Tirana Times
TIRANA, June 21 – A series of cultural events organized by the Italian Institute of Culture were held this week in Tirana, Shkodra and Fier. Events opened with the premiere of the Kaspar Houser musical composed by Italy’s Francesco Venerucci. The musical staged three pieces from June 20 to 23 at the Opera House in Tirana, which brought on stage tenor Erlind Zeraliu and sopranos Rezarta Qevani and Juna Resuli.
Tuesday, June 21 also marked the end of the “Italy seen through the big screen” cinema event which closed with the screening of “Se fossi in te” by Giulio Manfredonia. Since April 12, a cycle of 11 Italian movies was screened each week at the Marubi Academy of Film and Multimedia in Tirana.
Wednesday, June 22, marked the opening a series of three concerts by Italian pianist and violinist Caterina Martina Demetz who performed in the frame of the Klasik international concert season. The Italian musician’s programme started last Wednesday in Shkodra, where she held a master class for students of the Prenk Jakova music school, before giving a concert at the local Migjeni theatre.
Last Thursday, Caterina Martina Demetz gave a concert at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. The 21-year-old pianist will conclude her visit to Albania with a concert at the Bylis Theatre in Fier on Friday, June 24. Her programme includes parts from Bach, Paganini, Chopin, Liszt and Ravel.
Alternative Tirana
Saturday, June 25 will mark the opening of the Alternative Tirana exhibition at the Zeta gallery in Tirana.
As part of the Arcipelago Balkani project, which has been devised by Claudia Zanfi and held in collaboration with the Culture Office of the European Community, the international collective Alterazioni Video (Milan/ Berlin/ NYC), presents the first preview of a project made up of over 500 Polaroid snapshots taken during their stay in Albania in the summer of 2010. During their journey, the artists observed the reality around them, exploiting the distance that sets them apart from being inhabitants of the country. This form of active and imaginative observation, is what many travelers find themselves in when fascinated by the surrounding reality of a foreign countryנperhaps also by virtue of the fact that they are unable to understand it completely.
The photos of cities, beaches, breathtaking panoramas, holidays, weddings, everyday and even intimate situations describe their lives, plans for the future and the traces of the past.
During the opening, the “Lavazh Special Parti”ءn installation/performance in which the citizens of Tirana are invited to bring along their cars and take part in a group car-washing sessionנwill take place. The following will be made available: water, soap, sponges, vacuum cleaners and everything else you might need to make your car sparkling clean both inside and out. For the occasion, a number of commemorative t-shirts and posters will be produced. The video of the performance will be shown in the exhibition installed in the premises of Zeta Gallery in Tirana.
Alterazioni Video is a collective founded in Milan in 2003. The group has exhibited its work in numerous events, including the 52nd Venice Biennale, Manifesta 7 (Rovereto), Performa 09 (New York), the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo (Turin), Palazzo Rosso (Genoa) and at the Moderna Galerija (Ljubljana).
