The Hungarian Culture Week continued its vibrant journey in Albania and reached Pogradec. This lakeside city is the third to be included in this cultural event, following Tirana and Vlora. The traveling exhibitions, “Petőfi: Around the World” and “Freedom of Love” by Anna Konya, have already commenced, blending Hungarian culture with the Albanian cultural landscape. They share stories, poetry, and art that resonate with the universal human experience.

The scene at the Culture Center in Pogradec came to life with the performance of “Boys of Pal Street.” Directors Pëllumb and Julieta Kulla skillfully crafted a world where fiction and reality intertwine, breathing new life into Ferenc Molnar’s timeless fairytale. This theatrical masterpiece transcended mere storytelling; it was an alchemy of passion and performance. The young actors, students of the “Flatrat e Dijes” school in Fier, offered not just a performance but a tribute to an enduring saga, resonating with echoes of the past and the vibrancy of its young heroes. Each act seamlessly connected the past with the present, inviting the audience to journey through time, explore historical paths, and capture the honor that binds these boys in a stage narrative as compelling as the original novel.

The art-loving community of Pogradec was recently treated to a mesmerizing performance by the folk dance group “Szinvavölgyi.” Their presentation, featuring the selected repertoire “Petőfi Dances,” was a graceful expression of the Hungarian soul, a poetic and physical embodiment of Hungary’s rich cultural heritage. Every step and turn in the performance represented a verse from Hungary’s grand story, and the dancers, akin to animated stanzas, breathed life into Hungarian folklore. This dance transcended linguistic and geographic boundaries, leaving a lasting impression of the cultural essence of the Culture Week.

/m.ll/