National Theatre celebrates 65th birthday

TIRANA, May 30 – The National Theatre celebrated last weekend its 65th anniversary of foundation putting on stage the very first comedy performed on 24 May 1945.
The Topaze comedy, written by French playwright Marcel Pagnol was re-brought on stage by actors Anila Bisha,Vasjan Lami and Naum Shundi.
A group of 19 artists worked to establish the National Theatre in May 1945 as an initiative of the then Press Ministry.
The director of the National Theatre, Kristaq Skrami, called the performing arts institution “a big and unrepeatable story because the National Theatre has achieved glory with many masterpieces which will remain in the golden collection of its history.”
The 65th anniversary of the National Theatre brought together renowned directors, playwrights and actors. A documentary on the theatre’s history was also screened.
The National Theatre has brought masterpieces of international dramas but also Albanian creations during its 65-year history. Until the early 90s the National Theatre remained under the influence of communist regime mainly staging socialist realism works.
Veteran actress Margarita Xhepa, who has performed more than 150 roles, said she felt happy to have been part of the theatre.
Meanwhile, Culture Minister Ferdinand Xhaferaj, who spoke on behalf of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, said “the National Theatre has been and remains the culmination of the Albanian intellectual elite, a strong and powerful voice of the talent and opportunities of Albanian spirit and a legal pride in every European thing Albania has in these years.”
Events to celebrate the theatre’s 65th birthday closed with the stage of the Wrong Dinner, a play dramatized by director Fatos Haxhiraj based on a novel under the same title by Ismail Kadere. The play was premiered two weeks ago.