THEATRE
Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto
After a two-year absence, Masquerade Malta’s panto returns to the Manoel Theatre with Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto, written by Malcolm Galea and directed by Anthony Bezzina.
The Masquerade Malta production tells the story of young Ċikku, a penniless young man who lives with his mother in a giant bajtra. Luckily, his fortunes change when he finds a coveted golden ticket to visit Willy Wonder’s famous Chocolate Panto along with a group of other winners.
Galea also stars as Dame Desserta.
Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto opens today and closes on January 8. For more information and tickets, visit teatrumanoel. com.mt.
Pentow bil-Malti: Addams Femili
Kumpanija Teatru Rjal is presenting its new panto in Maltese at the Catholic Institute, in Floriana from today to January 8.
Written by Rodney Gauci, this year’s show is inspired by the popular and macabre characters of the Addams Family.
For more information, visit the Facebook page of Kumpanija Teatru Rjal. For tickets, log on to https://bit.ly/3CKI7hf.
Leah Mifsud as Wednesday in Addams Femili. Photo: FacebookThe Leone Grand Christmas Variety
The Leone Philharmonic Society, under the direction of Colin Attard, will today present a variety show for all the family at the Aurora Theatre, Victoria.
Inspired by the Royal Variety Performance, the event features the theatre’s junior chorus, singers, classical and contemporary dancers, acrobats and stand-up comedians.
The show starts at 8pm. For tickets, visit https://teatruaurora.com/.
Kwijns
Spazju Kreattiv is producing a Maltese-style drag show. Written by Simon Bartolo and directed by Ray Calleja, the cast features Peter Carbonaro, Nicky Gambin, Aiden Abela, Antoine Cauchi and Nick Ebejer, among others.
The show, certified 15+, is being staged today and on December 29 and 30. For tickets, log on to kreattivita.org.
A scene from Kwijns. Photo: Facebook/Spazju KreattivMUSIC
Mdina Christmas Carol Trail
The public is invited to explore Mdina during a two-hour music trail along some of the city’s famous landmarks today between 10am and noon. There will be carol singing in both Maltese and English.
The event is organised by the Mdina Cathedral Archives in collaboration with Music Hub. For more information, visit the Facebook page of the Malta Metropolitan Chapter.
CHRISTMAS EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS
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.
Lights illuminating Republic Street, Valletta, this festive season. Photo: Jonathan BorgThe 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 has turned 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 tomorrow, December 24), Popeye Village in Mellieħa (until January 8) and the Malta National Aquarium in Qawra (until January 8).
A jam-packed programme of activities is planned for the whole month at the Valletta Waterfront, and the Christmas Village Malta runs at the Ta' Xbiex Marina until January 6.
Christmas Under the Bridge in Labour Road, Marsa, closes today. For tickets, click here.
In Gozo, 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.
Skaters enjoying the ice-skating rink at Fairyland − Santa’s City. Photo: Visit MaltaCribs
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 until January 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.
Il-Qala tissaħħar bil-presepji
A crib exhibition is being held at the Qala parish centre until January 8. It is open Monday to Saturday from 5 to 7pm and on Sundays and public holidays from 10am to noon and from 5 to 9pm. On Boxing Day, doors will be open from 10am to 9pm.
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. Today, however, the exhibition will be closed in the afternoon. Entrance is free.
Għaqda Ħbieb tal-Presepju Għawdex-Malta 1985 exhibitions in Victoria
The Għaqda Ħbieb tal-Presepju Għawdex-Malta 1985 is holding two exhibitions for Christmas – a crib exhibition, mainly by children, at the Gozo Ministry in Victoria, until January 6 and a crib display by Gozitan and Maltese artists at St Augustine’s convent, also in Victoria, until January 8.
Crib exhibition in Birkirkara
The St Joseph the Worker Exhibitions Society is once again organising its annual cribs exhibition at the St Joseph the Worker parish centre, no. 71, Bwieraq Street, Birkirkara.
More than 100 cribs, of various sizes and materials, are on display, together with other items relating to the Christmas period, such as statuettes of Baby Jesus, pictures and decorations.
The exhibition is open every day between until December 28 from 9am till noon and from 4pm till 8pm. Entrance is free. For more information, visit the society’s website and Facebook page.
