In a difficult year like 2020, Albania lost some of the most famous names in various artistic fields, where in some of them it became the cause of Covid-19.
Fehmi Oshafi
On January 15, the “National Center of Cinematography” announced through a Facebook post the news that the famous director Fehmi Oshafi passed away at the age of 86.
Oshafi, lindi në shtator të 1934-ës në Tiranë dhe i dedikoi gjithë jetën kinemasë. Në fillimet e tij, Fehmi Oshafi nisi të punojë si asistent-regjisor. Suksesi i parë i tij ishte spektakli “Estrada në Ekran”, që i hapi rrugën drejt botës së kinemasë. Pas emrit të regjisorit qëndrojnë filma, si: “Shoku ynë Tili”, “Kapedani”, “Zëvendësi i Grave” apo “Ëndërr për një karrige”.
Xhevdet Ferri
Xhevdet Ferri, një nga aktorët më të talentuar të kinematografisë shqiptare, ndërroi jetë në moshën 59-vjeçare, më 16 janar, për shkak të një sëmundjeje të rëndë. Në një postim të mëvonshëm, e bija e aktorit, Bora, u shpreh se ai kishte simptoma të ngjashme me Covid.
The Grand Master of Film was one of the icons of Albanian cinematography in the ’80s-’90s with dozens of protagonist roles. As some of the most famous films we mention “Traces in blue”, “Shadows left behind”, “Warm wind of the depths”, “And a day comes”, “Fairy tale from the past” etc. He did not stay away from the cinema even in the 2000s with “Saimir” (2004), “Gjoleka, the son of Abazi” (2006), “Alive” (2009) or “In Search of Whom” (2009).
Nexhmije Pagarusha
On February 7, Nexhmije Pagarusha, the legend of Albanian music, Bilbili i Kosovës, passed away at the age of 86. She was suffering from a serious illness.
Nexhmije Pagarusha was born on May 7, 1933, in Pagarusha, a village near Malisheva, Kosovo. She started her musical career spanning 40 years in 1948 on Radio Prishtina. She performed songs such as “Baresha,” “E dehun jam,” “Shota” etc. which are considered masterpieces of Albanian music; performed works translated into Albanian by Beethoven, Puccini, Verdi, in a first concert of its kind that unfortunately was not recorded.
Pagarusha ended her career in 1984 after a concert in Sarajevo. In 2000, after 16 years away from the stage, he returned with the song “Për ty,” in a show by Ardit Gjebrea. Also in 2005, he was on the “Magic Song” jury. In 2012, she received the title “Honor of the Nation” from President Bujar Nishani. While in 2018, he received the “Medal of Gratitude” from President Trump.
Evgjeni Harizi
On March 22, Evgjeni Harizi, the woman who made an extraordinary contribution to Albanian cuisine, passed away as a result of an incurable disease in Rochester, New York.
Evgjeni Harizi, born in Pojan, Fier in 1939, completed her higher studies partly in Russia and then studied at the University of Tirana as a Technological Engineer of Social Food. Later, she was appointed to the Social Food Enterprise where she worked as a technologist and at the same time practiced the profession of pedagogue at the School of Food. During the years when he was active, Harizi published several cookbooks, such as “How to cook”, “Pastry in the family”, “1000 cooking recipes”, “Cooking with vegetables and traditional Albanian dishes”, etc., books which have been republished several times.
Gëzim Kruja
On April 5, the humor actor, one of the icons of Shkodra comedy, Gëzim Kruja passed away at the age of 80.
Gëzim Kruja started his career at the age of 13, initially as an amateur and later became active with the professional stage of Shkodra. He completed his higher studies at the Higher Pedagogical Institute, in the branch of Albanian Language and Literature in Shkodra. In 2004 he was awarded the “Pride of the City” award, a year later he received the title “Naim Frashëri i Artë” and in 2010 he was honored with the title “Grand Master”.
Rikard Ljarja
On April 20, Rikard Ljarja, one of the most prominent icons of Albanian cinematography passed away at the age of 77 as a result of a serious illness.
Ljarja, born in Shkodra, started his career in cinematography after finishing high school, initially attending studies at the High School of Acting “Aleksandër Moisiu”. After graduation, he worked as an actor in the theater “Migjeni” in Shkodra and later as an actor, director and screenwriter in some of the most famous films of the time. Some of the films where he stood out with his talent are “White Streets”, “Radio Station”, “Alleys that sought the sun”, “Explosion”, “Illegals”, “When a day dawned”, etc.
Max Velo
On May 7, painter, architect, writer and researcher Max Velo passed away at the age of 84.
