Ana Naqe, the famous and talented Albanian-Belgian soprano gave this exclusive interview for “Dielli” newspaper, Organ of the Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA, New York. Ana Naqe was interviewed by the editor of ‟Dielli” newspaper, Sokol Paja.

CHARITY CONCERT DEVELOPED IN BELGIUM AS A HELP FOR CHILDREN IN ALBANIA

This is a charity concert. The idea behind it started during covid period. Iliriana Gjoni approached me and asked if I wanted to participate in a charity concert to help kids in Albania for school supplies. We met in Brussels and Iliriana together with Eugene Gjoni talked about the idea that we should do something for our country. When covid came even more, the kids at home could not follow lessons online. That’s why came the idea to make a concert that would promote Albanian artists and will help kids with their education. For this series of events, there are 2 main targets, promotion of Albanian artists and help the education of the kids. We did it all together united. Iliriana, Eugene, Aulon Naci the composer who selected the artists, as well as brought his own compositions, Ledja Canaj, Radio Jehona in Bruksel, Maison Culturelle Belgo  Albanaise, Sakip Skepi etj.

NEW ACTIVITIES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER AND SUPPORT TALENTS

We started with classic music concerts but it’s not only that. In the coming months and years, we will try to organize more events, with different artists, from different artistic worlds, such as actors, painters, sculptors, singers, producers and many more. All of the arts possible as the Albania has a lot to show, way more from what is promoted right now.

ALBANIA IN SUPPORT OF TALENTS AND THE NEED FOR ABSOLUTE ATTENTION TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION

 Personally I wouldn’t say a lot. I believe there is a lot to be done and there are a lot of great artists that should be helped and promoted. It is indeed very important that in the coming days, the state should really help the artists and especially the young generation by giving them the opportunities that they need, to create and to do what they know better, make art.

ARTISTIC MESSAGE OF THE CHARITY CONCERT

 Art unites, creates and helps the one in need!

EVENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN BELGIUM AND CONCERTS FOR CHILD SUPPORT

For local kids, I do and did see many events. For kids in Antwerpen I participated in Koca events in 2018-2019 and raised myself quite some money by offering a few solo concerts. For Albania earthquake as well in 2019 we raised 22.000 euro and helped a few families and children. There are many poor kids in Albania and Kosovo who need help and that’s why, these sorts of events are needed!

ANA NAQE, THE FAMOUS AND TALENTED ALBANIAN-BELGIAN SOPRANO

Ana Naqe, Albanian-Belgian soprano began by studying the violin at a very young age and studied at the University of Tirana (Albania). She then studied singing at the Royal Conservatory of Amsterdam (International Masterclass for two years of “Lied” in German and French), at the Superior Conservatory of Music of Granada (XXII Jornadas Internacionales de Interpretación Musical), she obtained a Master in violin and singing at the Royal Superior Conservatory of Brussels and Louvain, Belgium.

She has performed on the stages of theaters and operas around the world such as: the Opéra Royal de la Monnaie – De Munt (Brussels), the Grand Théâtre du Luxembourg, the Teatro Solis in Montevideo, the Flemish Opera in Antwerp and Ghent, the Royal Opera of Wallonia-Liège, the Flemish Royal Theater (KVS) in Brussels, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris but also Operadagen Rotterdam, International Festival Belluard Bollwerk Lausanne in Switzerland, Concert Hall Amsterdam, Belgian National Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Festival de la Chaise-Dieu in France, Concertgebouw in Bruges, ‘t Kuipke in Ghent, Orchester La Passione, LOD, Transparant, Ensemble Spectra, Ensemble Haftcraft.

Very eclectic artist and excellent musician and actress, she is as comfortable in opera and operetta, as in the repertoire of oratorio, religious music and contemporary music.

Last season, Ana took over the role of Dulcinea/Aldonza in L’homme de la Mancha (Wasserman, Leigh, Darion) at the Théâtre du Châtelet.

 She plays the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) in the play “Bovary”, written by Michael De Cock and directed by Carmen Portacelli (artistic director of the Teatro Nacional de Catalunya), based on the novel by Gustave Flaubert. She is accompanied by the Symphonique Orchestra of Théâtre de la Monnaie, conducted by Ouri Bronchti and on tour in Belgium in 2022 and Spain, Madrid, Barcelona and France – Reims in 2023.

During the covid crisis, the filmmaker Jaco Van Dormael (Toto the hero, the eighth day, The brand new testament) produced a filmed version of the play and Ana performed several plays in it (broadcast by Belgian national television) who also won awards at Film Festival Oostende in Belgium and International Film Festival in Milan in 2022.

This season she will perform “Demeter Calling”, a contemporary play by Sanja Mitrovic programmed by the Flemish National Theater (KVS), the premiere of which will then tour through Belgium and Europe.

In 2024 she will perform in “Hannibal” Contemporary opera at the Opera Vlaanderen in Antwerpen and Ghent in Belgium.

In 2025 Ana will perform the leading role Emma Bovary in the opera Bovary at Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels .

Ana will sing in 9 performances for 70.000 people with a new composition by Kevin Houben ,conducted by Kevin Houben with a symphonic orchestra in July 2022 for Tomorrowland in Belgium.

Recently, Ana was hailed by critics for her dramatic role as Klara Friis, lead role in the opera “We the drowned” “We, the drowned”, text by Carsten Jensen, music by Peter Spaepen, at the Oerol Festival in the Netherlands. Bas and at the Marstal Festival in Denmark.

In 2018-2019-2020-2021, she performed the role of Dulcinea/Aldonza in L’homme de la Mancha (Wasserman, Leigh, Darion) under the direction of Michael De Cock / Junior Mthombeni and Bassem Akiki, a KVS and Opéra Royal co-production by La Monnaie in Brussels followed by a tour of Belgium. The production is repeated at the Espanol Theater in Madrid and at the Fidae Festival of the Solis Theater in Montevideo (Uruguay).

On the occasion of the dance performance Tabula Rasa by Isabelle Beernaert, Ana also performs several times at the Carré Theater in Amsterdam with the Orchester La Passione under the direction of Kevin Houben.

She sang with the Haftcraft ensemble in Estonia at the Glasperlenspiel Festival in Tartu and in China in several opera houses as well as at the Beaux-Arts in Brussels and toured in Belgium.

2022