Lec Fishta (1920-1995) | In memory of the great scenography master!

Lec Fishta (1920-1995) Prominent scenographer of the theater "Migjeni", Shkoder and actor. Often the spectator is carried away by the performance on stage of the actresses or the libretto of a play, but nothing can give an effect, a show can be called a failure if it is not accompanied by other necessary elements, among which sconegraphy occupies a key place. Lec Fishta was one of the talented scenographers from Shkodra. He was born on March 5, 1920 in Shkodër. So weak in body and small in face, with his work and silence to the point of pain, nearly 210 premieres are connected, where his activity in the field of scenography is distributed in the theater "Migjeni", in the house of Culture, in the stage of the city, in the puppet theater, etc. They tell about little Leci: before toys, books knocked in his childhood. The enchanted world full of new windows of books made him travel to a desire with unknown dreams. Maybe Mjeda's sweet poems with seasonal motifs, Logorec's fairy tales, Xanon's short stories full of surprises, seemed to him like a painting… His wet fingers started looking for colored pencils, brushes, watercolors, sheets and blocks drawing…, later oil color and pastel… He couldn't stay hidden any longer, the bud of his childhood desire to become a painter was born! Another desire of little Leci, perhaps related to one of the traditions of Shkodran, is the passion for flowers. This passion was really reflected in the yard of Fishtor, with colorful flowers like in a bride's dowry, embroidered on the side with levantura and symshira in turns. Not only the yard, but also the living room of the house had a variety of flowers (not similar to the yard), which colored and nuanced the dazzling beauty of these more or less closed environments as in the stories of Koliq. In this floral environment, with a seductive and amazing aesthetic, which was characteristic of the Shkodra courtyards, there was no way that the creative hand, the mind full of fantasy and the endless care of Leci, passionate about the "paradise" of the courtyard, were also present. own. Leci was in the first grade of the Saverian School, when he saw the marionette-type shows for the first time, which remained in his memory. Perhaps here we should look for the first traces of his creativity related to the puppet theater. Over the years, he created 27 sets for this theater. And the little spectator will remember the parts: "The Shepherd and the Fiddle", "The Fairy of the Mountain", "Keci me Zile", "Ermira e Forest", "Seven Kittens", "Rozafa" etc. When he turned nine years old, he participated in the show "A family with humpbacks". In the subject of this piece were 10 or 12 children, all hunchbacks, who made humpback movements and danced around a singer. The scenographer of this part was Kole Plani. The drawing teacher, Arturo Sala, who was a sculptor and iconographer, discovered Leci's painting inclinations. He kept Leci close. He used to make drawings at home. He gave her postcards, which had different landscapes and mostly still lifes. At the same time, the drawing teacher created opportunities and taught Leci many different processes of the set designer's work and the secrets of this genre of art, knowledge which he would deepen later, in the study of the book "Dietro il velario" (According to ). He continued his studies at the Franciscan School until high school. The creation of the "Antonian" Society near this school, around 1933, gave impetus to theatrical-artistic activities. In this school, the future scenographer Lec Fishta, watched many performances that spanned years and centuries; without the variety of costume colors, without the different architectures, which shaped him as an artist. During the years at the Franciscan School, he also got to know the painter Simon Rrota, who at that time was working on the scenic realization of the parts that were put on stage. Even after Leci left that school and entered the state gymnasium (he graduated in the school year 1940-1941), he took drawing lessons again with the painter Simon Rrota, because only in that lesson Lec Fishta's skills and talent were expressed. The painter Simon Rrota had well understood Leci's passion, so he took it home. He explained the techniques of pencil, carbon, oil watercolor. The friendship grew stronger. Leci often accompanied the painter-teacher, when he went out to paint in nature, where his student did not "forget" to make a sketch with pencil or pastel. Later, the painter Simon Rrota introduced Leci to the painter Zef Kolombi and the painter-architect Kolë Idromeno, whose artistic personality had already transcended the spaces of his hometown. Now, in the artistic consciousness of Leci, the influence of the "artistic school" of Shkodra masters becomes greater. With master Idromeno, he asked Leci to hang out more often. Idromenoja, who was characterized by simplicity, naturalness and respect for talent, occasionally