“NITA” OF JOSIP RELA, AN ELEGANT SHOW SIGNED BY FANKO! THE SECOND COLLABORATION AMONG ALBANIANS DURING THE EIGHTIES

Abstract

The second collaboration between Albanians happens with “Nita,” a production by writer Josip Rela and director Serafin Fanko. Our journey will take us to the Albanian Drama Theater in Skopje, in 1980. The event takes place eight years later. In 1972, the first Albanian director invited by the Theater of Nationalities was Kujtim Spahivogli, who put on stage “Korça Carnivals,” a comedy by Spiro Çomora. Then, during a 10-day-visit of the delegation of the Theater of Nationalities Skopje, in Tirana, in 1973, two plays were put on stage: “The Gone” and “Korça Carnivals.” In 1980, he was the second and last director, invited by Albania, until after the 90ties, when Albanian totalitarian regime fell. The director, Serafin Fanko, together with set designer, costume designer and notable painter Ksenofon Dilo, put on stage the drama “Nita,” of theArbëresh author Josip Rela; its premier took place on May 10, 1980 in the Albanian theater drama in the Theater of Nationalities in Skopje. Director Serafin Fanko is the first director who put the national flag in the Albanian drama set, which caused commotion in the Macedonian government and the police tried to stop the performance, but they weren’t successful due to the pressure of the public. Theater dramas with a national content were considered an event for the Albanian public living in Skopje. Scenographer Ksenofon Dilo talks about this significant detail which they had the courage to put in action together with director Fanko, twisting the scenic elements, and since the drama had a national character, the flag on stage was necessary. In the scene depicting festivities organized by the villagers where Nita would become a man, the well takes center stage. Scenographer Mr. Dilo engages the characters to decorate the well’s crown with small national flags. Mr. Dilo recalls that one night before the premier, during the general rehearsals in the Theater of Nationalities, the Macedonian director employed by this theater, Mirko Stefanovski, did not respond quite well to the scene with the national flags.