Preng Lëkunda, Merited Artist, was a born talent. There was nothing in his life to nurture this talent, to stimulate his artistic spirit even a little. "His creative power was displayed and reflected in the beauty of the gesture, in the grace of the body and in the magic of his clear voice. His face expressed the greed of a satisfied man, the look of a suffering saint, but also the cold ferocity of a poor and sad man, despairing of life". 
He grew up an orphan with a smileless childhood. So much so that "He secretly brought himself to his hut for a morsel of bread and for some warmth. He slept in the tents of the gypsies, and when they flocked: he sought shelter among peasant families, such as to Prenda e Kolec Mark, a respected woman in that village who kept Prenga very close, like her and many other families, but still he remained a wanderer". Well, Prenga, where it was occupied one night, was not occupied the next night. And maybe it was these walks, this difficult life full of hardships, that raised Prenga, matured him before his time, enriched his soul, made him so sensitive, made him an artist. Or was he born like that? However, whether he was born or life made him, Prenga is a great talent of the Albanian scene. He is a multifaceted actor, who explodes furiously and grabs you, but also appears as a wise old man and imposes himself on you. However, thanks to his innate talent, every character he played was carved with great skill, leaving deep traces in the history of Albanian acting. But… "… in social life he always hid something. It eventually closed in on itself. He had a drama of his own. Always create a question mark. Who was Prenga? We never got to know his wife and children. It was his untimely death that revealed his poverty along with the secret." "The chance brought," recalls actor Bep Shiroka, Merited Artist, "that I also met Preng Lëkunda, when he returned to Shkodër, from the army theater. He first came to the House of Culture as a director. Later he became an actor in the professional theater of the city. Seeing his artistic activity, I say with conviction that Preng Lëkunda was an actor of national proportions. The theater scene has felt his weight. What do I mean by that? As soon as Preng Lëkunda entered the stage, the hall full of spectators stopped the noises, conversations and coughing. He was able, just as quietly, thanks to his presence, to create calmness in the hall. To be imposed. This is a rare skill that every actor should have. But this "I", as they say a word, cannot be bought, but is born. I say this to illustrate one of his roles, apart from the many beautiful roles he created on the stage of the "Migjeni" theater. We are talking about the character of Vata in the drama "Our Earth" by Kola Jakovo. 
I want to remind you that this show is among the best of the "Migjeni" theater's golden fund. A wide range of actors participated in it, such as Zef Jubani, Vitore Nino, Antoneta Fishta (these two actresses alternately played the character of Loke), Tinka Kurti, Ndrekë Prela, Preng Lëkunda, Ndoc Sheldia, Lec Bushati, etc. , who created a gallery of prominent and memorable roles. But the role of Vata performed by Preng Lëkunda, I can say with full conviction that it was the best Vata that was played on the stage of the "Migjeni" theater, but also on the national stage. So, it is the best Vâte, the most accomplished. Maybe because he was playing himself, that… "… we didn't even know where he came from or who he was, a withdrawn guy who neither gave nor took cigarettes. Some time passed and this quiet and shy guy found himself in the role of Luc Tal's Vata in the drama "Our Land" by Kola Jakov. His figure created a great echo in the press" When I talk about this artistic figure, – the actor Bep Shiroka continues to remember and tell, – I also talk about myself. Because I too, a few years later, played Vata. The power of Lëkundas-Vatë's interpretation has not left me completely calm, to realize it the way I wanted. Maybe I performed my role here and there as Preng Lëkunda wanted, because his interpretation was so powerful, that I had no trouble falling somewhere in Preng Lëkunda's "Vata". In that role, the figure seethed with desire for the post, for the rifle, for that piece of iron that he carried on his arm. Not only that, but there was also the satisfaction that this post gave him, to be seen with the features of prudishness, capriciousness and insincerity, of that man who in any case hides something, that is hidden in the recesses of his soul infidelity walks. This is also the reason that Tuçi with his cunning and wit spotted this "weak point" of Vata. 
And Vata did not hesitate and was convincingly motivated to become Tuci's blind tool. Vegla-Watë, who, in addition to the features I mentioned above, also manifested a greedy desire. So, Vata had no other path but that of crime. This is how the talented actor Preng Lëkunda presented and interpreted Vata. When I remember the character of Vata, I want to make an analogy with that of Gjeta (played by Prenga) in the drama "Cuca e Maleve", which was staged by the talented director Mihallaq Luarasi. I make this analogy in terms of partnership. In "Our Land", Preng Lëkunda-Vatë faced Zef Jubanin-Tuç. Although Zefi "defeated" Vata (in terms of resolving the conflict of a line), the latter was wonderful. While in "Cuca e Maleve", Gjeta (Preng Lëkunda) faced the investigator (played by the actor Rikard Ljarja. For the actor Ljarja it was his first role in the theater. Naturally, he also lacked artistic experience.) Preng Lëkunda (Gjete Lleshi) from the appearance of first, that in the first dialogue he "suffocated" this investigator who looked bloodless, anemic and poor. It came out, therefore, the mighty Ggeta. As far as I remember, the greatest criticism was also focused on this line. Later, the drama was caught once again in order to "soften" the image of Gjeta and strengthen that of the investigator. But… it wasn't the defect of the playwriting, it was the "defect" of the artistic power of the partnership. 
