Prenkë Jakova

Who was Prenkë Jakova?

Prenkë Jakova was a well known Albanian composer, musician, and author of Mrika, which premiered in 1958 and is popularly considered the first Albanian opera. A native of Shkodër, he studied under Martin Gjoka and Zef Kurti, and he was also an alumnus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. A virtuoso clarinetist he worked as a music teacher for most of his life and distinguished himself as the mentor of the four most important composers of classical music from northern Albania: Çesk Zadeja Tish Daija, Tonin Harapi, and Simon Gjoni. Jakova was the director of the music band and of the House of Culture of Shkodër. Besides Mrika, Jakova also composed Skënderbeu, another opera which premiered in 1968.

Along the operas Jakova left to posterity many songs and other musical pieces, several of which are commonly believed to be Albanian folk music, rather they are Jakova's compositions. He was imprisoned by the Albanian communist regime for his brother's political opposition to it and was demanded to work more than he could bear. Despaired and stressed from the excessive demands on his work, he killed himself in 1969. His legacy is that of one of the most important Albanian composers of all times.