Posted by M. H.
“I cannot pick and chose one single moment I spend with Shadan. They are all wonderful, but I will never forget the ones I learned from him”, says one of the first scenographers of the Theatre of Opera and Ballet, Hysen Devolli, on the day of the 100th birth anniversary of the scenographer, architect, painter and phylatelist, Shadan Toptani. According to Devolli, Toptani was a multitalented figure and one of the few specialists of his time in the field of architecture and scenography, who accomplished the scenography for the first Albanian ballet shows, even though everything started from zero. The director of The theatre of Opera and Ballet, Zhani Ciko, rated Toptani with the group of the artists that made the history of this institution. “Very little has been said about him, even though he belongs to the first generation of the artists ready to stand and work in Albania after the WWII”- said Ciko, while awarding a recognition certificate to his daughter, Najada, as a sign of gratitude on the 50th anniversary of the creation of the National Opera Theater with the accomplishment description: “One of the founders of the Theater, who contributed from the very creation of this institution" Shadan Toptani, grandson to the great poet, Naim Frashëri, was born on the 25th of September of 1903 in Constantinople, in the family of patriot Murat Toptani, sent to internment to Anadoll by Turkey for activity in the service of Albania. Returned to his country upon the proclamation of independance in 1912. In 1925 he earned the right to study architecture in the Fine Arts Academy in Brera of Milan followed by two years of specializing in scenography near this Academy, which was his great passion. His cooperation with the operas’ producers began after the liberation, where there were numerous scenography accomplishments such as; “Kujdesi i kotë” of Hertel in 1957 or the operas’ decor “Cavaleria Rusticana”, “The barber of Seville”, “Don Pasquale”, “Primavera” (“Spring”), “Palaçot” (“Pagliacci”), “ Peshkatarët e perlave” (Les pecheurs de perles), “Snowwhite” as well s the decor to the ballet performances of "Romeo & Juliet”, “Gurale”, “Fadeta” and “Laurencia”. His work as an architect is depicted in some of the projects of constructing the culture houses throughout the many towns of the country such as Përmet, Pogradec, Shkodër, Peshkopi, Tiranë, Bajram Curri. Toptani endured even the communist regime discrimination. It was the year of 1947 when he was arrested by this regime and sentenced to 5 years of incarceration as an intelectual with aristocratic origine, of which he only served 18 months. Upon release from prison, he started working as a postage stamp designer and designed 15 editions of Albanian postage stamps, with which represented the country in philately exhibitions abroad. Before starting to work for the Opera and Ballet Theater, Toptani decorated the fasades of the halls , bas relief and miscellaneaous decorations of the film studio “Shqipëria e Re”, the decor for “Skënderbeu” movie.
Exerpt by web site fokusi.com, “Cultural” section, October 10, 2003 – 17:21
Familja TOPTANI 