Kristaq Antoniu, a lyric singer, tenor, and later baritone, People’s Artist, was born in Korçë. He emigrated at a young age to Romania, where in 1928 he graduated from the Academy of Mimedramatic Arts in Bucharest and became known as a cinema artist. He toured Europe as a concert singer and operetta performer. He returned to Albania in 1933, and from that year onwards, he became a member of the group of lyric artists led by pianist Lola Aleksi (Gjoka). After liberation, he developed a rich artistic activity as a concert performer and soloist at the Theater of Opera and Ballet, where he performed leading roles in operas such as “Mrika” by Prenk Jakova, “La Traviata” (Verdi), “Cavalleria Rusticana” (Mascagni), etc. He distinguished himself in interpreting classical concert repertoire (opera arias, vocal lyrics) and urban folk songs. He was among the first creators of the tradition of interpreting Korçë urban songs. He was distinguished for the beauty of his voice timbre, for his dramaticity, and vocal power. He passed away in Tirana in 1979. (In the photo: Kristaq Antoniu)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1, Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 81.
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristaq_Antoniu
Graphic processing: AHCF
