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Kujtim Laro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kujtim Laro
Born(1947-05-08)8 May 1947
Vlorë, Albania
Died28 July 2004(2004-07-28) (aged 57)
Tirana, Albania
Alma materHigher Institute of Arts
Occupations
  • Composer
  • film score composer
  • academic
Employers
  • Academy of Arts
  • Albanian Army Ensemble
Notable work
Awards
  • Artist i Merituar
  • Order of Naim Frashëri, First Class

Kujtim Laro (8 May 1947 – 28 July 2004) was an Albanian composer and film score composer. He is best known for his music for Albanian cinema, especially films produced by Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re, and is regarded as one of the major composers of Albanian film music.[1][2]

Laro composed music for around 35 Albanian film soundtracks, as well as festival songs and other musical works.[1] His film scores include I teti në bronz, Rrugicat që kërkonin diell, Lulëkuqet mbi mure, Nusja dhe shtetrrethimi, Liri a vdekje, Nëntori i dytë, Vendimi, Gurët e shtëpisë sime and Lule të kuqe, lule të zeza.[2][3]

Early life and education

[edit]

Laro was born in Vlorë on 8 May 1947.[4] He completed his higher studies at the Higher Institute of Arts in Tirana in 1970.[4][1] After graduating, he worked for several years as a lecturer at the Academy of Arts.[1]

Career

[edit]

After graduating in 1970, Laro contributed to Albanian musical life through radio, television, film and concert activity. QMKSH describes him as a participant in the Albanian Radio-Television song festival and other musical activities connected with Radio Tirana.[4] RTSH states that he later taught at the Academy of Arts and served as artistic director of the Army Ensemble.[1]

Laro was also associated with the artistic ensembles of the Albanian Armed Forces. A 2017 publication of the Albanian Ministry of Defence stated that from 1975 until his death in 2004 he contributed to the Army Ensemble and other artistic bodies of the Armed Forces, creating works connected with themes of homeland, defence and military culture.[5]

During his career he received the titles Artist i Merituar and the Order of Naim Frashëri, First Class.[1]

Film music

[edit]

Laro is most closely associated with Albanian film music. The Albanian Central State Film Archive lists him as composer for numerous feature films, beginning with I teti në bronz in 1970 and continuing through the socialist and post-socialist periods.[2][6]

His collaboration with Albanian directors included films by Viktor Gjika, Dhimitër Anagnosti, Kristaq Dhamo, Ibrahim Muçaj, Kristaq Mitro and others. RTSH reported that his music was attached to some of the best-known Albanian films, including I teti në bronz, Në fillim të verës, Lulëkuqet mbi mure, Udha e shkronjave, Liri a vdekje, Nëntori i dytë, Militanti, Vendimi, Yjet e netëve të gjata, Nusja dhe shtetrrethimi, Partizani i vogël Velo and Fletë të bardha.[3]

Lulëkuqet mbi mure

[edit]

One of Laro's best-known scores was for Dhimitër Anagnosti's film Lulëkuqet mbi mure, produced in 1976 and premiered in January 1977. The Albanian Central State Film Archive lists Laro as the film's composer and records that the film won several awards, including best film at the second Albanian Feature Film Festival in 1977 and a gold medal at the Giffoni Film Festival in Italy in 1985.[7] In 2023, AQSHF described the film as a popular Albanian movie with "wonderful original music" by Laro during its 4K restoration project.[8]

Nëntori i dytë

[edit]

Laro composed the music for Nëntori i dytë, a 1982 historical film directed by Viktor Gjika about the Albanian Declaration of Independence and the raising of the Albanian flag in Vlorë on 28 November 1912.[9]

Other film scores

[edit]

The Albanian Central State Film Archive credits Laro as composer for several other films, including Rrugicat që kërkonin diell (1975), Nga mesi i errësirës (1978), Nusja dhe shtetrrethimi (1978), Liri a vdekje (1979), Vendimi, Nata e parë e lirisë, Gurët e shtëpisë sime and Lule të kuqe, lule të zeza.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

His final film score was for Lule të kuqe, lule të zeza, a 2003 film directed by Mevlan Shanaj and written by Natasha Lako.[17][3]

Songs and concert music

[edit]

In addition to film music, Laro wrote festival songs, vocal works and concert music.[1] QMKSH states that some of his works were performed by the Radio Symphony Orchestra and recorded for Albanian musical archives.[4]

RTSH described Laro's output as including around 35 film soundtracks, dozens of festival songs and other musical works.[1] His songs were performed in Albanian Radio-Television festivals, and his work became part of the repertory of Albanian light music and stage music.[4][1]

Documentary and legacy

[edit]

In 2025, Radio Televizioni Shqiptar produced a documentary about Laro titled Katër Masa Shpirti ("Four Measures of Soul"), directed by Albana Kozeli. RTSH described the documentary as a musical and emotional journey through Laro's artistic legacy and reported that it premiered at the Millennium Cinema in Tirana on the eve of his birthday.[1][3] The documentary was later selected to compete at the 77th edition of Prix Italia in Naples in October 2025.[1]

Laro's music has continued to be performed in memorial and tribute events. In 2022, a concert dedicated to his music was held at the University of Arts in Tirana, with university professors and artists performing selections from his work.[18]

A street in Tirana is named after him.[19]

Selected filmography

[edit]
  • I teti në bronz (1970)[6]
  • Yjet e netëve të gjata (1972)[20]
  • Shtigje lufte (1974)[21]
  • Rrugicat që kërkonin diell (1975)[10]
  • Lulëkuqet mbi mure (1976)[7]
  • Nga mesi i errësirës (1978)[11]
  • Nusja dhe shtetrrethimi (1978)[12]
  • Liri a vdekje (1979)[13]
  • Nëntori i dytë (1982)[9]
  • Vendimi[14]
  • Nata e parë e lirisë (1984)[15]
  • Gurët e shtëpisë sime (1985)[16]
  • Lule të kuqe, lule të zeza (2003)[17]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Albanian Documentary "Four Measures of Soul" Competes at Prestigious Prix Italia Festival". RTSH English. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Kujtim Laro". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 ""Katër Masa Shpirti" për Kujtim Laron, sonte premiera e dokumentarit, prodhim ekskluziv i RTSH". RTSH (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "8 May 1947, was born Kujtim Laro, a talented composer, Deserved Artist". Qendra Mbarëkombëtare e Koleksionistëve Shqiptarë. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  5. ↑ "Gazeta Ushtria, 26 May 2017" (PDF). Ministria e Mbrojtjes e Shqipërisë (in Albanian). 26 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 "I teti në bronx". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Lulëkuqet mbi mure". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "4K restoration of Red Poppies on the Walls". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Nëntori i dytë". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Rrugicat që kërkonin diell". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Nga mesi i errësirës". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Nusja dhe shtetrrethimi". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 "Freedom or Death restored in 4K by Augustus Color with the support of "Season of Classic Films" program by ACE". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Vendimi". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Nata e parë e lirisë". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Gurët e shtëpisë sime". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 "Lule të kuqe, lule të zeza". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "Muzika e kompozitorit Kujtim Laro, një koncert në Universitetin e Arteve". Gazeta Sot (in Albanian). 24 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Tiranë – Finalizohet operacioni policor i koduar "Xhamlliku"". Policia e Shtetit (in Albanian). 28 July 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Yjet e netëve të gjata". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Shtigje lufte". Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit (in Albanian). Retrieved 23 June 2026.
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