All is set for the first edition of the Valletta Baroque Festival being held between January 9 and 26 at the Manoel Theatre, the Palace, St John’s Co-Cathedral, the Jesuit Church and the Church of All Souls.
The festival will see some of Europe’s top baroque interpreters celebrating Valletta’s baroque identity with 15 performances.
Artistic director Kenneth Zammit Tabona said the festival was “an opportunity and a great challenge”. The performers at the festival were usually seen just on CD racks “so this is a gift to the Maltese people”.
He pointed out that there is a lack of awareness of what baroque is.
Looking around him as he spoke from St John’s Co-Cathedral he said “What you are seeing here will be translated into music.”
Mr Zammit Tabona likened living in Malta without a baroque festival to living in an orange grove without eating oranges.
He noted that in a bid to open up and promote the beauty of baroque music to more people, that the two Sundays in the programme were dedicated to free baroque events for all the family.
Tourism Minister Mario de Marco said that the idea to organise a baroque festival started in summer 2011 during the Summer Festival when it was pointed out that such a festival should not be a one-off.
He hoped that just like the jazz festival, this would become an annual event. The festival would also serve as a build-up to when Valletta become European Cultural Capital in 2018.
An international media campaign to promote the festival has been undertaken by the Malta Tourism Authority in the UK, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The festival programme follows
January 9
Malta Philharmonic Orchestra President’s Palace 7.30pm
(This first concert will be in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund)
January 10
Malta Philharmonic Orchestra President’s Palace 7.30pm
January 11
ZANAIDA by Opera Fuoco, Paris Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 12
La Sainte Folie Fantastique Church of All Souls 7.30pm
January 13
Toi Toi Baroque Bonanza Teatru Manoel 10.30am /2.30pm
The Goldberg Ensemble & The Anon Ensemble
Oratory of St John’s Co-Cathedral noon/3.30pm
January 14
The King’s Consort Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 15
Jeune Orchestre Atlantique Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 16
Cappella Sanctae Catherinae Church of All Souls 7.30pm
January 17
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment St John’s Co-Cathedral 7.30pm
January 18
New Century Baroque The Jesuits Church 7.30pm
January 19
Don Juan by Teatru Manoel Players Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 20
Toi Toi Baroque Bonanza Teatru Manoel 10.30am/2.pm
Wayne Marshall Organ Recital St John’s Co-Cathedral 3pm
Don Juan by Teatru Manoel Players Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 22
Malta Philharmonic Orchestra Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 23
Pimpinone
By Combattimento Consort Amsterdam Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 24
Combattimento Consort Amsterdam The Jesuits’ Church 7.30pms
January 25
Les Talens Lyriques Teatru Manoel 7.30pm
January 26
Grand Baroque Ball Teatru Manoel 9pm