHÉÂTRE FERNAND-LINDSAY
Where
Lanaudière, Canada
Organizer
27julAll DayIl ponte di Leonardo(All Day: thursday) WhereOttawa, Canada

Event Details
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and boldest bridge
Event Details
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and boldest bridge of the time, it was to span the Bosporus and thus link Europe and Asia. But it was never built; the plans, however, were preserved in the artist’s archives. Five centuries later, Tabassian re-imagines this bridge with the help of 16th- and 17th-century works from the manuscript archives of the national libraries of Istanbul and Florence.
Time
All Day (Thursday)
Where
Ottawa, Canada
28jul19 h 30 minIl Ponte di Leonardo19 h 30 min WhereVancouver, Canada

Event Details
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and
Event Details
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and boldest bridge of the time, it was to span the Bosporus and thus link Europe and Asia. But it was never built; the plans, however, were preserved in the artist’s archives. Five centuries later, Tabassian re-imagines this bridge with the help of 16th- and 17th-century works from the manuscript archives of the national libraries of Istanbul and Florence.
Buy your tickets
On stage
– Kiya Tabassian, sétar et direction artistique
– Marco Beasley, tenor
– Fabio Accurso, luth
– Didem Başar, kanun
– Marco Ferrari, flûte et ney
– Patrick Graham, percussions
– Tanya Laperrière, violon baroque et viola d’amore
– Stefano Rocco, archlute et guitare baroque
Time
(Friday) 19 h 30 min
Location
Christ Church Cathedral
690 Burrard St
Where
Vancouver, Canada
Organizer
They talk about us
Discover media articles about our performances, our creations or events we took part in.
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“The program, devoted to Mediterranean-flavored love songs, was as unconventional as the group’s constitution.“
Read the article of Allan Kozinn about the creation Ay Amor!!. -
“(Suzie) LeBlanc was an appealing if not overpowering, voice and presence.“
Read the article of Sean Piccoli about the concert Metamorfosi. -
“Although many of the pieces to be performed here are from the “Metamorfosi” album, the live versions will likely vary from those on the CD.“
Read the article of Beth Wood. -
“Musicians of the group brought to our attention instruments that were largely unfamiliar to our eyes and ears, while the singing and storytelling of Ghalia Benali immersed the audience in the deeply rapturous poems of the enduringly popular 13th-century Persian poet, Rumi.“
Read the concert review of In The Foorsteps of Rumi by Morgan Luethe. -
“Cissoko comes from a West African griot family, but in this formation the remaining musicians become honorary griots.“
Read the album review of Traversées by Simon Broughton. -
“A sold-out crowd gave Kayhan Kalhor and his protege Kiya Tabassian a standing ovation before the show began -they knew they’d be witness to history.“
Read the concert review of Under the Persian Musical Sky by Delarue. -
« Constantinople presented a convincing evening of exquisite music-making. »
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« It is a performance as stirring to the mind as the intrinsic sounds of the setar are to the heart ».
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« Count this concert as a brilliant conceptual coup for organizers Early Music Vancouver and Caravan World Music Rhythms, and a sonic cornucopia that will ring fresh in listerners’ memories for a long time to come »
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« The kora and setar sit perfectly well together, each played with great virtuosity and without unnecessary ostentation. The alternating voices are a breath of fresh air and contrast beautifully: Cissoko mellow and Tabassian spiritual. A disc of regal and dignified magnificence »