A variety of musical sounds and voices can be heard these days through the rooms of the Academy of Fine Arts, as “Marie Kraja” festival is about to start. There are seven lyrical singers rehearsing on the stage, while other students have already started their new academic year on the very lecture halls.
It is strange how these singers, two tenors, four sopranos and a mezzo-soprano seem so friendly with each-other, though knowing that on Saturday they will be competing for the important international award, named after one of the most well-known Albanian artist, Marie Kraja.
Newborn Kosova state will have its own participant
A special thing about the ninth edition of the festival is that for the first time, the newborn state of Kosova will have its own participant, Ram롌ahaj. He, along with other participants, Sofilda Shuke, Roel Llupa, Anjeza Agolli, Sindi Mamaqi, Klodiana Brahimi and Ivana Hoxha already have a clear idea of whose steps they want to follow and that’s one of the reasons they working hard. “It is a very big and important opportunity” they would say, almost unanimously, not showing a bit of rivalry.
For Ram롌ahaj, his participation is not only a professional challenge but a big responsibility as well: “I feel very excited and proud because I’ll be representing Kosova as a new state. But this is a hard task and I hope to do the best” the 25 years old tenor says. Lahaj was born in Istog and is completing his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana. Since his very first year of studies he’s been part of important operas such as “Turandot” and “Aida”. In 2006 he participated to the international contest “Garat” held in Kosova, where he arrived second.
Albanian contestants
The ninth edition of the festival is not less important for the other Albanian contestants. Sofilda Shuke came all the way from Italy, where she studied, to participate. “I’ve always wanted to participate but I guess I was just waiting the right time, the time when I’d feel completely ready to give out my best. Shuke has been interpreting on the Italian stages for quite some time, on important projects such as “Madame Butterfly” “Cavalleria Rusticana”, “Traviata” etc. She believes that this will be a good opportunity in her career.
Just like Sofilda, all other contestants have a rich background on foreign stages but they’re looking for success in their homeland as well.
This year’s edition of “Marie Kraja” international opera festival (one of its kind in Albania) will feature 16 artists from the five continents competing with each-other this weekend.
The chair of this year’s edition will be held by Nickolas Payne, president of “Opera Europe”, given the fact that Albania is now part of it.
Story of a festival
“Marie Kraja” festival of opera was Zana ȥla’s idea back in 1998, when she was deputy director of National Radio and Television. She thought that Albania needed such an event in order to promote young talented Albanian artists and to make them compete with their colleagues all over the world. So she started a serious campaign through all the most important organizations and foundations in Albania to get their help in funding the concert, which she later named after the famous Albanian signer Marie Kraja. There have been 10 years now since the first edition, back then nation ranged, which turned the Albanian stage into a wide arena of the opera music. Nowadays “Marie Kraja” is the one and only event of such importance being held in Albania and it’s the main contributor in spreading the Albanian opera all over the world and bringing closer the useful experience of world’s most successful artists.
