Jaho to Albanian youth: An Artist without a tortured soul doesn't have what to say on stage

Ermonela Jaho speaking while being interviewed by Euronews Albania

 The famous Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho, in an interview for Euronews Albania, talks about her latest award but also the great crisis that has involved Art as a result of the pandemic. The great artist shows from Barcelona her desire to sing in Albania as soon as the theaters open their doors. Ermonela Jaho took first prize in the vocal music category at the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) with the album Anima Rara.

"I am just happy to be here. It has been extremely difficult for everyone, but especially for us artists. For me personally, but not only for me, has been something very difficult also spiritually as art is made and felt with the public. I had moments when I thought I was no longer serving, that my existence no longer made sense. I have tried to use the 8-month quarantine to improve myself artistically. I have understood many things, that nothing is taken for granted. The beautiful moment of life should be appreciated as we are not eternal. Music is an extraordinary lesson for everyone, it has only one purpose, we do it to listen to each other. "If we have compassion for each other, every difficult moment can be overcome," said the soprano.

Ermonela Jaho says that due to the measures against the pandemic, 8 projects were canceled and her return to the stage came after eight months. She says many of her colleagues had to give up their careers as they have families to support.

8 productions canceled but when I did not expect it, in September I had a proposal from the Greek opera, with the role of "Madam Butterfly" that I love so much. After 8 months of not being on stage, I felt like that little kid who enjoys the most basic things, the most beautiful things. The first rehearsal I had after 8 months to sing on stage, to sing with my colleagues, I did not stop singing. The musical rehearsal ended, that the opera lasts 3 hours, after those 3 hours I wanted to sing and I thought with tears in my eyes, absolutely nothing should be taken for granted. 

"Art is not just fun, it is a spiritual need", says Mrs. Jaho.

The soprano shows that before the second closing she gave a show in Berlin with 50 spectators with Saimir Pirgun by her side. While in Spain, where she is currently located, the theaters continue to be open at half capacity.

"It is something surreal, as colleagues write to us in other parts of the world where theaters are closed, here the theatrical life continues with those limits, but I still live this dream," she said.

Ermonela Jaho says that she can't wait to come to Albania to give a message to young people not to stop fighting for their dreams because despite everything that may seem impossible to realize, in the end, we can make it.

"I wish to come as soon as possible and sing for my public in Albania, to give a message to the younger generation because this period vanquishes the hope, removes every dream and things seem impossible. But nothing is impossible. I see them sometimes demotivated and have no hope for the future. If you love it so much, you believe blindly, you need total dedication, whatever the difficulties, those difficulties make the soul more sensitive and you have of what to say because the artist without a sensitive and tortured soul does not have what to say on stage. Of what I have achieved, so can anyone else achieve. We should not stop dreaming, even though the dream has a lot of work then", concluded Mrs. Jaho..