TIRANA, May 7 – Nexhmije Pagarusha, one of the most iconic figures in Albanian music, was born 93 years ago in the village of Pagarusha in Malisheva of Kosova.
Her career lasted more than five decades and moved between folk and operatic music, shaped by a distinctive soprano voice. “Baresha” stands out as one of her most celebrated performances (The Shepherdess). Rifat Kukaj wrote the lyrics, while her husband Rexhep Mulliqi composed the music.
Pagarusha studied music in Belgrade and recorded more than 150 songs during her career. She also worked in film and acted in several productions, including “Tre vetë kapërcejnë malin” (Three People Cross the Mountain), “E kafshoja terrin” (I Bit the Darkness), and “Fluturimi i Micakut” (Micaku’s Flight), earning strong recognition from directors for her performances.
She performed in concerts across Kosova, Israel, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania. In 1984, she ended her active singing career. In 2012, the President of Albania awarded her the title “Honor of the Nation”.
She passed away at the age of 86 on 7 February 2020.
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