MUSIC

Christmas concert

A Christmas concert featuring the MUSEUM choir and Gozitan singers, under the direction of Antoine Theuma, is taking place at the Basilica of St Peter and St Paul, in Nadur, today, at 7pm.

The event will also feature a poetry recital, a short play and the traditional child’s Christmas sermon.

CHRISTMAS ATTRACTIONS

Christmas villages and more

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 open at 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.

For more information, click on the links above.

Cribs 

Nativity cribs of all kinds are on display in towns and villages all over Malta and Gozo. Below are some of them. For information about other cribs, visit the Facebook page Wirjiet ta' Presepji.

Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem

The 13th edition of the popular Nativity Village is open until January 8. Opening days: today, Christmas Day, from 4 to 7pm; tomorrow, from 2.30 to 7pm; December 27 from 4 to 7pm and on Friday, December 30, from 4 to 7pm.

It will then be open on New Year's Day from 3 to 7pm and on January 8, from 2.30 to 7pm for the re-enactment of the Adoration of the Magi.

For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.

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 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.

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.

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. 

VISUAL ARTS

Versatility

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.

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.

'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. Today, the gallery is open till noon. For more information, visit the gallery's Facebook page.

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.

whatson@timesofmalta.com