Mrika

{{italic title}} '''''Mrika''''' (''Maria'') is an opera in three acts composed by Prenkë Jakova with a libretto in Albanian by Llazar Siliqi. It premiered (in a four-act version) in Shkoder, Albania in 1958 at the Migjeni Theatre.<ref>{{citation|last=Rubin|first=Don|title=The world encyclopedia of contemporary theatre|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B9RV5UFtPNMC&pg=PA41|year=2001|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-05928-2|pages=41–}}</ref> The revised three-act version (and the one used today) premiered in Tirana at the Academy of Music and Arts of Albania in December 1959.<ref>{{Cite Grove |last=Leotsakos |first=George |title=Jakova, Prenkë}}</ref> The work is based on a "musical action" in two scenes, ''Dritë mbi Shqipëri'' (''Light over Albania''), a previous collaboration between Jakova and Siliqi which had premiered in Tirana in July 1952. ''Mrika'' is popularly considered to be the first Albanian opera.<ref>Prifti, Peter R., ''Socialist Albania since 1944'', Vol. 23, MIT Press, 1978, p. 124. {{ISBN|0-262-16070-6}}</ref> Its first stage director was Kristaq Antoniu.<ref name="Vatra">{{citation| language=Albanian| url=http://gazetavatra.com/nje-nga-yjet-artit-shqiptar-kristaq-antoniu/| publisher=Gazeta Vatra|date=2015-12-24| title=Një nga yjet artit shqiptar, Kristaq Antoniu |trans-title=One of the Albanian art stars, Kristaq Antoniu| access-date=2016-01-29}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Operas Category:1958 operas Category:Albanian-language operas