MUSIC

Beland Music Festival

The four-day Beland Music Festival comes to a close today with a concert by BoyzLife, formed by two previous members of popular 1990s-2000s chart-toppers Boyzone and Westlife − Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden − who will perform some of these boy bands’ greatest hits. They will be supported by local band South Garden. Tickets are available here.

The event is taking place at the Beland Music Festival Arena in Market Square, Żejtun. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Rock’n’Roll Christmas

International retro band That’ll Be the Day will perform for the first time in Malta in two Christmas concerts at the Hilton Conference Centre in St Julian’s today and tomorrow.

The Rock’n’roll Christmas show combines all the favourite pop Christmas classics and traditional Christmas songs with hilarious comedy sketches and world-class impersonations.

The shows start at 8pm. For tickets, click here.

ARTS

Amora

Contemporary circus company Cirque du Soleil heart-pumping show enters its final week of performances.

The story centres around a clumsy but lovable character, Bruno, who, while gazing up to the skies of Valletta, sets eyes on a mysterious woman, Loulou. Captivated, he tries to climb up to her balcony to reach her… but she flies away and vanishes out of sight. He, thus, sets out on a quest to find her, meeting colourful new friends with extraordinary powers along the way.

Shows are taking place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta  until December 18. For tickets, visit showshappening.com. For more information, check cirquedusoleil/amora.

THEATRE

Bla Kondixin: All I Want For Christmas is Flus

The popular satirical show returns for more comic sketches and laughter at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali.

Taking part will be some of the most well-known, regular characters. Other guests who will be make an appearance include ALS Malta founder Bjorn Formosa.

The show is being held today and on Friday, December 16 and Saturday, December 17, at 8.30pm. For tickets, log on to showshappening.com.

Party ta’ Klassi − Kummiedja tal-Milied 

The Sezzjoni Żgħażagħ Palmiżi Birgu is staging a comedy today in Main Square, Vittoriosa, at 8pm.

The play, directed by David Rizzo, revolves around a woman who would like to think she’s from high society and organises a party on Christmas Eve. She invites high-ranking people, among them bankers, with the hope of financing a new business. However, things do not go as planned.

For tickets, visit www.showshappening.com. This project is part of the European Solidarity Corps, co-funded by the European Union.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Christmas in the Capital

Valletta is hosting a programme of Christmas-related activities until the end of December.

There are Christmas trees in Freedom Square, Republic Street and Merchants Street, Christmas lights in Republic and Merchants streets, an artistic light installation in South Street and a crib next to St John's Co-Cathedral.

The programme, organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency, includes various music and artistic performances throughout the coming weeks, and will culminate with the New Year's Eve concert in St George's Square on December 31.

For details of the programme, visit vca.gov.mt.

The Magical Illuminated Trail

Verdala Palace in Buskett is once again hosting the Magical Illuminated Trail, featuring new and bigger attractions, light Installations, projections and a new Christmas village. 

The magical after-dark adventure for all the family runs until January 7. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Malta Community Chest Fund.

For tickets, click here.

Other Christmas villages and attractions

Triton Square, in Valletta, is hosting Fairyland − Santa’s City, featuring favourite attractions such as Rudolph’s Wheel, an ice-skating rink and a Christmas market, as well as a World Cup Village. Santa’s City runs until January 6.

The Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta’ Qali is turning into Santa’s World Malta until January 1. Activities include an elf school and cinema, Santa’s House, live shows and entertainment by Danusan.

Other Christmas villages are taking place at the Artisan Village in Ta’ Qali (until December 24), the Salina National Park in St Paul's Bay (until Sunday, December 18), Popeye Village in Mellieħa (until January 8) and the Malta National Aquarium in Qawra (until January 8).

Times of Malta is holding a Christmas Market at Pjazza Tigné, Tigné Point, Sliema, until tomorrow, while a whole programme of activities is planned for the whole month at the Valletta Waterfront.

Cospicua has its own Christmas village, titled A Legend in the City, taking place today and tomorrow. A shuttle service will be available from 5pm to midnight to and from Garden Road, Żabbar, and Corradino Industrial Estate. Visit https://www.facebook.com/kulturabormla for more information.

Villa Rundle Gardens in Victoria is home to another market running until Sunday, December 18 and the Magro Brothers are hosting The Magro Christmas Family Fest at the Savina Artisan Centre, Xewkija, until the end of the month.

