Marie Logoreci

Early life

Marie was born in Shkodër, Albania. Her father, Palok Çurçija, was a craftsman and her mother, Roza, was a housewife. Marie was very early introduced to home financial difficulties and to social dramas of the time also reflected in her family as well. Since her childhood Marie was called with the lulling nickname Tush. She was a good child, chubby and very friendly with her peers. Tush was growing up and soon was enrolled at Stigmatine Sisters School of Shkodër, a girls school where religious classes were part of the school program.

Later on Marie Logoreci joined the gymnasium. She was gifted at drawing and singing. During her singing she started to accompany herself a mandolin or a guitar. She seemed to have liked much less math and religious teachings. 20 drawings have survived from her; they are witness of a mild and delicate spirit by showing a fine capture of the object, an observant eye, and a harmony in colors and precision. She also learned Italian and Montenegrin as a child.

What mostly traced her soul were the popular narrations, legends and epic songs of the Northern Albania that she heard in the family. Her knowledge of the Albanian folklore and ethnography was soon to be her new passion.

When Maria was 17 she moved permanently to Tirana: there she got married with Kol Logoreci, an economist who then had just comme back from his studies in Vienna. There he also had attended, for almost five years with the Friends of Music, lessons on violin. Kol had an excellent career as the Chief of State Budget Department. He was also a recipient of the high title then Knight of Scanderbeg Order. Kol was the son of Mati Logoreci himself a very distinguished teacher and linguist, a man of social reputation at his time. He was a descendant of Logoreci family, whose name dates from the years 1300 with the name Logoreseos.

Singer at Radio Tirana

Marie's artistic life began as a singer for Radio Tirana in 1945 where she sang solo. She sang directly on the microphone folk songs of Shkodër and of Middle Albania, partisan tunes as well. Meanwhile, she attended a one-year study of canto at Tirana artistic liceum under the guidance of Jorgjie Truja, People's Artist of Albania. Marie also made her appearance in various concerts in Tirana. She has sung around 100 different songs in Radio Tirana during the 1945–1947 years.

Stage Acting

In 1947 she was a leading singer with the National Chorus giving tour concerts in Albania and abroad. That same year she was offered to playi dramas as a lead actress in the National Theater of Albania.

As a stage actress she's filled a vast gallery of unforgettable characters as in the way she acted them out masterfully, the way she expressed and manifested them. The range of her leading roles is wide enough to comprise characters of quite opponent with one another in mould and psychology. Her professional performing reached emotional borders swinging from bright sides of human psyche to the darkest features of it. She will be unforgettable in the following parts:

Marie Logoreci has performed in 40 stage dramas. All her performances of Shakespeare's, of Molière's, of Lorca's, or Gorky's dramas, as well as them of the Albanian authors—Kole Jakova, Ndreke Luca etc.—demonstrated her particular artistic abilities, and all outlined her portrait as an artist of individuality, and reflects harmony between her acting and her external plastics. She had managed to have a clear knowledge of the acoustics; she'd achieved such a virtuosity in her actions bridging the distance between her and the audience. Her dynamics and her temperament had marked her voice with a high key of intonation which was suggestive in her stage performances.

Marie's long career as an actress brought her the interest to try directing. As a stage director she has also made an important contribution.

Movie Actress

Marie was one of the pioneers of the Albanian movies. She had a role in the very first Albanian movie, a short feature of about 12 minutes long, produced by the Albanian Film Studio and Albanian Television. Marie's roles in films manifest their particularity and have their value in the history of the Albanian cinematography. The first important film she acted in was Skanderbeg. The most unforgettable role played by her in a movie is that of "Loke" in "Toka Jone" (Our Land).

Her art

Marie remained a great stage actress. She shaped her art by observing life carefully. She accumulated enough experience so she could input it later in her performances. In front of the spectators she created in stage the human soul, pain, protest, revolt, hate, cynicism, hypocrisy, and cunning; she offered them the magic of the play, what the real art can invoke. Her artistic lingo was expressive; her stage gestures demanded and were applied with masterly affection, and Marie gave life to all those performances signing up her individuality and personal stature in art.

Marie Logoreci survived in art lovers' memories as a candid, simple and sincere human being, a woman of a great knowledge and art mastery. At the same time she is remembered by many young artists as someone extremely pleasant to talk to with or to get advice from.

Drama

Most known: