"Her Voice" follows in the footsteps of Nexhmije Pagarusha as a memory and legacy

The project, in which the “Prenk Jakova” High School of Music, the Kosovo Opera and “Shota” have joined forces, unfolds the artistic journey of the Nightingale of Kosovo. Through body language, sound and speech, the figure of Nexhmije Pagarusha has been brought back. It was an act of remembrance and homage to the figure who continues to inspire entire generations of artists.

“Her Voice” has been a heartfelt homage to the icon of Albanian music, Nexhmije Pagarusha. Young artists and those long established in the artistic scene have materialized it in performances that combine ballet, dance and poetry, accompanied by Pagarusha’s song as a legacy. The idea and project of the “Prenk Jakova” high school of music has been translated into an educational program of the Kosovo Opera and the “Shota” song and dance ensemble entitled “EduOpera”.

On Wednesday, it was performed for the first time in front of the public, while another performance took place on Thursday, both at the Atelier of the Palace of Youth and Sports in Pristina. The project, choreographed and conceptualized by Driton Saqipi, unfolds the artistic journey of the Nightingale of Kosovo. Through body language, sound and speech, the figure of Pagarusha, who died on February 7, 2020 at the age of 86, has been brought back.

Choreographer Saqipi has emphasized the emotional dimension and dedication to this figure.

"As an idea, it was not difficult to select it because it is about one of our greatest national icons, namely Nexhmije Pagarusha. As a young ballet director, as a choreographer, I have tried to honor her through movements," he said.

He said that in this staged narrative, Pagarusha's life is traversed in stages, from difficult beginnings to the peak of his career and his old age.

"I have tried to capture Nexhmije's life from the beginning of her career, her successes, her peak, normally the beginnings were not easy. There is also her love with Rexho Mulliq and in the end, old age, as you know. Even the song 'Vet ke mbet' was adapted, so it came out, I can say, as a kind of film and not as a play," said Saqipi, defining the work as a narrative built through emotions and collective memory.

The play, which initially began as a school project, found institutional support.

"This show was a school project, but it started to take on larger dimensions. Unfortunately, as a school, we didn't have a budget and the idea arose that why not make a request to institutions, which I think should support young talents. The directors of the Opera, and then of the 'Shota' ensemble, welcomed my idea with great pleasure," said Saqipi, deputy director at "Prenk Jakova".

On stage, the dancers' movements have been strongly influenced by elements of traditional dance, creating a natural combination between classical ballet and folkloric heritage. Each Pagarusha song has been a separate narrative, in fragments that communicate through the body.

The program included performances to the rhythms and verses of the songs "Above the Cloud" by Severin Kajtazi, "A Drop of Dew", "With Beautiful Flowers" by Tish Daija, "Voices in the Shadows (Whispers)" by Bardh Dubovci, "His Voice Calls Me" by Gjergj Kaçinari and "Intermezzo" by Valton Beqiri.

At some moments, the performance touches on the darkest dimensions of Pagarusha's artistic journey, through distorted voices and signs of contempt that illustrate the prejudices of the time.

Part of the story is also dedicated to her love for the composer Rexho Mulliqi, which is portrayed with the performance of a male and female dancer. The other duet in the ballet, built on the song “Kur ĝe dîte të kkhterhesh ti” brings a heartfelt dialogue of love to the stage. The “Shota” ensemble has brought the traditional spirit beyond the lyric, with national costumes and a dance dominated by the folkloric element, under the traditional part “Binë tupanat”.

Actress and singer Edona Reshitaj performed the poem by poet Naime Beqiraj dedicated to Pagarusha.

"At first it was intended to be a monologue, but then we thought it would be a poem that had enough substance to be interpreted as a kind of monologue or a kind of story, even the part where Nexhmije herself speaks. It was very beautiful for me because when I participate in events dedicated to Nexhmije Pagarusha, they know that I sing. This time I came with an interpretation and this makes me feel very special because I have honored her with singing very often," said Reshitaj.

He said that it was a beautiful combination to honor the great figure of Nexhmije Pagarusha and that they were overcome with emotions on stage during the performance.

"Knowing that she has been both an actress and a singer, and I do both, this time in the role of an actress made me feel very good and very excited. I had a few moments when I was overcome with emotions, but the good thing about this interpretation is that, unlike a song when you definitely have to continue because it is a song that follows you, here you can take a natural pause because sometimes excessive emotions can have a negative impact," she continued.

The poetry, performed over the melancholic melody of the cello, has created a sensation that brings the audience closer to the human dimension of the artist.

The emotional climax is reached with the performance followed by the song "Vetë ke mbet", which comes as a powerful reflection on loneliness and the extent of artistic sacrifice. But also with the extinction of the artist herself in the performance followed by Bardh Dubovci's "Elegy".

Conductor Edon Ramadani considered the project titled "Her Voice" a serious one. He announced that it was planned to be completely original, with music from the orchestra, accompanied by the choir, but said that there were no conditions in the hall for such a formation.

"Through this performance, the life of our iconic singer Nexhmije Pagarusha was revealed at different points. Initially, this was planned to be done in a more grand manner with a choir and orchestra, but in reality this was the maximum that was done because I was in the organizational structure in the original idea, but with the halls we possess, it was impossible to realize this project with a larger troupe than it was tonight. Unfortunately, we had to go with the original recordings. We hope that next time an adequate hall will be made available where we can develop this idea and re-orchestrate and perform these points with a large orchestra and eventually with a choir," said Ramadani.

With the participation of soloists Adela Muçollari, prima ballerina of the Tirana Opera and Ballet Theater, and Anxhelo Muçollari, first soloist of the Albanian Opera and Ballet Theater, the performance has been reinforced in terms of its professional dimension.

Nexhmije Pagarusha completed her primary school education in Malisheva, later moving to Prishtina. She began her secondary music education, solo singing, in Belgrade, where she stayed for three years, but due to unfavorable circumstances she discontinued it. She began singing in childhood, but her real career began in 1948, as a singer at Radio Prishtina.

She has sung in events and festivals in Kosovo and all other regions, achieving great popularity for her vocal potential in the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, and several European countries, as well as the Middle East, and other parts of America. She sang for over 40 years without interruption and not always in conditions suitable for a soloist like her.

Her performing repertoire is extremely wide and diverse. The songs "Ani mori nuse", "Kur më del në derë", "Metelikun ta kam fal", "Po të pres te dega e fikut", "Mora testinë", "Kënga e Rexhës" and others stand out. She sang with precision and beauty the songs processed and composed by her husband, composer Rexho Mulliqi, including: "Lulëzoi fusha, lulëzoi mali", "Zambaku i bardhë", "Një lule që m'ka çëlë tash", as well as the original ones. "Baresha" has been considered a jewel of Albanian music.

Nexhmije Pagarusha has also worked as an actress, appearing in several stage works and films such as "Three People Cross the Mountain", "I Bit the Dark", "The Flight of Micaku". The high appreciation and great love that critics and the public had for her made her enjoy the title

Kosovo Nightingale.

In 1984, she decided to end her singing career. Nexhmije Pagarusha died on February 7, 2020, at the age of 86. Her voice was immortalized in more than 150 songs between the 50s and the mid-80s. She was honored with the Presidential Medal for Lifetime Achievement, while also holding the title "Honor of the Nation".

The tribute to her – "Her Voice" – has been an act of remembrance and respect for the figure who continues to inspire entire generations of artists.