MUSIC

The Planets

The MPO, under the baton of resident conductor Sergey Smbatyan, is officially opening its 2022-23 concert season today with Gustav Holst’s masterpiece, The Planets, Op. 32.

The epic orchestral suite was described as “a series of mood pictures” by the composer, with the musical traits capturing the character of each planet allegedly inspired by eminent astrologer Alan Leo. 

The concert is being held at the Hilton Malta Conference Centre, St Julian’s, at 8pm. For tickets, click here.

FunFestik

A three-day music festival in aid of Puttinu Cares, being held at Ġnien l-Istazzjon, Birkirkara, continues today.

After Versatile Brass and DJ Nate, Airport Impressions and DJ and producer Mizak will entertain the crowd tonight, while the Mark Spiteri Lucas Band and Ziggy will take to the stage tomorrow.

Singers Chiara, Drakard, Glen Vella, Martina Borg, XONA, Enya Magri, Jade Vella, Jasmine Abela and Ozzy Lino are also performing throughout the weekend.

Doors open at 7pm. There are food and drinks stalls and entrance is free.

Venti Music Fest

A free concert featuring The Travellers, The Busker and Kevin Paul and Band is taking place in Qormi tonight.

The event, happening at the Grandmaster’s Lodge in Triq il-Granmastru, kicks off at 8pm. For more information, look up the event’s Facebook page.

Rhythms of Vision

After their international debut at the Oxford Festival of the Arts in June, the WOW duo, made up of internationally acclaimed percussionist Beibei Wang and Maltese pianist Tricia Dawn Williams, will today present their debut concert in Malta at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta.

Among others, they will play works by Christopher Muscat, Ruben Zahra, John Psathas, Giannis Papkrasas and Emmanuel Sejourne.

Two new commissions by video artists Patrick Fenech and Nicole Pace will give an interdisciplinary dimension to the live performance.

Tickets for the concert, which starts at 8pm, may be bought here. The concert is part of the Modern Music Days programme organised by the Malta Association for Contemporary Music and supported by Arts Council Malta.

THEATRE

Hakuna Matata

The Manoel Theatre’s learning and participation programme, Toi Toi, is today kicking off the new season with a singalong show to introduce children to the theatre in a family friendly environment.

The event is being held at the Manoel at 8pm. For tickets, log on to www.teatrumanoel.com.mt.

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DANCE

Moveo Double Bill

Moveo Dance Company is presenting a double bill show this weekend, with choreographies by Klevis Elmazaj from Albania and Otis-Cameron Carr from the UK.

The event, supported by Arts Council Malta and the Alliance Française de Malte, is taking place until tomorrow at the Valletta Campus Theatre at 8pm. For tickets, click here. 

ARTS

Improvizza! Malta Improv Festival

Malta’s first ever improvisation festival is taking place at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta until tomorrow.

Aimed at local and international performers and improvisers, the four-day event is offering a number of two-day and three-hour workshops during the day, followed by performances and other events in the evenings.

A number of international improv teachers and performers are leading the workshops and performing in the shows, which are open to all. The workshops cover a variety of skills and the performances will showcase different improv styles.

Today, the worshops What If? and Eight Worlds are behing held.

What If? inspired by Sergi Belbel's play Morir, reflects on how a small change can affect different people, while Eight Worlds draws from actors’ and audience’s personal real-life stories and explores multiple, invisible threads connecting them. 

For more information and tickets, click here. One can also visit the festival’s Facebook page.

Also read the Times of Malta interview with the festival’s director.

FILM

Anime Festival

The Eden Cinemas in St Julian’s is hosting its first-ever Anime Festival, showing feature-length films of some of the most popular anime series of all time.

All films are dubbed in English or are screened in Japanese with English subtitles.

My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission is being shown until September 20, when the Anime Festival will come to an end.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page and the Eden Cinemas website.

Kino Dreams: The Reveries of Wim Wenders

Spazju Kreattiv is this month paying homage to the prolific German film-maker, screenwriter, playwright, author and photographer Wim Wenders, through a retrospective of his films.

Wenders is considered to be one of the most important figures in contemporary European film having won the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 1984 for his film Paris, Texas and nominated three times for best documentary at the Academy Awards for Pina, The Salt of the Earth and Buena Vista Social Club respectively.

He has collaborated with many of the most influential film-makers and artists, from Michelangelo Antonioni and Nicholas Ray to Pina Bausch and Yohji Yamamoto. His films cross genres and forms and have been influenced by European and American film-making traditions.

In 2012, he created the Wim Wenders Foundation which brings together his lifework, supports young talent and transmits film knowledge to young audiences. So far, the foundation has digitally restored 20 of his films.  

