Victoria Regina

The Victoria International Arts Festival has, in the past few years, evolved into a major arts festival. Centred on the basilica of St George in the middle of Victoria the festival spans around five weeks from early June to mid-July. These days it manages to attract some of the very finest classical musicians in Europe to ply their trade in both the very beautiful basilica and the Aula Mgr Farrugia nearby.

And - although the festival includes art exhibitions, lectures and master classes - it is essentially a showcase for classical music. The event takes an enormous amount of organising and this is the work of Dr Maria Frendo, who somehow manages to assemble a programme of events with no weak links. The overall musical director of the VIAF is none other than Mro Joseph Vella, who seems to be joined at the hip to St George's.

Last year's line-up was particularly impressive, with foreign and local artists combining to turn out a varied and high quality festival.

One may be forgiven for thinking last year's programme a difficult one to follow; but a quick glance down this year's list of partcipants shows an exciting and eclectic mix of musical events. Possibly the high point of the whole shebang will be a grand concert scheduled for July 14, the last day of the VIAF. This will take place in St George's Basilica and be given by Malta's National Philharmonic Orchestra, plus the Laudate Pueri Choir under the direction of Mro Joseph Vella; with the additional appearance of virtuoso celebrity cellist Daniel Veiss.

Herr Veiss was born in Prague and received his musical education in Moscow, at the Moscow Conservatory . In 1976 he won the Prague Spring Competition and then went on to win the silver medal at the 1978 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. As a cello soloist he is much in demand and has performed with major orchestras in venues including the Avery Fisher Hall and the Carnegie Hall, both in New York, The Royal Albert Hall in London, and Orchard Hall in Tokyo. His extensive repertoire includes contemporary compositions. He has recorded works by Dvorak, Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens, and Shostakovich. In 1989, he became a guest-soloist of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He frequently gives master classes and serves on juries of international competitions.

Earlier in the festival on June 16 the audience will be in for a real treat, when Maltese-born classical guitarist Simon Schembri will give a recital in the Aula Mgr Farrugia.

Mr Schembri began guitar studies aged just six years and actually gave his first concert aged nine. A veritable torrent of international prizes and awards followed, including the highly prestigious Yehudi Menuhin gold award. Mr Schembri has lived in France for the past 20 years, from where he travels the globe giving concerts and recitals. He is indeed one of our very finest exports.

Among other highlights of the Victoria International Arts Festival are a vocal recital on June 20 by another stellar Maltese artist soprano Gillian Zammit, who will be accompanied by Rosetta DeBattista.

The Malta-based dancer and choreographer Alison White will oversee an evening of dance on June 27 al fresco in Independence Square, Victoria.

Among the many overseas musicians gracing the festival will be the English woodwind musicians that comprise the clarinet quartet Ensemble 4. They will give a concert in the Aula Mgr Farrugia on July 8.

The recorder is not an instrument heard very often these days. It is generally associated with music-making of a bygone era.

So it will make a pleasant change to hear a recital of music for this instrument, plus the harpsichord played by two talented Norwegian musicians: Linnea Sundfaer Haug, recorder and Lars Henrik Johansen, harpsichord. This will take place at the Aula Mgr Farrugia on July 6. Among other innovative and interesting musical evenings is a recital by Slovenian flautist Alenka Zupan who, together with guitarist Marko Feri, will occupy the Aula Mgr Farrugia on July 9.

This is just a taster of the many delights on offer at this year's Victoria International Arts Festival.