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By:
Shaban Maxharraj
- December 9, 2024 22:25
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The world-renowned tenor, Saimir Pirgu, on Monday, one day before the gala concert, clearly explained at the press conference that he knows well where he will perform. He has also elaborated the reason for his presence in Kosovo. He has performed from the "Metropolitan Opera" in New York to the Sydney Opera House. On Tuesday night he will be on stage, whose roof cannot hold the rain. But Pirgu, beyond interpretation, is in Pristina for a message. "We are used to giving value to things that have no value. These screens are just a facade to cover something that is wrong. I can be heard tomorrow in the hall that has no acoustics. I'll be there with those people who don't have good instruments. That's why I'm here for what we have. More bread and salt", he said
They have hosted the biggest and most important opera houses that the world knows. Now it is Kosovo's turn. In the Red Hall of the Palace of Youth and Sports, now is the time for the Kosovo Opera - which is a kind of agency without an ensemble and since its establishment in 2021 has been working with projects - to welcome Saimir Pirgu. The star of this art, described as such by world critics, will perform arias from his album "Saimir". For the scene of Europe's youngest state, this is beyond news. It is an introduction to Pirgu's tour, which, according to critics in his profession, has only the sky as the limit.
Saimir Pirgu, born in 1981, on Monday, one day before the gala concert, clearly explained at the press conference that he knows well where he will perform. He has also elaborated the reason for his presence in Kosovo. He has performed from the "Metropolitan Opera" in New York to the "Teatro alla Scala", the Vienna State Opera, the "Royal Opera House" in London, the Paris Opera, the "Boilshoi" theater in Moscow and the Sydney Opera House. On Tuesday night he will be on the stage, whose roof cannot hold the rain. But Pirgu, beyond interpretation, is in Pristina for a message.
"We are countries that have suffered a lot and pretending to have an opera in a newly formed state is, as we say, asking for chickpeas on a skewer. But it is a good idea that there are efforts from this small center like Pristina to give culture to all of Kosovo and Albania. This is a value that should be appreciated", he said.
Completely simple and open in the face of questions, Pirgu has said that it does not matter if the Kosovo Opera will be made from the periphery or from the center, as this is a matter of time and political and social will.
"But it is obvious that Kosovo needs all institutions, including the opera. We must support each other so that in the coming years we can show who we are", he said at the conference covered by a media team.
Pirgu's tour with the new album includes world opera centers. He explained that Tirana and Prishtina entered this tournament in the last seconds, so as not to be separated from other cities.
"It is a presentation of my 20-year career in theaters, where I performed with all the repertoire I had. There are more than 20 arias chosen from the world repertoire and they belong to the theme of my repertoire and are a documentation of my artistic life", said Pirgu while talking about the album.
He announced that the idea to include Kosovo in this tour comes from the fact that the name Kosovo Opera in such a tour is something big.
"From the outside, no one knows what is happening in Kosovo, we must be realistic. But the fact that the Kosovo Opera exists is very strong information, because opera is the highest level of culture. The fact that Kosovo has an institution like Opera is more important than what Opera does in reality", he said.
He clarified that the album included the aria from the opera "Skënderbeu" by Prenkë Jakov, as he is interested in national identity.
"Language has kept us alive and this language must be supported. This should be reflected. Where can I make a small contribution? In my work", he said. According to Pirgu, the fact that there was only one media team at the conference before the concert shows a lot. He said that in this case there is something, as the media also gather for useless things.
"We are used to giving value to things that have no value. These screens are just a facade to cover something that is wrong. I can be heard tomorrow in the hall that has no acoustics. I'll be there with those people who don't have good instruments. That's why I'm here for what we have. More bread and salt", he said while also commenting on the giant screen behind with his image. Kosovo now 25 years after the war does not have a concert hall. In 2009, a foundation stone was laid for the Opera and Ballet Theatre. After spending over one million euros, that project was discontinued. In recent years, the state has changed its location, and the Ministry of Culture has been aiming to have at least one project on paper for two years now, but it has not yet reached this point.
Saimir Pirgu knows well the reality in these parts. Born in Elbasan, he started music education at a young age. In his hometown, he attended violin lessons, and at the age of 21, according to his biography, he graduated from the "Claudio Monteverdi" conservatory in Bolzano as a student of Vito Maria Brunetti. In 2008, Saimir Pirgu was chosen by Woody Allen to perform in his first stage opera "Gianni Schicchi" at the Los Angeles Opera. The second decade of this century has taken Pirgu to the top of his career. In 2013, after the interpretation of the role of Alfredo in the "Metropolitan Opera" in New York, the prestigious "The New York Times" devoted a two-page article to him with the title "The Tenor from the Dark Side of the Moon". His albums like "Il Mio Canto" and Requiem have been promoted all over the world, while "Saimir" is on tour. Kosovo is the next station.
The Kosovar soprano Marigona Qerkezi, who is also developing an international career, will perform at the gala concert of the Kosovo Opera. She said that she is very happy to perform in Pristina after performing on stages around the world.
"I am happy to share the stage with our tenor who is ours, but belongs to the world. We will present a very rich program and I am pleased to return to my audience after many years", said Qerkezi.
Elda Laro will conduct the orchestra engaged only for this concert. Conductor with a career in
Germany has said that it is very happy to be part of this organization.
"It is a great honor to be a part of this," she said.
On behalf of the institution of the Kosovo Opera, the chairman of the Management Council, Rreze Kryeziu-Breznica, thanked the guests.
"How important this date is for us, for the institution itself, is shown by the very presence of the artists who have decided to join forces with us as a new institution to support us and guide us in raising the quality of our institution", she said, among other things.
Meanwhile, the acting director of the Kosovo Opera, Meriton Ferizi, has said that these caliber of artists will lay a cornerstone in the establishment of the Kosovo Opera.
"It is the first time that an organization is being carried out without a single stress. This is because of their level. They are representatives of the nation", he said.
