“Voices of Albania” Opens in Lecce with an Evening of Music, Dance and Mediterranean Cultures

On 13 July 2025 at 9:00 p.m., the outdoor area of the Parish of Saint John the Baptist, at 73 Via Novara in Lecce, will host “Lecce in Celebration”, the opening event of Voices of Albania, a cultural programme dedicated to the relationship between Albania and Salento within the Mediterranean Harmonies Festival.

Taking place over two evenings, on 13 and 20 July, Voices of Albania was created to tell and celebrate the story of the Albanian communities—both Arbëresh and Shqiptar—that have been part of Salento’s social and cultural fabric for centuries.

Around 300 Albanian families live in Lecce, preserving a living cultural memory that continues to shape the present and to be passed on to younger generations. The festival will give visibility to this heritage through music, dance, personal stories and shared cultural experiences.

The initiative has been developed in cooperation with ASAL Student, an organisation long committed to intercultural exchange and to strengthening relations between Albanian communities and the Salento area.

“Lecce in Celebration”: the opening event

The first evening will transform the outdoor space of the Parish of Saint John the Baptist, located in one of Lecce’s most vibrant and multicultural neighbourhoods, into an open-air stage.

“Lecce in Celebration” will offer a performance combining music and dance, bringing Albanian traditions into dialogue with the cultural expressions of Salento and the wider Mediterranean.

The Vatra Jonë Ensemble will take centre stage with a musical journey connecting Albania and Italy. Singer and dancer Meli Hajdëraj, known for her powerful and expressive voice, will perform alongside Fatbardh Capi on string instruments, Ekland Hasa on piano, keyboard and organ, and Salento percussionist Francesco De Donatis.

Together, they will create a refined fusion of traditional melodies, folk rhythms and contemporary sounds, building a musical bridge between the two shores of the Adriatic.

Dance between Albania, Salento and the Mediterranean

The choreography will be curated by Luigi Lanni, under the artistic direction of Irma Duka.

Alongside Meli Hajdëraj, dancers Irma Duka, Lavinia Mascialino and Luigi Lanni will perform Albanian dances, pizzica and taranta. These different traditions will interact through rhythm, movement and gesture, revealing the connections between distinct but closely related cultural identities.

The programme will also feature a belly dance performance by Lavinia Mascialino, adding another artistic influence that reflects the cultural diversity and multiple traditions of the Mediterranean.

The evening will conclude with the humour and creativity of Vlora-based parody performers Agron Hamo and Afrim Agalliu, who will offer an entertaining and insightful interpretation of contemporary Albanian culture.

The event will be hosted by Dorina Sulko, a voice connecting different languages, memories and shared identities.

The second event at the Teatini Cloister

Voices of Albania will continue on 20 July 2025 at 9:00 p.m. with “Between East and West: Albanian Culture in the Heart of Lecce”, held in the evocative setting of the Teatini Cloister.

The second evening will combine words, sounds, testimonies and visual narratives to explore the richness of Albanian culture, its relationship with memory and its role in contemporary society.

Together, the two events will highlight the complexity of a culture historically positioned between East and West, while deepening awareness of the connections between Albania, Arbëresh communities and Salento.

A festival turning Lecce into a Mediterranean bridge

Voices of Albania is one of the main events of Mediterranean Harmonies, the festival promoted by the Municipality of Lecce, with the scientific and organisational support of the Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage Agency and the contribution of TAP – Trans Adriatic Pipeline, Lead Supporter of the initiative.

From 4 to 20 July 2025, Mediterranean Harmonies will transform Lecce into an open space for voices, knowledge, perspectives and stories from different communities.

The city will reaffirm its Mediterranean identity as a place of encounter and exchange, connecting territories and cultures through art, memory and public participation.

Voices of Albania celebrates a community that preserves its language, traditions and history while actively contributing to the cultural and social life of Lecce. It invites the public to view the Mediterranean not as a border, but as a shared space of dialogue, creativity and human connection.

Event information

Event: Lecce in Celebration – Voices of Albania
Date: 13 July 2025
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Outdoor area of the Parish of Saint John the Baptist
Address: 73 Via Novara, Lecce
Part of: Mediterranean Harmonies Festival
In cooperation with: ASAL Student

Next event

Between East and West: Albanian Culture in the Heart of Lecce
20 July 2025 at 9:00 p.m.
Teatini Cloister, Lecce