Gala night to commemorate late choreographer

TIRANA, Oct, 17 – On his 80th anniversary, late choreographer Agron Aliaj will be honoured with some special performances by the soloists of the Opera House and the National Ensemble of Folk Dances and Songs. The concert named “Journey through Aliaj’s dances in Albania” will be held on Friday, Oct. 18 at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet one and a half years after the choreographer passed away.
The death of Agron Aliaj last May was a tragic loss for the Albanian ballet. Agron Aliaj, one of the founders of Albanian ballet and greatest choreographer passed away at the age of 79 after a road accident in March 2012. Maestro Aliaj was hit by a car just after walking out of the Opera House where he working to stage an Albanian folklore theatrical piece.
Graduated in choreography in Moscow in 1956, Agron Aliaj returned to Albania to initially work as a soloist before fully dedicating his career to choreography since the 70s.
“The loss of Agron Aliaj for the Albanian performing arts and the National Theatre is an irrecoverable loss, the end of a basic cycle of Albanian culture,” said Zhani Ciko, the director of the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet.
Some of Albania’s best internationally renowned ballet dancers including Ilir Kerni, Kledi Kadiu, Enada Hoxha were his students and favourite performers in the works he staged.