THEATRE
Jack and the Beanstalk: A Rock’n’Roll Panto
FM Theatre Productions is putting on a panto for the first time in Gozo.
A cast of actor-musicians will perform on stage with live instruments throughout the evening while Edward Mercieca will play the role of Dame Fażola Bigilla.
The panto is being staged at the Astra Theatre, in Victoria, from today to Friday, December 30. For more information and tickets, visit www.tnd.com.mt.
Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto
After a two-year absence, Masquerade Malta’s panto is back at 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 closes on January 8. For more information and tickets, visit teatrumanoel. com.mt.
The cast of Ċikku and the Chocolate Panto. Photo: Justin MamoPentow bil-Malti: Addams Femili
Kumpanija Teatru Rjal is presenting its new panto in Maltese at the Catholic Institute, in Floriana, until January 8.
Written by Rodney Gauci, this year’s show is inspired by the popular and macabre, fictional 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.
The cast of the Addams Femili during a parade in Valletta. Photo: Facebook/Kumpanija Teatru RjalThe Comedy Knights: Ten Years of Laughter
The Comedy Knights are back for their 10th anniversary show at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta Msida Campus, from today until January 7. Actor Alan Montanaro is joining this year’s cast.
Tickets are available from ticketline.com.mt.
The cast of The Comedy Knights: Ten Years of Laughter.MUSIC
Carols Matinée
The Mdina Metropolitan Chapter is today hosting an event across two venues: the Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral, where different musical ensembles will be performing in front of the Neapolitan crib from 2 to 4pm (this will be the last exhibition of the Neapolitan crib at the cathedral) and at the Cathedral Museum foyer, which will host a bake sale, with all proceeds going in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.
Today, the public may also visit the Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral for free and the Cathedral Museum at a discounted price of €5.
For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
CHRISTMAS ATTRACTIONS
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.
Illuminated structures at the Magical Illuminated Trail. Photo: Facebook/Illuminated Trail MaltaChristmas 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. 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.
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.
Children playing at Santa's World Malta at the MFCC in Ta' Qali. Photo: Facebook/Santa's World 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 is also a bazaar in the adjacent hall during the same opening hours.
Il-Qala tissaħħar bil-presepji
A crib exhibition is being held at the Qala parish centre until January 8. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 5 to 7pm and on Sundays and public holidays from 10am to noon and from 5 to 9pm. Today, 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 Friday, December 30. Opening hours are from 9.30am to 7pm. 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.
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 Sunday, 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 until Wednesday, 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.
Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem
The 13th edition of the popular Nativity Village is open until January 8. Opening days: today from 2.30 to 7pm; tomorrow 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.
A re-enactor at Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem. Photo: FacebookVISUAL 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 Wednesday, December 28. The museum is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm, with last entry at 4.15pm.
Biblical Inspirations
Anthony Calleja is showing a series of his latest works at art..e Gallery in Victoria.
As the title suggests, Calleja draws his inspiration from biblical texts, which he then recontextualises the narrative in his own distictive style. In other paintings, Calleja makes references to significant events that shaped or impacted on his personal life.
Some of the works construe parallels with the artist’s religious altarpieces that are to be found around Malta. At the same time, Calleja challenges himself and constantly experiments with different forms of compositions, as well as an array of media and techniques.
The exhibition runs until Friday, December 30. For more information, visit the gallery’s Facebook page.
An untitled artwork by Anthony CallejaArtsy 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.
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 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.
La Vie by Frank PortelliDon 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.
Cospicua Skyline by Kevin Sciberras'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, 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.
Works by Rachel Galea on display at Il-Ħaġar Museum. Photo: Facebook/Il-ĦaġarSights 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.
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.
Texts on display at the National Library in Valletta. Photo: Facebook/Malta LibrariesHonor 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. It will be closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.