Jorgjia Filçe-Truja (20 January 1907 – 22 June 1994) was an Albanian

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

. She was one of the icons of the Albanian urban lyrical music, and one of the main contributors for the establishment of the Academy of Arts of Albania.

Life

She was born in

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, eighth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population of the city is 51,152 and 75,994 of Korçë municipal ...

, today's eastern Albania, back then still part of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

on 20 January 1907. She studied in the Santa Сеcilia Conservatory in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

during 1927–1932. She gave many concerts during the 1930s to the 1950s, becoming an icon of the urban lyrical music in Albania. Together with

Tefta Tashko-Koço Tefta Tashko-Koço (; 2 November 191022 December 1947) was an Albanian singer and soprano. She was a leading figure in the regional music industry and is considered one of the most influential personalities of the 20th century in the Albanian- ...

and

Marie Kraja Marie Kraja or Marie Paluca (24 September 1911 – 21 November 1999) was an Albanian opera singer who is particularly known for her delivery of Albanian folk songs. Life Kraja was born in 1911 in Zadar, Kingdom of Dalmatia, then part of Aus ...

, she represented the avant-garde of the lyrical music in the country. Together with the pianist

Lola Gjoka Lola Gjoka Aleksi (22 May 1910 – 6 October 1985) was an Albanian pianist during the period of the Communist regime. Life Gjoka was born in Sevastopol in 1910, into an Albanian family. She began learning the piano at the age of six, and her ...

, she is interpreted urban songs as (The mountain became full of oak trees), (Please you flower), (The spring came full of flowers), (Spring of our village), (When you went along the river my girl), etc. Truja was one of the first pedagogues of the

Queen Mother Pedagogical Institute The Queen Mother Pedagogical Institute (), was a women's pedagogy, pedagogical high school, created in 1933 in Tirana, Albania. The Institute, authorized by Government Decree No. 666 on October 2, 1933, commenced operations on November 30, 1933. ...

for girls in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...

. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she became one of the initiators for bringing the artistic life of Albanian into an academic path by establishing the first higher art institutions, such as Jordan Misja Lyceum in 1946, Academy of Arts of Albania, where she lectured

canto The canto () is a principal form of division in medieval and modern long poetry. Etymology and equivalent terms The word ''canto'' is derived from the Italian word for "song" or "singing", which comes from the Latin ''cantus'', "song", from th ...

and

conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or Choir, choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary d ...

. She interpreted in many

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

s and brought to the stage many works as a director. She died in Tirana in 1994, leaving behind an autobiographical work.

Notes and references

Notes * References Sources *

Life

Notes and references

Further reading