The Albanian Philharmonic, is established in 1950 part of which are the choir, the symphony orchestra, the opera singers, the ballet troupe, the conductor and a small group of administrative and technical employers. The Philharmonic developed its activity in the building where today is the National Theatre and later in 1953 was transferred to the building where today is the Academy of Fine Arts. The development of arts and culture in the country brought the necessity of creating the State Conservatory, the first vocational school that provides the largest musical institution in the country.
National Theatre of Opera and Ballet is placed on the building of the Palace of Culture in 1966, where even today continues his activity. National Theatre of Opera and Ballet is a temple of Albanian and International cultivated music. It is the only national institution of this kind that can be compared with the best theatres of Balkan and wider, in the artistic and quality level. It has produced generations of artists, who have made epoch in the Albanian and International stage.
The first performance is Opera “Rusalka” of Russian composer A.Ş. Dargomizhskij, dated on 27 November 1953. The first Albanian opera is operetta “Agimi” by Kristo Kono in 1955 and the first great Albanian Opera is Opera “Mrika” by Prenk Jakova staged in 1959. The first ballet performed from the ballet troupe of TKOB is “Futile Care” by Hertel 1953 and the first Albanian ballet is “Halili and Hajria” by Tish Daija in 1963.
TKOB is a repertory theater. This theater a has made a large number of Albanian and foreign works as: ballets “Halili and Hajria”, “Delina”, “Plaga e dhjetë e Gjergj Elez Alia”, “Migjeni”, “Gjenerali i Ushtrisë së Vdekur”, “Cuca e maleve”, “Lumi i vdekur”, etc., operas:” Mrika ” ” Lulja e Kujtimit”, “Skanderbeg “, “Një jetë në stuhi,” Borana “, “Jeta është ëndërr” etc.
Important titles of world literature as classical and modern ballets “Romeo and Juliet”, “Lola”, “Shehrezade”, “Coppelia”, “Nutcracker”, “Swan Lake”, “Carmen”, “Cinderella”, “Bajadera”, “Sylphide”, “La Stravaganza”, “Noces”, “Monger” etc. operas:”Madamma Butterfly”, “Carmen”, “Traviata”, “Aida”, “Faust”, “Turandot”, “Andrea Chenier”, “Rigoletto”, “Falstaff” “Salome”, “L’elesir d’amore” “Magic Flute”, “Tanhausser”, “Lucia di Lammermoor”, “Trovatore” etc.
In 2007 became part of this theatre the Folk Ensemble.
This theater has in its composition around 250 stable artists who are part of the Philharmonic Orchestra, Choir, Ballet Troupe, Folk Ensemble Troupe.
The Symphonic Orchestra has in its composition 50 instrumentalists and has performed in different concerts and stages with foreign and Albanian conductors, instrumentalists, singers and dancers getting positive reviews from personalities in the field.
Choir. The choral troupe has in it composition 40 artists. TKOB choir’s repertoire is rich with diverse Albanian and foreign performances. A valuable contribution to the development, progress and performance of this choral troupe gave the conductors: Kostandina Trako, Milto Vako, Rozmzri Jorganxhi and then Suzana Turku and Dritan Lumshi.
The ballet troupe has in its composition about 40 dancers. The first Balletmaster of this troupe were Georgij Perkun (Russia), Panajot Kanaçi (Artist of the People), Agron Aliaj (Artist of the People), Skender Selimi (Professor) etc. These major figures have given a very valuable contribution to the technical, artistic and professional formation and consolidation of this ballet troupe. TKOB ballet troupe has performed on the stage world ballet masterpieces of classical, modern, contemporary and Albanian music. They have been honored with different titles, awards, and medals from the Albanian state and beyond.
The Soloists lyric troupe is composed by 14 artists.
The popular ensemble is composed by 40 artists (dancers, singers, instrumentalists).It was created in 1957 with all artistic and technical elements of a genuine artistic troupe.
Its art activity lies in the processing, development and dissemination of folk Albania’s ancient and contemporary treasury, including a wealth of musical, instrumental and choreographic, from different area, creating a great harmony.
The National Theatre of Opera and Ballet has in it also some other departments, that of finance, promotion and image and the department of production.
Our theater has an artistic season with about 150 performances a year, concerts, opera, symphony with different repertoires, ballet, opera and chamber music concerts.
Remaining faithful to the history of theater, it follows a consolidated policy based on the Italian, French, German, American operatic repertoire, paying attention to the high artistic level and also the activation of new generations.