Specializing in architecture, in 1960, Velo participated in the first project that took place in Tirana. During the years 1978-1979 he was arrested by the regime of that time and sentenced to 10 years in prison, years which inspired him for a good part of his later creativity.
Maks Velo is also the author of a number of publications such as: “Headache”, “Prison Coat”, “Prison Bag”, “Parallels for Architecture”, “Anti-Sign Time”, “Concreting Democracy”, “Investigation”, “Spaci” “,” My life in pictures “,” Karavasta Club “,” Translator “,” Parallel life “, etc.
Hope Vreto
On September 28, Shpresa Vreto, the children’s writer and screenwriter of several films, passed away at the age of 76. Her most famous screenplays have been adapted into some of the most famous Albanian films. In 1987, Vreto wrote the screenplay for the cartoon “Mirela” and in 1981 he and Xhanfize Keko wrote the screenplay for “When a Movie Was Made”.
5 years later, she came as an author in the realization of the film “Difficult start”. Hope Vreto also contributed with her pen in the 1990 film A Boy and a Girl. Beyond realizing the scripts of some of the most famous films of those years, Vreto is also the author of several children’s books. “School Friends”, “Unforgettable Year” and children’s magazines “Little Mermaid” or “My World”.
Avni Mula
On October 29, the prominent Albanian composer passed away at the age of 92. Avni Mula was a successful singer and composer, author of well-known songs such as “Waltz of Happiness”, “Curly Girl”, “Albania, my country” etc.
He completed his higher musical studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow (1952-1957), where he graduated as a lyric singer. He started his artistic career immediately after returning from Moscow as a soloist at the Opera and Ballet Theater, performing key roles in the operatic repertoire of the time, through which he was distinguished for the high level of musical-scenic solutions. The realizations of the figure of Figaro in Rossini’s “Barber of Seville”, Onjegin in Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onjegin” and Gjeta in Prenk Jakova’s “Mrika” stand out.
Koço Devole
On November 8, actor and director Koço Devole passed away at the age of 75, after being infected with Covid which complicated his health condition because he was suffering from leukemia.
Devole, born in Kuçova on November 28, 1945, was one of the most famous figures of Albanian humor in the ’80s and’ 90s. Among his most popular roles we mention those in the telecomedies “Alive or Dead”, “Bags with a million”, “Great appetite”, “Do not go brave”, “Hero revolt”, “Holidays in Rome” etc. In his career, the actor was also praised for popular cartoons (Hosteni magazine).
Since 2009, Devole was part of “Fiks Fare”, where his creativity stood out in the sections “Koço Kiçi Shoë” and “Monitorime”. In 2013, he became part of the series “O sa mirë”, while in 2019 he was part of the cast of actors of the romantic comedy “Two honey fingers”.
Milto Vako
On November 10, through an official statement, the Opera, Ballet and Folk Ensemble Theater announced the death of conductor Milto Vako at the age of 90.
The master graduated from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow as a choir conductor and later specialized at the Paris Conservatory. His artistic activity started decades ago as a master of the choir of the Folk Song and Dance Ensemble and later as a choir conductor of the Opera and Ballet Theater. As the leader of the AKVP choir, together with the troops he achieved successes which have remained in the public memory. As a master of the TOB choir, he professionally prepared the TOB choir in works such as “Mrika”, (1966), “Heroine”, (1967), “Skënderbeu”, (1968), etc.
Walter John
On November 14, Albanian theater and cinema actor Valter Gjoni passed away at the age of 66.
He began his career as an actor and director in the Army Artistic Corps in the late 1970s. Later he became part of the National Theater, Kinostudios and Albanian Radio-Television. In addition to his career as an actor with over 70 roles and performances, John also stood out for his studies and academic publications. In 1985, he started working in the Municipality of Tirana, for cultural, historical and artistic issues, a job which he continued even after retirement. He was awarded with prizes such as “Gratitude of the City of Tirana”, the Order “Naim Frashëri” and last year with the prize “Symbol of the City”.
Lumturi Blloshmi
On November 27, Lumturi Blloshmi, the famous Albanian painter passed away as a result of Covid-19.
She was often compared to Frida Kahlo because of her creativity. Blloshmi was among the first artists to deliver the performance and installation in our country. Born in Tirana in 1944, she graduated in painting in 1968, to open in 1988 her first personal exhibition in Berat. In the same year, he participated in the Ankara Biennale. Between 1992-2010 Blloshmi participated in various group exhibitions in Thessaloniki, Madrid, Lyon, Budapest, Istanbul, Paris, Zurich, Geneva, Modena, The Hague, New York, etc. She was the winner of the international competition “Onufri ’94”. Her work in visual art began in the years 1973-1974, a period which is remembered as very delicate for Albanian art.
Source: Gazeta Mapo
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