Global Courant
The National Folk Festival, the most important event of national culture over the years, closed yesterday evening in Gjirokastër after 8 intense days.
The final night of the Festival brought an exciting compilation of the most authentic pieces and source material from all over the provinces. The evening culminated with the Shota Ensemble of Kosovo and the National Song and Dance Ensemble of Albania who for the first time came to the festival as a single troupe. The dance of Drenica, and traditional dance motifs of the North and the South brought many dynamics to the stage. The artistic director of the Shota Ensemble said that the festival is a step forward in the direction of protecting the heritage and proof that it is also carried every day in every province by the residents themselves.
The number of young people who participated in the folklore festival 2023 was like never before. In some of the groups, they held the main weight, and heritage experts estimate that transmission to generations is happening. Violeta Beshiri is 15 years old and one of the youngest soloists of the Durrës band. She has been practicing with andamblin for 6 years. The children’s group of Vlora also brought to the festival some of the most authentic pieces of coastal polyphony.
The evening ended after midnight with concerts in the bazaar by Marsela Çibukaj and then by Flamur Cana’s band. Over 8 days, the festival was attended by more than 10,000 people, while 1,200 artists debuted on stage. The event that returned after 8 years in Gjirokastër was a challenge for accommodation and reception services and proved that events of this size deserve to be better coordinated with the tourism operators of the region and serve the local economy on a larger scale.
Global Courantl
The Gjirokastra festival ends/ 1200 artists performed, 10 thousand spectators
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