Qëndrim Rijani (english: Chendrim Rijani) is an Albanian director of theatre, film and opera. He has directed many plays, Albanian and foreign, that were performed in many countries in Europe and that have been honored with many awards in various festivals. His plays are characterised by his direct and rough style. He is also the director of the first opera in the Albanian language in North Macedonia. His work has earned him sixteen personal awards, including Director of the Year in both Albania and North Macedonia, and Artist of the Year from the Presidential Office of Republic of North Macedonia.
Early life Qëndrim Rijani was born on 30 March 1990 in Kichevo, North Macedonia. He attended elementary and high school in his hometown. He got a theatre director degree in the University of Arts, Tirana. In this same university, he got his master's degree in Spectacle and Theatre Directing with his thesis called: "Kiçi dhe kthetrat e tij".
He has directed many successful Albanian and foreign plays that have been produced in Albania, North Macedonia Kosovo and Croatia.These plays have also been performed at theatrical festivals in several countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria. Qëndrim Rijani brought to the audience the play “Xhelatët” (Hangmen), the opera “Skënderbeu” (Scanderbeg), the play "Артуро Уи" (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui),the play "Tri Motrat"(Three Sisters (play), the play "Makbethi" (The Tragedie of Macbeth) , the play "На дното" (The Lower Depths) , the play "Julije Cezar" (The Tragedy of Julius Caesar) , the play Otello (Othello). To this day, he has directed 29 plays in professional national and city theatres, one opera and three documentary films:
“Ne vijmë për Ajër” (based on - Catastrophic Love Puzzles in Outer Space) - Scott O'Moore “Kapitulli i Dytë” (Chapter Two) - Neil Simon “Gjymtimi” (based on - A Behanding in Spokane) - Martin McDonagh “Doktor Shuster” (Doktor Šuster / Doctor Shoemaker) - Dušan Kovačević “Art” - Yasmina Reza “Gënjeshtër Pas Gënjeshtre” (The Lying Kind) - Anthony Neilson “Ushtria e Ui Tomasit” (based on - The Lieutenant of Inishmore) - Martin McDonagh “Shtëpia e Bernarda Albës” (The House of Bernarda Alba) - Federico Garcia Lorca “Darka e Thërrimeve” (Dinner of crumbs) - Refet Abazi “39 Hapat” (based on- The 39 Steps) - Alfred Hitchcock “Gratë” (based on- Huit femmes / Eight Women) - Robert Thomas “Roberto Xuko” (Roberto Zucco) - Bernard-Marie Koltès “Në Det” (Na pełnym morzu / Out at Sea) - Sławomir Mrożek "Jashtë Bie Borë" (...e fuori nevica! / And It's Snowing Outside) - Vincenzo Salemme "Xhelatët (Hangmen)" - Martin McDonagh "Opera për tre grosh" (The Threepenny Opera) - Bertolt Brecht "Plus 18" (based on Edmond) - David Mamet & Arian Krasniqi " Të Xhindosurit" (based on - Twelve Angry Men) - Reginald Rose "Fishkëllimë në Errësirë" (A Whistle in the Dark) - Tom Murphy "Tregtari i Venedikut" (The Merchant of Venice ) -William Shakespeare "Артуро Уи / Arturo Ui" (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui) -Bertold Brecht "Tri Motrat"(Three Sisters (play) -Anton Chekhov "Жени во собрание" (based on - Assemblywomen) -Aristophanes & Biljana Krajchevska "Tartufi" (Tartuffe)-Molière "На дното" (The Lower Depths) - Maxim Gorky "Makbethi" (The Tragedie of Macbeth) - William Shakespeare "Körler" (based on The Blind) - Maurice Maeterlinck & In the Name of Identity -Amin Maalouf "Julije Cezar" (The Tragedy of Julius Caesar) - William Shakespeare "Otello" (Othello) - William Shakespeare
Opera The opera “Skënderbeu” (Scanderbeg) is one of the most important works of Qëndrim Rijani as a director, on which he worked with the composer Fatos Lumani and the librettist Arian Krasniqi. This opera is the first Albanian opera in North Macedonia. This historical opera premiered at the national theater of the Macedonian Opera and Ballet on 23 December 2019.
Filmography +YearDocumentaryScriptDirectorFestivalsAwardsRef.2017"Kokën Mbrapa" Qëndrim RijaniQëndrim Rijani//2021"Në mundsh"Based on "Kronikë në gurë" - Ismail KadareQëndrim Rijani//2025"Promised land" Venko AndonoskiQëndrim Rijani42
Awards These performances have received over seventy prizes. Through them, he has earned sixteen personal awards as a director, including awards such as "Director of the Year" in Albania, "Director of the Year" in North Macedonia, the "Performance of the Year" award in Kosovo, the "Vojdan Chernodrinski" award for the best direction (won twice, in 2022 and 2025), the "Moisiu" award for the best direction and the best performance. Additionally, he was named the "Artist of the Year" by the Presidential Office of Republic of North Macedonia".
