By: Anastasia Nazarko
It has been noted that a majority of tourists who come to Albania are from Kosovo. This is not to say that there is not a significant presence of other foreigners, it just means that running into them will be, well, a bit more unlikely.
However this week I ran into an interesting visitor, Fotina Naumenko, whose professional journey resulted in an unexpected exploration of Albania.
Sitting together on the terrace of an outdoor caf鬠I asked Fotina about her career, where it has taken her, and how it brought to her to Albania.
Q: Where are you from?
I was born and raised in upstate New York. However, I am half Russian and half Ukrainian. Now I am living in Cincinnati, Ohio because I am finishing my master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati.
Q: What brings you to Europe?
Well, I participated in a month-long music program outside of Rome. We performed several orchestral concerts and operas.
Q: Is music your full-time career or just a hobby?
Oh no, music is my lifeءlthough admittedly I didn’t always think so. I started playing piano from an early age and loved it but never thought I’d go into music professionally. But when I was 16, people started encouraging me to audition for conservatories in singing. It was this success in auditions that made me realize that singing was what I wanted to do for a living, and that I actually could make a living if I wanted to. My eventual goal is to sing in opera houses at home in the USA and in Europe and eventually be a voice professor at a university
Q: I understand then that your specialty is opera. What are your favorite pieces to listen to and/or perform?
My favorite pieces are La Traviata and Dialogues of the Carmelites (they are both operas) but I sing all of the coloratura repertoire like the Doll Song from Tales of Hoffman by Offenbach.
Q: So how did an Italian music program manage to land you in Albania?
Well, I realized that it would be a shame to come all the way from the U.S. to Europe and not explore other places. So when the program ended, I and some friends of mine from the music program decided to stay in Europe for another month. While I love to visit the “touristy” places, I also really enjoy more undiscovered regions. I think Albania is one of those. It’s beautiful and will definitely be a victim of the tourist masses at some point; but at this point I think it is relatively untouched in comparison to places like Prague and Rome. But ya know, I like it. At least when I’m here I feel like I’m in a foreign place. There’s a strong sense of culture here. Sometimes when I walk around more touristy places, I don’t even feel like I left the US because I’m surrounded by other Americans, McDonald’s, Starbucks and the like. That’s not what traveling should be about.
Q: What places have you visited in Albania?
Well, I started out in Tirana and then took a bus down south through Vlora, Dhermi and Saranda. Really beautiful places. The nature is fantastic. I really hope it can remain unspoiled by the development Albania is clearly undertaking in these regions. Modernization is good, but sometimes I think people forget that the whole reason such places are tourist-worthy is because they offer something specialجike nature or history. If you ruin that then you have nothingإven if it’s in the name of progress.
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