Jorgjia Filce Truja

Jorgjia Filçe-Truja was born on 20 January 1907 in Korçë, Albania. She studied in the Santa Сеcilia Conservatory in Rome during 1927–1932. She gave many concerts during the 1930s to the 1950s, becoming an icon of the urban lyrical music in Albania. Together with Tefta Tashko-Koço and Marie Kraja, she represented the avant-garde of the lyrical music in the country. Together with the pianist Lola Gjoka, she interpreted urban songs such as U mbush mali plot me dushk (The mountain became full of oak trees), As aman moj lule (Please you flower), Erdh' prandvera plot lule (The spring came full of flowers), Kroj i fshatit tonë (Spring of our village), Kur më shkoje lumit goce (When you went along the river my girl), etc. She was one of the first pedagogues of the Queen Mother Pedagogical Institute for girls in Tirana. After World War II, she became one of the initiators for bringing the artistic life of Albanian into an academic path by establishing the first higher art institutions, such as Jordan Misja Lyceum in 1946, Academy of Arts of Albania, where she lectured canto and conducting. She interpreted in many operas and brought to the stage many works as a director. She died in Tirana in 1994, leaving behind an autobiographical work. She is remembered as one of the most influential and beloved singers in Albanian history.