YearTitleAuthorInstitutionCity/CountryFestivalsAwardsRef.2013"Ne vijmë për Ajër" Based on -Catastrophic Love Puzzles in Outer SpaceScott O. MooreNational theaterTirana / AL112013"Kapitulli i Dytë" (Chapter Two)Neil SimonAndon Zako Çajupi TheaterKorcha (Korçë) / AL552014"Gjymtimi" Based on-A Behanding in SpokaneMartin McDonaghNational Albanian TheaterSkopje / RNM662015"Doktor Shuster" (Doktor Šuster / Doctor Shoemaker)Dušan KovačevićAndon Zako Cajupi TheaterKorcha (Korçë) / AL8102015"Art"Yasmina RezaNational Theater of TetovoTetovo / RNM312015"Gënjeshtër Pas Gënjeshtre" (The Lying Kind)Anthony NeilsonNational Experimental Theater Tirana / AL--2016"Ushtria e Ui Tomasit" Based on-The Lieutenant of InishmoreMartin McDonaghNational Theater of TetovoTetovo / RNM1 - Alt URL2016"Shtëpia e Bernarda Albës" (The House of Bernarda Alba)Federico Garcia LorcaAndon Zako Cajupi TheaterKorcha (Korçë) / AL1 -2016"Darka e Thërrimeve" (Dinner of crumbs)Refet AbaziNational Albanian theaterSkopje / RNM342017"39 Hapat" Based on- The 39 StepsAlfred HitchcockMetropol TheaterTirana / AL132017"Gratë" Based on-Huit femmes / Eight WomenRobert ThomasNational Albanian TheaterSkopje / RNM7162018"Roberto Xuko" (Roberto Zucco)Bernard-Marie KoltèsBekim Fehmiu TheaterPrizen / RKS1 -2018"Në Det" (Na pełnym morzu / Out at Sea)Sławomir MrożekNational Albanian TheaterKumanovo / RNM1 -2018"Jashtë Bie Borë" (...e fuori nevica! / And It's Snowing Outside)Vincenzo SalemmeNational Theater of TetovoTetovo / RNM 7 42019"Xhelatët" (Hangmen)Martin McDonaghNational theaterTirana / AL - -2019"Skënderbeu" (The Opera Scanderbeg)Librettist:Arian Krasniqi Composer: Fatos LumaniNacional Macedonian Opera and Ballet TheaterSkopje / RNM - -2020"Opera për tre grosh" (The Threepenny Opera)Bertolt BrechtNacional Theater of TetovoTetovo / RNM - -2021"Plus 18" Based on EdmondDavid Mamet & Arian KrasniqiTheater Hadi ShehuGjakovë / RKS222021 "Të Xhindosurit" Based on- Twelve Angry MenReginald RoseNational Theater of GostivarGostivar / RNM112021"Fishkëllimë në Errësirë" (A Whistle in the Dark)Tom MurphyNational theaterKumanovo / RNM - -2022"Tregtari i Venedikut" (The Merchant of Venice )William ShakespeareAndon Zako Cajupi TheaterKorcha (Korçë) / AL322022"Артуро Уи" (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)Bertolt BrechtNational Theater of BitolaBitola / RNM152022"Tri Motrat" (Three Sisters (play)Anton ChekhovNational Albanian Theater Skopje / RNM132023"Жени во собрание" Based on-AssemblywomenAristophanes & Biljana KrajchevskaNational Theater of ComedySkopje / RNM212023"Tartufi "(Tartuffe)MolièreTheater of GjilanGjilan / RKS 1 52024"На дното" (The Lower Depths)Maxim GorkyNational Theater of BitolaBitola / RNM 1 12024"Makbethi "(The Tragedie of Macbeth)William ShakespeareNational Theater of KosovaPristina / RKS - -2024"Körler" based on The Blind & In the Name of IdentityMaurice Maeterlinck & Amin MaaloufNational Turkish Theater Skopje / RNM 6 42025Julije Cezar (The Tragedy of Julius Caesar)William ShakespeareHrvatsko narodno kazalište Split -Splitsko Ljeto / Croatian National Theater Split - Split Summer FestivalSplit / HR 1 12026Otello (Othello)William ShakespeareNational Theater of AlbaniaTirana / AL - -
Personal Awards Besides the awards won by plays in festival, Qëndrim Rijani has also received these yearly awards for his work as a theater director: +YearAwardPresented by2015Achievement of the Year in Stage Arts Milingona e artë 2016Director of the Year Akademia Kult 2021Play of the YearMinistry of Culture of the Republic of Kosovo 2022Vojdan ChernodrinskiTheater Festival "Vojdan Chernodrinski" 2022MoisiuTheater Festival "Aleksandër Moisiu" 2022Artist of the YearPresidential Office of the Republic of North Macedonia 2025Vojdan ChernodrinskiTheater Festival "Vojdan Chernodrinski"
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