Prenga also played the Old Man of the Mountains, a character in the drama with the same title, written by Zef Pali and Ton Shoshi. I'm saying one thing, maybe at first glance it's something common and familiar, but it's true, since in the first readings the figure of Bajram Curri was drawn by Preng Lëkunda and he did it for himself. It was special for him to grasp the role quickly, from the first rehearsals. He captured the role and then filled it with necessary artistic details until the picture was complete. And he was such a convincing figure, because he came very close to him even in the portrait, and found some deep movements, powerful artistic attitudes, I would say "heavy". All this, together with the interpretation, made this figure to be realized successfully,… "giving us a Bajram-leader, unbending, tireless, just like a 'tribune of smallness'" as Noli says in his elegy. In this drama I played the role of the guard, the Bird, who follows step by step the Old Man of the Mountains. Besides being a partner, I am also a "silent witness" of all his movements, to give us this unforgettable figure in the final. I followed Prenga in all the performances of "The Old Man…". He spent a lot of energy on that role, of course it was a difficult role. But I say with all my mouth, that wherever he appeared and whenever he appeared, Preng Lëkunda was serious. He didn't give in or compromise with himself. There was a well-constructed ratio: no excessive movement and no mangut, or, to overlook. And this was his responsible play, of the main actor, whose interpretation gave the longevity of this drama. Always in the interpretive analysis of the actor Lëkunda in the realization of the figure of Bajram Curri, it is said: "How cleanly, warmly and sincerely the actor Prengë Lëkunda interprets the hero! … In the actor we find simplicity and depth of thought. He proved to be more of an actor of thought than of manly external gestures and poses. The talented director Esat Oktrova has a special merit in the qualitative values of the role of Bajram Curri played by Preng Lëkunda. A part of his directorial life is also related to the theater of Shkodra, which "… became natural, real, the main merit of course was Esati's. This is how Esat's performances continued until it reached "The Old Man of the Mountains", a work that was successful, very successful in its time, and the main role was entrusted to Preng Lëkunda, one of the leaders of the Shkodran theater who, until that time, played the roles of second category, apart from negative, small roles. When Esati entrusted Baca to him, no one believed that he could do that role. But the eye of the great director knew how to discover and give this actor the role of Bajram Curri and Bajram Curri of Lëkunda, it became above all an example of how these historical parts can be staged". 
And this artistic dialogue Bajram Curri-Preng Lëkunda has left an indelible mark on the memory of the great artist Tinka Kurti. She would say: "Esat Oktrova, a director just returned from Russia (Soviet Union) entrusted him (Pren Lëkundas) with the role of Bajram Curri in the drama "Old Man of the Mountains", a drama with many characters, with many scenes. A brave commitment of the director to stage this work, which revived Bajram Curri. And… I will never forget the night of the general rehearsal, as we called it back then… Suddenly, a powerful horse ran through the hall when Preng Lëkunda was introduced on stage. It was the skill of this actor that brought Bajram Curri to life on stage and that made even his wife unable to contain herself. It was the credit of the director, who found Bajram, but Bajram himself showed who Preng Lëkunda was, showed his potential as an actor. He became irreplaceable in our national roles". 
With Prenga as a partner, – continues his memories, actor Bep Shiroka, – we performed in the parts: "Our land", "Kunora e Nurije", "Old Man of the Mountains", "Bullet in dowry", "Eagles", etc. In all these parts and others, in large roles or in small roles, he was serious (as I said a little while ago, but I like to repeat) to the end of his work. But this great seriousness at work, liked humor and was charming in society. 
Now I want to remember something painful, – Bepi continued the conversation. I gave the last show with Prenga at the Vau Hydropower Plant in Dejës. It was the drama "Bullet in dowry" by the writer Fadil Kraja. Prenga and I were the last to leave the stage. It was cold. I was undressing, when he said: "Bep, I'm not well! Please try to stop the bus. As long as I come too". (The others had passed). As I ran, so I returned. I say: "Preng, the bus has left." I'm interested in not finding a used car". He tells me: "Bep, don't worry! I can't come. I'm not in the mood tonight. My condition seems to have worsened. I am sleeping with a friend of mine here, with the poet Fejzi Gushta. I hope that this condition will pass soon." That's how we left it. I went with a chance car that I found unexpectedly, not knowing and not even thinking that this would be the last meeting. The next day I went to the theater. On the way I saw that the advertisement of the show that was to be given in the evening in the city was being removed. I ask the worker: "Why are you removing it?!" He answered me: "I am removing it because Preng Lëkunda is seriously ill. They brought him urgently from Vaudejësi". I was worried. As soon as we arrived at the theater, the phone rang. The voice told me all pain and sadness: "Preng Lëkunda died!" I was shocked. And I immediately thought that he died too early, when the children and family needed him a lot. He died early, because he would do even more beautiful work in the theater. He died early, as soon as he started playing his first roles in cinematography, which promised a lot for Preng Lëkunda as an artist. Eh, the memories of Prenga never stop and will never stop..! The night before I played with him, and at that time the next day, I was going to pick him up… this time from the hospital morgue. I cannot express the weight of the pain and the weight of the tears. Both the pain and the tears made me old! What can I say!?… The scene recognized an irreplaceable void, but fixed it in the memory to never forget: The Old Man of the Mountains (07.06.1921 – 03.03.1968), who does not know aging". ___________ Albanian cinematography in activity since 2013. Reference: Xhahid Bushati notes 1988-2019. "Memory of a city" / Publications "albas" p. 186-191.
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