Today, a 4K restorated version of the 1976 film Kings of the Road will be screened.

The drama, which forms part in Wenders’s The Road Trilogy, is about a travelling projection-equipment mechanic who works in Western Germany along the East-German border, visiting worn-out theatres. He meets with a depressed young man whose marriage has just broken up, and the two decide to travel together.

The film programme will continue with The American Friend (1977) on September 22, The Salt of the Earth (2014) on September 24 and Pina (2011) on September 29.

For more information and tickets, click here.

MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS

Swieqi Fest 2022

The Swieqi local council is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its popular arts, music and culture festival this weekend.

There are art exhibitions and many activities, such as hand painting, crafts, pinstripe painting, stained glass artistic displays, children's games, a Taekwondo show, a stall with produce for sale in aid of Dar tal-Providenza, various information stands, food and drink stalls, and live performances.

After yesterday's Ed Sheeran tribute act, The Ed Sheeran Experience, it is the turn of local band Red Electric to headline the event at 9.30pm.

The festival starts today at 5pm and entrance is free. For more detailed information, visit the event's Facebook page.

Traditions: Wine, Olive Oil and Honey

Wine, olive oil and honey are taking centre stage in an event for all the family organised by the Għasri local council today from 7pm onwards.

There will be wine and honey tasting, a wine-tasting competition, beehive and honey wax displays, and honey and olive oil delicacies. There will also be a children’s area and an antique tools exhibition.

Live entertainment will be provided by MAE, DCapitals Band and Ivan Grech.

Festa Qargħasel

Mosta is today hosting an event dedicated to honey and pumpkins.

Festa Qargħasel will include informative stands on honey and other products of the Maltese honeybee, food and drink stalls. and sweets and other products made from honey and pumpkins.

There will be water games for children, tours around the Mosta Rotunda and performances by the Harmonic Ensemble Music & Voice Academy, Gabriella Scicluna, Luana Cini, Jessica Grech, Shaznay Mangion, Joe id-Dulli and Veronica, Kelly Marie and Kantera.

The event is happening in Mosta square from 6.30pm onwards. Entrance is free.

Gżira cultural event

Gżira is this weekend hosting the historical folkloric group Federiciani from the municipality of Enna, as part of a cultural activity.

A multicultural public exhibition will open at Fort Manoel on Manoel Island today at 4pm. There will also be traditional music and dances performances. Admission is free.

A number of free workshops will be held at the Waterfront Hotel throughout the weekend. These include a workshop on the effects of multiculturalism on the local community, taking place today between 9am and 4pm, and one on enhancing cultural tourism between Gżira and Enna, happening tomorrow between 9.30am and 12.15pm. Attendance is free of charge too.

For more information, visit the Gżira local council Facebook page.

Historic Motorcycle Show

The Historic Motorcycle Club – Malta is holding its annual exhibition of historic motorcycles at the Aviation Museum at Ta’ Qali this weekend.

Some never-seen-before machines will be on display together with nearly 80 motorcycles dating from the beginning of the 20th century to the mid-1980s. These include Triumph, BSA, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Matchless and Ariel, among many others.

The Aviation Museum will be open from 9am to 5pm.

World Clean-up Day event at Għajn Tuffieħa

The iGaming European Network (iGen), the association of leading iGaming companies based in Malta, is holding a clean-up event to mark World Clean-up Day, today.

They are teaming up with the group of local NGOs, KFS (Coalition for a More Sustainable Future), the emergency services and local student groups with the intention of making a bold statement in support of our planet. 

The event will start at 4pm. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.

Open day at French Residence in Żebbuġ

On the occasion of European Heritage Day, the garden of the French Residence at 7, Church Street, Żebbuġ, will be open to the public. This year, the celebration is being organised to honour sustainable heritage.

The French Embassy is organising four guided tours on the history of the old rural palazzo, led by Mary-Josephine Zammitt and Mariella Bozee.

The palazzo was built in 1716 and was owned by several aristocratic families of Malta until it was transferred to the French government in 1997. Its garden showcases old typical Maltese irrigation systems and plants traditionally grown in Malta, such as orange and lemon trees. 

The Baden Powell Scouts will open activities by playing the French and Maltese national anthems.

The Żebbuġ local council is offering three olive trees to the French Embassy. At 2pm, French ambassador Agnès von der Mühll and Żebbuġ mayor Mark Camilleri will plant an olive tree in the garden at 2pm to promote Maltese-French friendship and the antique tradition of olive growing in the locality.

The residence will be open to the public from 10am to 5.30pm. Entrance is free.

