Despite the challenges of 2020, Teatru Manoel is abuzz with preparations for the next Valletta Baroque Festival. Yet, the 2021 edition is not just going ahead – it will support Malta’s artistic community as it embraces a new dawn in the face of adversity. Teatru Manoel CEO Massimo Zammit and artistic director Kenneth Zammit Tabona share their insights with Laura Bonnici.
Many breathed a sigh of relief at the close of 2020, a year synonymous with a global pandemic that has devastated people and industries the world over. Malta’s artistic and cultural community – like those in other countries – also felt its catastrophic effects, as the arts sector all but halted in its wake.
Today, Malta’s arts scene is in the process of regenerating, with the country’s artists overcoming the myriad challenges wrought by the pandemic to do what they do best: create. And Malta’s national theatre is channelling one of its most highly anticipated annual events to help them do it.
“It has been a challenging year for everyone, but now is the time to find hope through embracing the world of artistic creativity,” says Teatru Manoel CEO Massimo Zammit. “We are incredibly proud of those who have made this year’s Valletta Baroque Festival happen, who have adapted and innovated to counter tremendous adversity with unparalleled creativity. This is going to be an edition of the festival unlike any other – and it will pave the path forward for Malta’s cultural community.”
Established in 2013, the Valletta Baroque Festival is one of Malta’s largest and most popular music festivals, focusing on Baroque and early music. Previously, the festival programme featured concerts and operatic performances held in the various Baroque-era buildings across Valletta, but the restrictions of the pandemic mean that, this year, these will take place exclusively within the theatre.
“Hosting the festival within the Teatru Manoel ensures the safety of audiences through our stringent COVID-19 protocols. Sadly, we cannot make our usual voyages of discovery in delightfully ornate Baroque parish churches and other locations, but it is of paramount importance that our audiences are protected,” explains Teatru Manoel artistic director Kenneth Zammit Tabona. “The entire concept of having a festival at all this year has been a challenge, but our hallmark remains excellence at all levels and we have a beautiful programme lined up.”
The COVID-secure 2021 programme features performances from local and international artists including the Abchordis Ensemble, the Goldberg Ensemble, Andrea Buccarella, Teodoro Baù, Claire Debono, La Petite Écurie, Marvic Monreal, Luis Aguilar, Gjorgji Cincievski, Marco Mencoboni, Cantar Lontano, Gillian Zammit, the Valletta Baroque Ensemble and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.
“Joining our Malta-based artists and returning international Maltese artists are our friends from overseas playing specialised instruments such as the theorbo, viola da gamba or harpsichord, to create the proper Baroque sound,” continues Zammit Tabona. “Our foresight in establishing and investing in entities like the Valletta Baroque Ensemble and the Monteverdi Project has certainly paid off, particularly in these trying times. They have also enabled us to realise another two Baroque operas locally later this year: the world premiere of Maltese composer Gerolamo Abos’s 1747 Opera Pelopida and Henry Purcell’s mythological fantasy Dido and Aeneas. Their success will determine other unique projects, like staging the three surviving Monteverdi operas in future.”
And through the determination of local artists, backed by Teatru Manoel and the public, the 2021 Valletta Baroque Festival promises to be the first step towards that future, concludes Zammit Tabona. “When you realise that the width of the Manoel stage is the same as that of goalposts – a mere seven metres – you understand the remarkable impact this theatre has already had on Malta’s arts sector over nearly 300 years. Now, Teatru Manoel can do that again, supporting our local artists when they need it most. This year, the Valletta Baroque Festival will be as vibrant, diverse and iconic as it always has been – just like Teatru Manoel.”
For more information about the Valletta Baroque Festival and to book tickets, visit www.teatrumanoel.com.mt or www.vallettabaroquefestival.mt, call on +356 2124 6389 or email on bookings.mt@teatrumanoel.mt.