This past weekend, the Experimental National Theatre “Kujtim Spahivogli” presented the drama “The Concert,” directed and adapted by Giacomo Pedini.

The play draws its narrative from the novel “An Angel Dressed in a Tailcoat” by the distinguished Albanian author Stefan Çapaliku. Set against the historical backdrop of 1950s Shkodër, the story unfolds during a period when Europe was sharply divided along political and ideological lines. In the context of Enver Hoxha’s authoritarian regime in Albania, the narrative begins with a man who falls from a balcony and dies. Within the confines of this dictatorship, the concept of suicide is rendered nonexistent. The character of Pol Gjakova, a composer, raises profound questions about the nature of creativity under oppressive conditions. What does it mean to be a composer in a totalitarian regime? What should one compose, and for whom, in 1950s Albania, or in contemporary Europe?

These inquiries form the thematic core of “The Concert,” which is a production of the Experimental National Theatre “Kujtim Spahivogli” in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Tirana.

The performance featured an ensemble of talented actors, including Helidon Fino, Laert Vasili, Ilirda Bejleri, Matia Llupa, and Ismail Shino, who collectively explored the complex emotional and philosophical dimensions of the play. The production serves as a significant reflection on the intersection of art, politics, and identity within a repressive historical context.

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