showed his younger "colleague" his works… During this period of acquaintance with the prominent painters of his hometown, (which also constitutes a important moment of his creativity), Leci worked on the sets for the farce "Hat and flanxa" (when he himself played a role), the one-act comedy "Nastradini the little one", the musical piece "Kunora e humbun". From year to year, his artistic activity grows. In August 1940, he worked on the scenography of the drama "Thomas Moore", staged by the directors Agostin Ashiku and Mark Ndoja. The drama-premiere was given on August 15, 1940. It was performed by: Luigj Toni, Pjetër Gjergji, Tom Leci, Pjetër Gjoka, Ndoc Shllaku, Injac Toni, Tonin Rrota, Shtjefën Shahini, Jak Ndreca, Lec Toni, Lin Kujxhija, Tish Baba, Kel Paloka, Rrok Berisha, Mark Shani and Ndrekë Shkjezi. Later, he worked on the first scene of the gas play titled "Dy Shulanët" which was shown on 07.06.1941. Together with the painter Gjon Hila, they did the scenic realization of the decorations of the piece "Frati Texos". This part has a special one for Leci. He played the role of a female character. Surely, in the history of our dramatic art, such cases are not frequent. We will also see Leci as an actor in the gas games: "Bari i marri" and "Fotografi i hutuam", this time performed by the "Antoniane" Society. In 1946, Leci married Antoneta Ndokillina (Fishta), one of the first professional actresses of the theater "Migjeni". In their family life, conversations about art began to take place more. Life of artists! At the end of 1947-1948, Leci worked as a scenographer at the House of Culture. He gave his help and talent for the execution of the sets of the dramas "Hostel of the Poor" by M. Gorkitm, "The Russian Case" by B. Lavranjev, "Portrait" by A. Afinogiekov, "Two Venetian Twins" by K. Goldoni, "Under the Chestnuts of Prague" by K. Simonov, "Shkodra Wedding" (melodrama) authored and directed by A. Skanjati, and years later the opera "Mrika" by P. Jakovo. In his diary, Leci will remember the famous composer Jakova, also for this detail: "In addition to my activity in the "Antoniane" Society, Preke Jakova chose me to participate in the fanfare of this society, entrusting me with the musical instrument rhombus basse -sibemol". And so we discover another passion of set designer Fishta, music. Lec Fishta begins his artistic activity in the theater "Migjeni" around 1953. He is the second scenographer of this theater. From conversations with actors, his friends, looking at the number of scenographic models, which are still kept in the family archive; are indications that the master Fishta was very hardworking. He forgot whether he has working hours or not. The notion of time for him as if it had been lost… If you mentioned it to him it was something absurd. Therefore, he started in the morning and stayed until the morning of the next day to finish the work he started. This happened to him not infrequently, and it was as if he had turned it into a ritual. Master Fishta's creations belong to traditional scenography. With his tireless work and the pain-inducing silence that characterized him, Leci coped not only in the theater, but also in the variety show and the puppet theater, not to mention the House of Culture and other artistic activities. A life with an extraordinary charge, where the candle of his soul and creation were companions and were never extinguished… Closed in the kingdom of silence, Leci created 210 scenographies, among which we highlight: "The Fairy of America", "Under Occupation ", "Shrengrata", "The Barber of Seville", "The Tyrant of Padua", "The Seven Shalljans", "Konora e Nurije", "Votra e Huj", "Paluku i Maleve", "The Lottery Ticket", "Council of godfathers" etc. In the artistic biography of Leci, the executions of models of painters and stage designers, with whom the director of the show was connected, also take place. This is how he masterfully realized, but at the same time preserving the artistic individuality of the scenographer, the markets of Agim Zajmi, Shaban Hysa, Bep Shiroka, etc. Equipped with a wide culture, conversant with several foreign languages, Leci also wrote parts for children, such as the text of the melodrama "The Lesson of the Forest", or the translations of some stories by Italian authors, not forgetting that he also performed on stage himself. But his full and impressive name has been in the field of scenography. Over the years, on the stage of the "Migjeni" theater or in others, how many actors performed in the main or episodic roles, in moments of joy or sadness, in monologue experiences or exchanging jokes, they never forgot to "talk" with the professional Master. of scenography, the artist Lec Fishta. He died on July 4, 1995. It was published for the first time on the Facebook page in March 2020 ___________________ Albanian cinematography in activity since 2013 Reference: "Memories of a city" – Albas 2019 / Xh. Bushati / p. 139 – 142

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