Mustafa Krantja was an Albanian teacher and conductor, honored with the People’s Artist award. He was born in Kavaja on April 10th in Kavaja. He continued his studies at the Elbasan Normal University, where he made his first contact as an artist with the people. After a musical and at the same time patriotic activity, in July 1944 he came to Tirana in the orchestra of Radio Tirana as first violinist. He later became its conductor and created a string quartet. He studied at the Prague Conservatory for conducting and composition and then at the Higher Academy of Musical Art. He was the conductor of the first Albanian operas “Mrika”, “Skënderbeu”, the first Albanian ballet, “Halili and Hajria” as well as many other Albanian orchestral works. He was awarded with the Republic’s awards, the “Naim Frashëri” Order, and was decorated with the “Dvurzhak” medal by the Czech president.

He is the first conductor of the Opera and Ballet Theater, who with his artistic maturity laid the foundations of opera conducting in our country. His basic characteristic in this very important undertaking was the pedagogical work, the serious preparation of the rehearsals with the singers, the choir, the orchestra, with a clear professional plan, good cooperation with the authors of the show: director, choir master, choreographer, high security in conducting the show, complete mastery of every artistic detail, clarity and coolness in his actions with the performers, both in rehearsals and in performances.

These characteristics of his were noticed when he conducted the opera “Rusallka” by Dargomirdzhski (1953), which was the first absolute opera performance in our country. They were perfected every day and more in the next performances, giving his personal seal to his conducting style. The proof for this is the premieres of the operas:

1953 “Rusallka” (Dargomirzhskil)

1954: “Ivan Susanin (Glinka)

1956: “Sold Bride” (Smetana)

1956: “Traviata” (Verdi)

1957: “Jollanta” (Tchaikovsky)

1958: “Barber of Civilization” (Rosini)

1959: “Rustikana Cavalry (Maskanji)

1959: “Mrika” (P. Jakova)

1961: Performance with scenes from operas:

“The Marriage of Figaro” (Mozart),

“Boris Godunov” (Musorgsky), “Trovatore” (Verdi),

1962: “Carmen” (Bizet)

1963: “Bohemia (Puccini)

1963: “Aleko” (Rahmaninov)

1964: “Pearl Fishers (Bize)

1964: Prologue to the opera “Snow White” (Rimsky-Korsakov)

1965: “Rigoleto” (Verdi)

1966: “Mrika” (P. Jakova) revival

1968: “Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu” (P. Jakova)

1975: “Commissioner” (N. Zoraqi), etc.

He was awarded”People’s Artist” and “Professor”, the title “Honored Artist” of the People’s Republic of Albania, the medal of the 50th anniversary of liberation for contribution during the anti-fascist war NÇL, the medal of honor of the Azerbaijan Opera in Baku, the “Antar Honorary Medal” of the International Center of Culture, Art and Literature with headquarters in the city of Brindiz (Italy) “Cikal” the title of “Honorary Citizen” of the town of Citolibe in the Czech Republic. Commemorative medal “Dvorzhak” from the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic.

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