Marie Kraja

She was born in Zare, in Dalmatia on 24.09.1911 and died in Tirana on 24.11.1999. A “People’s Artist” in 1962. At the age of 6, her family settled in Shkodër. During 1926-1928 she went to Austria for education and there during 1928-1934 she completed her higher educational studies at the Conservatory of Graz, in canto. In 1938, she returned to Albania where she began a concert activity. She worked at Radio-Tirana and the Artistic High School in 1946, and later at ILA and TOB where she performed since the first premiere of the institution. Her concert activity began in 1934 together with pianist Tonin Guraziu, in a concert they gave in Tirana. Before this concert, Maria had participated in the “Evening of Nations” in Vienna where she represented Albania with two folk songs “O nightingale, poor nightingale” and “Çilni, ju moj lule çilni “. Next they gave concerts in all major Albanian cities such as Korça, Vlora, Shkodra, etc. During these concerts, inside as well as outside Albania, such as in Austria, Italy, Germany, Hungary and even China, Korea and Vietnam, the Albanian folk songs were an integral part Marie Kraja’s repertoire.

Her repertoire of folk songs included Pan-Albanian traditional folk songs, including the songs of the cities of Peja, Gjakova, Shkodra, Korça, Berat, Elbasan, Tirana, etc. Some of the folk songs sung by Marie Kraja are:“Midis ballit m’ke nji pikë », Çila sytë me të pa”, “Dola në penxhere”, “Marshalla bukurisë sate“, etc. “Çilni ju moj lule” was the first folk song she recorded on a gramophone in 1940. For her contribution in operatic music interpretation, and in particular in Albanian folk songs, she was awarded with the “People’s Artist” and “Great Master of the Work” titles in 1996. Together with Tefta Tashko Koço, Jorgjia Truja “A People’s Artist” (1909-1994) and Gjyzepina Kosturi – “A People’s Artist” (1912-1985), Maria Kraja founded the school of folk song interpretation by lyrical singers.

“MIDIS BALLIT M’KE NJI PIKE”, by Marie Kraja. – YouTube