For more information, click on the links above.

Cribs 

Mechanical crib in Żejtun

The mechanical crib at the Jesus of Nazareth Institute in Żejtun, which has been operating since 1947, will be open to the public again this year from today until Janury 8 from 9.30am to noon and from 4.30 to 7pm. There will also be a bazaar in the adjacent hall during the same opening hours.

Mgr Bishop Emmanuel Galea had envisioned the creation of this crib, which was the first of its kind in Malta, while Paul Pavia handled the mechanical work. At present, Pavia's nephew Joseph, takes care of the crib's upkeep.

The clothes of the figurines (pasturi) were the handwork of the Sisters of the Missionary Congregation of Jesus of Nazareth of the time.

Għaqda Ħbieb tal-Presepju Malta exhibition

The Għaqda Ħbieb tal-Presepju Malta is holding its annual exhibition of cribs at Palazzo Ferreria (in front of Pjazza Teatru Rjal) in Valletta, until December 30. Opening hours are from 9.30am to 7pm. Entrance is free.

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MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS

The Biggest Little Motor Show

The Die Cast and Scale Model Society is exhibiting over 1,800 miniature motor die-cast vehicles in its annual exhibition at the main hall of Santa Venera Primary School within St Theresa College, Fleur-de-lys junction, Santa Venera.

These range from road cars, police cars, commercial and construction vehicles, vehicles from popular brands like Mercedes, Fords, Minis, Rolls Royce and Ferraris, movie cars from Batman and James Bond, vans, coaches and much more that vary in scales from1:64 till 1:16. There are also be some scratch-built models including the Maltese traditional buses.

Like in previous editions, the main attractions will be the authentic replica of Apron9 from the Malta International Airport, Malta’s unique Model circus among a variety of dioramas built by the exhibitors themselves.

The exhibition closes tomorrow. Opening hours today: from 9am to 8pm. Admission is free of charge. More information can be found on the society’s facebook page www.facebook.com/dcsms2001. 

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 VISUAL ARTS

Mediterranean Dreams Part 2

Following his exhibition titled Mediterranean Dreams, Kenneth Zammit Tabona presents the second chapter in his idyllic depictions of our country’s way of life.

The over 30 watercolour works are 'fuoridentros' in which gardens, pockets of landscapes, chapels, watchtowers and Montgolfiers are observed through open windows, thus bringing the outside in.

Mediterranean Dreams 2, curated by Charlene Vella, Mdina, is on display at Xara Palace in Mdina until December 22. Part of the proceeds from sales will be donated to Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

Consult the artist’s Facebook page for more information.

The Malta Photographic Society Annual Exhibition

The 57th edition of the National Competition and Exhibition of Photography, organised annually by the Malta Photographic Society, opens today at Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta, the seat of the Malta Society of Arts (MSA). 

This year 74 photographers submitted around 700 photos for the competition. From these, the jury chose more than 100 works that are being exhibited as printed and framed photographs, as well as over 110 digital photos to be displayed on a monitor. The jury was made up of eight experts in the field of photography. 

The competition honoured photographs in the four categories of colour prints, monochrome prints, colour projected images and monochrome projected images.

The exibition will be open until December 22; Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Entrance is free. Anyone who would like a guide should contact the MPS on info@mpsmalta.com. For more details about the exhibition visit www.artsmalta.org/events or www.facebook.com/maltasocietyofarts.

Nuances

An exhibition by Carmel Bonello and Peter Seychell is open at Gemelli Framing in Ta' Qali.

The title of the exhibition essentially defines a spectrum of inspirational sources, especially so when the whole enterprise is that between two artists who have an identifiable and very personalised style of expression.

Bonello is a veteran of the local art scene; with expressionism finding its way very earlier on into his oeuvre. He explores the world around him in full colour, black lines delineating the composition.

Seychell is a relative newcomer to the local art scene. However, his impressive intricate paintings have captured the attention of the art-loving public. 

Nuances runs until December 23. Consult this Facebook group for opening hours and more information.

Versatility

Veteran artist Joseph Barbara is exhibiting an array of his works, dating back to 2000, at the Wignacourt Museum in Rabat.

The artist is renowned for recycling plastic mineral bottles to construct sculptures that deliver an environmental message. This exhibition, however, also includes his paintings which range from ones that have a strong pop-art imagery, featuring mostly ballroom dancers, to others having an oriental theme and on to multi-thematic collages.