Eco Market at Mellieħa Square

The Eco Market is returning to Mellieħa’s John Paul II Square today and tomorrow.

Besides featuring a myriad of stalls offering all kinds of eco-friendly products and service, the family-friendly event includes many activi­ties for children of all ages, including free bicycle rides, animation and DIY crafts and a world music session by DJ Chris.

On the occasion of the EU Sustainable Mobility Week, there will also be talks and discussions about transport in Malta with the assistance of mobility-related NGOs.

The event starts at 6pm on both days. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Wiki Loves Monuments 2022

Malta is once again taking part in Wiki Loves Monuments, the Guinness World Record holder for the largest photography competition, which has reached its seventh edition.

The competition brings together photographers from around the world to take stunning pictures of Malta’s cultural heritage, which are to be shared on Wikipedia. Participation is free and open to all. The deadline for all submissions is September 30.

Photo uploading workshops will be held throughout September.

A jury composed of experts within the fields of cultural heritage, photography and Wikipedia will be selecting the winning entries and 10 submissions will be nominated for the international Wiki Loves Monuments contest, with the opportunity to win further prizes.

For details, visit www.wikimalta.org and the Wikimedia Community Malta Facebook page.

150 / Richard Ellis

The Richard Ellis Archive, consisting of 39,000+ glass negatives documenting the period in Malta and Gozo between 1861 and 1938, has been digitised in archival-grade quality for the first time in its history. 

The British-Maltese photographer (January 1842-December 1924) was one of the pioneers of photography in Malta during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Thirty large prints taken from his archive will now be exhibited at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta, until October 23.

The exhibition is curated by Charles Paul Azzopardi and Ian Ellis.

For more information, click here.

VISUAL ARTS

Ħbieb

An exhibition by a group of women who meet regularly to paint together is coming to a close tomorrow.

These artists are Joanne Azzopardi, Audrey Vella, Judith Dingli, Fabiola Agius Anastasi, Mariuccia Zammit, Josephine Hili, Marita Fenech, Graziella Calleja, Elena Toncheva, Yvette Carabott and Maria Cauchi.

Titled Ħbieb, the collective exhibition is open at the Razzett tal-Markiż Mallia Tabone in Mosta today from 6 to 8pm and tomorrow from 10am to noon and from 6 to 8pm.

For more information, visit the Razzett tal-Markiż – Cultural Centre Facebook page.

Tempus Edax Rerum 

Artist David Borg attempts to explore the representation of time and the thematic concept of the human condition through a series of woodcut prints on display at Gemelli Framing in Ta’ Qali. 

The exhibition, curated by Hannah Dowling, runs until September 24. 

For more information, visit the exhibition’s Facebook page.

Read an article by the curator here.

The Roads Travelled

A solo art exhibition by Godwin Muscat Azzopardi is being held at the Art by the Seaside gallery in Senglea.

The former UN judge in Kosovo is now dedicating his time to following his childhood passion and is exhibiting over 18 artworks at the Senglea gallery.

The exhibition runs until September 27. For more information, visit the Art by the Seaside gallery page.

Paradoxes

Artist, muralist, designer and poet Damian Ebejer, son of playwright and novelist Francis Ebejer, is presenting an ‘autobiography’ of his art and life at the Wignacourt Museum, Rabat, until September 29.

The retrospective solo exhibition features mixed media artworks and is multi-themed.

Consult the museum’s Facebook page for opening hours.

Exhibition by art group Brushes

The artistic group Brushes is holding its eighth exhibition at Palazzo Ferreria, 310, Republic Street, Valletta.

Artists Fabiola Agius Anastasi, Adrian Camilleri, John Caruana and Madeleine Vella Satariano are taking part.

The works on display include aquarelles and acrylics and feature varied themes.

The exhibition will be open until September 28. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 9am to 6pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 1pm.

The Cappuccino Brigade

The ninth solo exhibition of Debbie Caruana Dingli is on display at the Palm Court Lounge of The Phoenicia, in Floriana.

Curated by Charlene Vella, the collection of watercolour works is based on the artist’s observations of the native Maltese population and is named after one of the paintings on display whose heroine is a bossy woman, often pictured in the artist's colourful works.

The exhibition will be open throughout September.

Read an article by the curator here.

An Ode in Stone

Artist Joe Xuereb is presenting an exhibition of limestone sculptures at The Phoenicia's Deep Nature Spa.

His rounded figures and forms represent universal shortcomings among humans such as greed, solitude and the entrapments of love. 

An Ode in Stone, curated by Louis Laganà, runs until the end of September.

Read the Times of Malta interview with the artist.