Cribs and more at Mosta cultural centre
The Razzett tal-Markiż Mallia Tabone is hosting the 24th edition of its Christmas exhibition, featuring various cribs and other Christmas-related artworks until January 1. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 5.30 to 8.30pm and Saturday and Sunday also from 9.30am to noon. Entrance is free.
A detail of a crib at the Mosta cultural centre. Photo: Facebook/Razzett tal-MarkiżVISUAL ARTS
Nuances
An exhibition by Carmel Bonello and Peter Seychell at Gemelli Framing in Ta' Qali closes today.
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.
Consult this Facebook group for opening hours and more information.
Sunrise in Bucha by Peter SeychellVersatility
Veteran artist Joseph Barbara is exhibiting an array of his works, dating back to 2000, at 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.
White Dog and Crescent by Bob Cardona100 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 at the Camerone, MUŻA, 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.
Today, the museum is open till noon.
'The tree is saying things, in words before words'
Catherine Cavallo, a contemporary painter who lives and works in Malta, is presenting her latest collection at Il-Kamra ta' Fuq in Mqabba.
Her work is rooted in observations of the everyday, and looks to both the pockets of serenity and the upheavals that life presents for her inspiration. This is evident in her evocative figure compositions which are influenced both by daily life and by current world situations.
The exhibition runs until January 8. For more information and opening hours, visit the gallery's Facebook page.
Works by Catherine Cavallo on display at Il-Kamra ta' Fuq in Mqabba. Photo: Facebook/Il-Kamra ta' FuqI Landed. Malta
Spazju Kreattiv and the Marlands Project have collaborated on a new exhibition featuring works by French artists Edgar Sarin, Lucy Orta and Max Fouchy and Maltese counterpart Sheldon Saliba.
Guest artist Sarin explored the island during his art residency in Malta as part of the Marlands project. His immersive, multilayered art project is the result of productive dialogues with islanders specialising in craft, culture and science.
During this exhibition, one can also take a trip to other Mediterranean islands through the artists’ work: Orta will take visitors to the Balearic Islands, and Max Fouchy to Sicily.
I Landed. Malta is curated by Elena Posokhova and Vince Briffa.
After the exhibition closes on January 8, it will move on to Catania, Sicily; Palma, Mallorca; Nicosia, Cyprus and Mallorca, Spain. For more information, click here.
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.
Towards Golden Bay No. 2 by Silvio John CamilleriExperiments in Entropy
The second law of thermodynamics states that as energy is transformed, it incrementally dissipates and tends towards loss, decay and waste. This is the process of entropy; a process of mutual construction and demolition. It applies to societies and to systems, as it does to the natural environment, and has generated curiosity since its peak in art production in the 1960s.
Ten architects, who collectively started architecture school a decade ago, have been asked to investigate trajectories of this narrative in their daily grind and the result is on show at the Valletta Contemporary in Valletta until December 24 and from January 11 to February 18. It is curated by Andrew Borg Wirth.
Look up the Valletta Contemporary Facebook page for more information.
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.
Exhibits at the National Library of Malta. Photo: Malta LibrariesDumnikani fil-Palazz: Home & Temple
An exhibition at the Inquisitor's Palace in Vittoriosa tells of the special relationship between the palace and the neighbouring Dominican Order, especially in the post-war years.
Enemy war bombing in 1941 had left the Dominican community without a convent and a church, and they found temporary refuge beyond Vittoriosa. But they were called back by the need to fulfil their spiritual and educational mission among their people.
Eighty years ago, in August 1942, the Dominicans asked for temporary shelter at the Inquisitor’s Palace and, for almost two decades, the palace became the community’s home and temple.
The exhibition runs until January 8. The Inquisitor's Palace is today open till noon.
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. Today the museum will be open till noon.
She Said Darling with a 'K': Reimagining Katya Saunders
Spazju Kreattiv is dedicating an exhibition to the life of Katya Saunders, three years after her death.
The exhibition, which features a catalogue of photos, clothes and memorabilia, highlights the different facets of one of the first transgender women who broke boundaries in terms of sexual diversity and inclusion in Malta.
The exhibition, curated by Charlie Cauchi and Romeo Roxman Gatt, is also complemented by the launch of Saunders's official biography, penned by Ramona Depares, Kayta: Easy on the Tonic, which will take place on January 6.
The exhibition runs until January 22.
A photo of Katya Saunders on display at Spazju Kreattiv. Photo: Facebook/Spazju Kreattiv