In Gjakova, Avni Mula, a baritone singer, composer, and People’s Artist, was born. He completed his higher studies at the “P. I. Tchaikovsky” Conservatory in Moscow, graduating as a lyrical singer in 1957. He began working as a soloist at the Opera and Ballet Theater, performing lead roles in the opera repertoire of the time, where he distinguished himself with his high standard of musical and stage interpretations. Among these roles were Figaro in *The Barber of Seville* (Rossini), Onegin in *Eugene Onegin* (Tchaikovsky), and Gjeta in *Mrika* (Prenk Jakova). He had a rich concert career both domestically and internationally.
His creative activity began in the latter half of the 1960s, initially in the fields of song and romance, and later as the author of major vocal-concert pieces (cantatas, vocal poems, etc.) and stage works. Notable compositions include the operetta *The Carnivals of Korça* (1978) and the opera *Borana* (1984). He was awarded the First Class Republic Prize and decorated with the First Class “Order of the Flag” and the “Honor of the Nation” order. He passed away in Tirana in 2020.
Text: Albanian Encyclopedic Dictionary – Vol. 2, Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH,” Tirana, 2008, page 1772.
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