Renowned Albanian actress Margarita Xhepa, an icon of theater and cinema, has passed away at the age of 91. Her death leaves a significant void in Albanian culture.
Margarita Xhepa was born on April 2, 1934, and during her extraordinary career, which spanned over 180 roles, she became one of the most beloved and respected figures in Albanian art. She played 150 roles in theater and 32 in films, and was consistently recognized as one of the “Great Ladies” of the Albanian stage and screen.
In 2003, Xhepa was honored with the title “Honor of the Nation,” an acknowledgment of her exceptional contribution to art and culture. She also held the title “People’s Artist” and had a profound impact on every generation that followed her work.
Besides her success with numerous works by Albanian playwrights, Margarita Xhepa also achieved acclaim in roles from world dramaturgy, such as Ophelia in “Hamlet,” the second daughter in “King Lear,” the nurse in “Romeo and Juliet,” Queen Margaret in “Richard III,” Lady Milford in the drama “Intrigue and Love” (F. Schiller), Mela in the drama “The Morality of Mrs. Dulska” (G. Zapolska), Dafina in the dramatization of the novel “The Dead River” (J. Xoxa), and the mother in the staging of Kadare’s novel, “Who Brought Doruntina” etc.
In 2007, she was awarded the “Career Award” for her role as Nadezhda in Chekhov’s monodrama “The Swan Song.”
Alongside theater, Xhepa appeared on the film screen in a diverse gallery of 32 roles. Some of the characters she masterfully portrayed include Zyraka in “The Early Years” (1965), Shano in “The Last Winter” (1976), the pianist in “Concert in 1936” (1978), and Lena in “Bloody Land” (1976).
In a career spanning over 7 decades, Margarita Xhepa remained always faithful to her passion for theater and film, becoming an example for new generations of artists.