Amelia Saint George works at The Phoenicia

Artist Amelia Saint George is exhibiting a number of her sculptures at The Phoenicia, Floriana.

The sculptures are in clay, bronze and mixed media, and portray animals, which Saint George is particularly well-known for, as well as some humorous sculptures that are more closely associated with her portrait sculptures.

Saint George, who has made Valletta her home, is an established, award-winning contemporary sculptor who has exhibited locally and internationally. She is also the author of several books on diverse subjects and holds sculpting lessons in her Valletta studio.

One may view her works at The Phoenicia’s reception area until the end of September.

Time, Space …. and Palmyra

Artists Henry Alamango and Galina Troizky are presenting a joint exhibition at the Malta Society of Arts at Palazzo de La Salle, in Valletta.

The duo infuse two themes: the social implications resulting from the functional transformation of rural and urban space over time, and a crie de coeur reflecting a deep concern for an environment and populated space in progressive decline.

The exhibition also recalls how the ‘civilised’ world recoiled in horror in 2015 at the deliberate physical and cultural destruction wrought by IS in the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria, of Unesco World Heritage fame. Ironically, flashbacks of Palmyra continue to manifest themselves in Malta's spatial and cultural development, contributing also to solitary and anonymous lifestyles, loss of community, loneliness and pollution.

The artists ask whether we are also the perpetrators – or at least the acquiescent accomplices – to an ongoing ‘Palmyra’?

The exhibition runs until October 1. Opening hours: Mondays and Fridays: 8am to 7pm; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 8am to noon and 4pm to 7pm; and Saturdays: 8am to 1pm. Entrance is free. For more information, click here.

Dying Planet

Illustrator, designer and visual London-based artist ‘iella’ (Daniela Attard) is presenting a body of illustration work and paintings focusing on climate anxiety and existential dread at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta.

The artworks on display focus on the global impact of climate change with some reference to local issues and include strange figurative work and characters which serve as modern allegories.

The exhibition runs until October 9. For more information, visit www.kreattivita.org. 

Willie Apap – Colour and Light 

A retrospective exhibition of works by Willie Apap (1918-1970), considered one of Malta’s leading exponents of 20th-century art, is currently on at Il-Ħaġar – Heart of Gozo Museum in Victoria.

The 70 works on display feature portraits, landscapes and still-lifes, dancers, human figures, sacred and ethnic works in oils and inks, and are accompanied by a lavish 100-page GEMS # 20 catalogue.

The exhibition, curated by Maria Cassar, runs until October 10. Opening hours are from Monday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Entrance is free.

On September 25, Cassar will deliver a public lecture at 11am. Participation is free but booking on events@heartofgozo.org.mt is recommended.

The exhibition is supported by the Malta Tourism Authority and the Gozo Ministry’s Cultural Directorate. For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page.

Read the Times of Malta interview with the exhibition's curator Maria Cassar here.

OTHER EXHIBITIONS

The Santa Marija Convoy and the George Cross – 80 Years On

Heritage Malta is honouring the heroes who valiantly gave their lives in order to ensure the victory of World War II through an exhibition at the National War Museum at Fort St Elmo, Valletta.

Visitors can see artefacts and archival documents related to two of the most well-known episodes of the year 1942 – the award of the George Cross and Operation Pedestal.

The exhibition runs until September 27. Opening hours are from 9am to 4.30pm. For tickets, click here.

Lunchtime tours at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum

The Mdina palazzo is hosting a guided lunthtime tour around its significant collection, highlighting objects linked to the rich cultural heritage of the Maltese islands and focusing on its people, trades and traditions.

Gustav Café is open to guests for refreshments on the rooftop terrace of the museum.

Bookings against a suggested donation of €10 can be made via e-mail at bookings@palazzofalson.com or by calling on 2145 4512.  Pre-bookings are recommended.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday. For information about opening hours and more, visit www.palazzofalson.com. 

Meet the Phoenicians of Malta

A Phoenician stone sarcophagus excavated last year at Għajn Klieb, on the outskirts of Rabat, is one of the major attractions of an exhibition that has opened at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.

The exhibition brings to light the results of months of painstaking studies by a multidisciplinary team researching the sarcophagus and two other tombs discovered in the area, as well as their contents. The three tombs, although inherently different, shed light on the burial rituals of the earliest Phoenicians on the island.

The exhibition is open until October 30. The museum in Republic Street, Valletta, is open from Monday to Sunday from 9am to 4.30pm. Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge.

Dumnikani fil-Palazz: Home & Temple

A new 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 open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 4.30pm. 

whatson@timesofmalta.com