Ida Kraja (1926 – ) | The first actresses of Shkodran theater!

Ida Kraja (1926 – ) One of the first actresses in the Shkodra theater, coming from the amateur movement with a teaching profession. She was born in Shkodra on April 13, 1926. Shkodra, the main center of Albanian culture, has produced talents in every field of art over the years. Some very well-known and some less, they have left an indelible mark over the years on many art lovers from Shkodra and beyond. One of them was Ida Kraja, a veteran actress of the Estrade Theater with a comic profile who, although she had not graduated from art school, left her mark on Shkodran art. In the first grade, there were nuns Emilia and Stenla Kolada as teachers. Then he goes to the State School. In the 5th grade, Ida's teachers were household names in Shkoder: Liza Ashiku and Luçije Serreqi (children's poets). Afterwards, she returns to the Stigmatine School, where she completes the first and second lower courses. In the end, she graduates from the "Donika Kastrioti" Women's Institute, where she graduates as a teacher. Autobiography: "It was the feast of Kshndella. Without taking permission from anyone, I got on the podium of Bethlehem and started reciting the poem "O little Christ, O good Christ…" Father Anton Kiri suddenly grabbed me by the hand and said: "You are a very ladylike girl! You will become a good reciter!” "I had my father, Tishin, as a comic. He was saying "what is waiting for you". I didn't leave his lap, so I often pulled out a little bug too. Then my brothers and sisters didn't leave me comfortable either. Seeing my recitation skills; they browsed books, found poems and "forced" me to recite them…" "I was doing a literary class with the Pedagogical graduates. I had staged the story. I even had control from the Ministry of Education. When I finished the lesson, one of the team members came up to me and asked, "Have you ever acted on stage?" I answered: "When I was little, I played in the plays: "The Seven Dwarfs and Snow White", "A Girl's Quarrels", etc. He continued again: "You have a tendency to become an actress. There you have the place. Don't forget this order…" I remembered, again, my father, Tishi, when I was taken out of a small monastery leaning on his shoulder and… of course I also remembered Father Anton Kiri. In the melodrama "Dasma Shkodrane" that was given on September 15, 1947, authored and directed by the People's Artist Andrea Skanjeti, I had a very nice role, that of the bridegroom. The role went well for me. At the moment when I was about to give the money to the girl's mother (played by Luçije Fani), a piece of board comes off from above and falls on my head. Even in the midst of pain, I continued to interpret the words of the text: It was the hour of grace! There is no better son-in-law than you! After all, they have a good time!" Thus ended my role. In the piece "The Island of Peace" by JP Petrov, which appeared in 1949, I presented the type of a talkative woman, but who had an old husband (interpreted by the Merited Artist Adem Kastrati). How I remember it today… It was the moment when I was going to perform a long, very long monologue. Adam as a comedian spoke to me. I laughed so hard I couldn't stop laughing. I continued to perform. But the laughter continued… The spectator did not understand anything. To tell you the truth, in those moments, why should I lie to you, I felt like a real actress…" "You asked me about my childhood, about the roles I played, but I want, even though at this old age, to remember you my friends from the years of youth, who together crossed the walls of fanaticism, together we experienced the emotions and successes of each other's roles. I remember the drama "Emira" by V. Prendushi. The director was Ludovik Kiri. At that time we were at the School of the Stigmatine Nuns. The date was 23.02.1935. This is how I remember Agetina Daija, even though she was a closed type, she played the roles well in silence, Albina Dajçi, agile and with a refined childlike intuition, Mici Deda also agile, Marije Rranxi who played many roles but then she devoted herself to sports, Marije Deda in the role of a ragtag in the drama "Juvenilja". Maybe I have forgotten some friends… But… you understand that many years have passed. I want to remember one more thing. It is about my last role. And it was that of Madërgona in the drama with the same title by Andrea Skanjeti. I was in the lead role. I loved it so much! But… unfortunately I didn't give it that much life on stage, because my mother died in those days. My grief was very great, so great that I "said goodbye" to the scene, to forget it forever… It was painful for me! But… this is how life is… Ida continued her life as a teacher. As a teacher, she retired. In addition to the teaching profession, the values she gave to the amateur theater movement should be highlighted, as well as to remember that Ida also performed in the drama "Under the Chestnuts of Prague". For the character she played, she presented with authenticity and distinctness the fiery passions that this woman had for her military husband (the role played by Gjovalin Çarkaxhia). After the show, the director Andrea Skanjeti congratulated her saying: "I think that you, Ida, have analyzed the role correctly". Being demanding of herself, even in an episodic role she had in the drama "Portrait" by A. Afinogiekov, which appeared in November 1945 in the "Rozafat" cinema, gave her success and applause from the audience. In all the parts he performed, which were staged by Andrea Skanjeti, the director would write in his diary about Ida Kraja: She is one of the first actresses of the amateur theater group of the House of Culture, one of the few with a comic profile. . The exclusivity on this page is dated February 20, 2022 _____________ Albanian Cinematography a public page active since 2013. Reference: The book "Light of Memories" by Xhahid Bushati

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