Tefta Tashko-Koço (; 2 November 191022 December 1947) was an Albanian singer and soprano. She was a leading figure in the regional music industry and is considered one of the most influential personalities of the 20th century in the Albanian-speaking world. She was posthumously awarded the prestigious title People's Artist.

Biography

Life

Tefta Tashko-Koço was born on 2 November 1910 into an Albanian family in

Faiyum Faiyum ( ; , ) is a city in Middle Egypt. Located southwest of Cairo, in the Faiyum Oasis, it is the capital of the modern Faiyum Governorate. It is one of Egypt's oldest cities due to its strategic location. Name and etymology Originally f ...

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

. In 1921, the family moved to

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, eighth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population of the city is 51,152 and 75,994 of Korçë municipal ...

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

, and in 1927, Tefta left for

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

to study singing at the ''Conservatoire de Montpellier''. From 1932 to 1936, she studied singing in the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...

under André Gresse, ''Declamation lyrique'' with Salignac and ''Maintien and Art Mimique'' with G. Wague. In 1936, she permanently returned to Albania, where she performed operatic and chamber music as well as Albanian urban songs. She was asked to encore several times each concert when she performed in Albania. She recorded Albanian urban lyric songs for the Columbia Society in Italy in 1937 and 1942, and was a regular performer on Radio Tirana since its foundation in 1938.Koço, p. 53 Tefta Tashko was accompanied by Lola Gjoka, and sang songs written specifically for her by the Albanian music composer Kristo Kono. She later married Kristaq Koço and had a son together, Eno Koço ( sq), currently a musical director and scholar. Tefta Tashko died unexpectedly in 1947, aged just 36.

Portrait

A painting by Myrteza Fushekrati (1942), made in 1976 00x120 cm was devoted to this artist and until 1990 it was displayed at the Gallery of Art in Tirana.

Sources

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tashko-Koco, Tefta 1910 births 1947 deaths Albanian women singers People from Faiyum Entertainers from Korçë 20th-century Albanian women opera singers Albanian operatic sopranos Conservatoire de Paris alumni Tefta Tashko-Koço