Versatility runs until December 28. The museum is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm, with last entry at 4.15pm.

Artsy Christmas

Christmas-related artworks and more by a number of artists are on show at the Art by the Seaside gallery in Senglea until the end of the month, following an extension.

The collective exhibition, as the name indicates, is linked to the Christmas season, having a wide range of hand-made arts, from candles, to jewellery to Christmas decorations and obviously wall hanging works.

Participating artists include Kevin Attard, Dave Calleja, David Debono, Rebecca Ranieri, Thomas Scerri and Kevin Sciberras, among many others.

Refer to the venue’s Facebook page for more information.

Don Heywood: Artist in Residence at the Phoenicia

Don Heywood, a distinguished British painter specialising in portraits and wildlife studies, is currently exhibiting at the Palm Court Lounge of the Phoenicia Hotel.

The artist is presenting paintings related to the seven important migratory birds that are found on the Maltese islands, these being the hawfinch, the goldfinch, the linnet, the greenfinch, the siskin, the serin and the chaffinch.

Also included in this exhibition are three large paintings of two endangered species of wild animals, the snow leopard and the polar bear.

The exhibition, curated by Louis Laganà, runs at Phoenicia Malta until January 1.

Art at the Corinthia Palace

The Corinthia Palace Hotel in Attard is hosting a collective exhibition of contemporary artworks by 13 local and international artists.

The paintings are from the Allura Art collection and range from landscapes and seascapes to florals and abstracts. They include new and previously unseen work.

The artists taking part are Andrew Borg, Christine Porter Lofaro, Jo Dounis, Kevin Sciberras, Debbie Bonello and Rosette Bonello from Malta and Christopher Saliba and Bob Cardona from Gozo. Foreign locals include British-Maltese painter Andrew Smith, Bulgarians Vania Goshe and Bogdan Dyulgerov, Natasha Dadush from Russia and Marianne Ogden from the US.

The exhibition runs until January 8. More information about the exhibition is available here.

100 years – Commemorating Frank Portelli’s Art and Life

A small retrospective exhibition dedicated to artist Frank Portelli, one of the pioneers of Maltese modernism, is on iat the Camerone, atMUŻA, Valletta, until January 8.

The oeuvre of Portelli, who was born 100 years ago, is at times very personal, like in his masterpiece La Vie, while at others he experiments with his version of cubism, which he termed as ‘crystallised cubism’. 

100 years – Commemorating Frank Portelli’s Art and Life is a collaboration between MUŻA (Heritage Malta) and Frank Portelli’s family.

Expressions

An exhibition by Rachel Galea at Il-Ħaġar - Heart of Gozo Museum features 31 of her latest works inspired by Gozo’s landscape. 

The exhibition runs until January 10. The museum is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Entrance is free.

For more information, click here.

Sights and sites

A new exhibition by Silvio John Camilleri at the King’s Own Band Club in Valletta investigates contemporary reality in which the ugliness of roads and pristine countryside have to co-exist as a dichotomy in Malta’s way of life.

Yet, the artist deciphers beauty even in the most inauspicious of locations, such as in the geometry of the road network and its juxtaposition with trees, streetlights and general urban elements.

Sights and Sites, curated by Fleur-Marie Ebejer, is on until January 11. Refer to the artist’s Facebook profile for more information.

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OTHER EXHIBITIONS

Sunetti: Minn Fomm u Qalb il-Poplu

Malta Libraries is holding an exhibition on Maltese sonnets at the National Library of Malta in Valletta.

It is open to the public, free of charge, until the end of December. One may visit between Monday and Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and on Saturdays from 8.30am to 12.30pm.

The exhibition catalogue and a sonnet written specifically for the occasion and printed on silk (limited edition of 100) are available for sale from the Reading Room.

Honor Frost’s Malta: A Pioneer in the Centre of the Mediterranean

An exhibition highlighting underwater archaeologist Honor Frost’s connection to Malta is open at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.

Besides honouring Frost’s considerable legacy, the exhibition aims to offer a snapshot of Frost’s work in Malta through illustrations, artefacts and even some of her diving equipment.

The exhibition runs until January 15. Entrance is free of charge. One may visit the museum daily from 9am to 4.30pm. 

[attach id="1262446" size="large" align="left" type="image"]A diving suit that belonged to Honor Frost on display at the Archaeology Museum. Photo: Heritage Malta[/attach]

whatson@timesofmalta.com