THEATRE

The Star of Strait Street

Theatre Next Door in Magħtab is restaging the musical by Philip Glassborow, based on a true-life love story from World War II.

Singer Christina Ratcliffe arrives at The Morning Star in ‘The Gut’ to entertain the troops. There she meets the dashing RAF air-ace, flying officer Adrian Warburton and the rest is history. Staying on in Malta throughout the war, Christina works in the Lascaris War Rooms. She's awarded the British Empire Medal for her services to the RAF and becomes known as ‘Christina of George Cross Island’.

The play, first staged in Malta in 2018, stars Polly March, Jasmine Farrugia and features wartime standards like I’ll Be Seeing You alongside original songs such as Welcome to Valletta. Geoff Thomas is musical director while choreography is by Emma Loftus.

The show will be staged on June 2 and 3 at 7 and 9pm and on June 4 at 3pm. For tickets, visit tnd.com.mt.

I Will Celebrate My Death

Spazju Kreattiv, in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy, is presenting a play about the first doctor sentenced for practising euthanasia in Spain. The play stars the doctor himself and was co-written by him.

On March 28, 2005, the life of surgeon Marcos Hourmann changed forever. At dawn, a patient over 80 years old arrived at the emergency room of the hospital where he worked. Subjected to great physical suffering, the prognosis only gave her a few hours of life expectancy.

The patient and her daughter asked him to definitively end their suffering. Marcos, skipping all medical protocol, injected 50mg of potassium chloride into her vein. She died seconds later.

Hourmann wrote what happened in the report. A few months later, Marcos received a notification from the court: he had been accused of murder. The family had never reported it, but the hospital did. 

The play alternates the narrative of the events for which Hourmann was convicted with episodes from his own life in his native Argentina. 

Certified 18, the play is directed by Alberto San Juan and Victor Morilla. It is being staged on June 2 at 8pm and on June 3 at 9pm. For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

MUSIC

Earth Garden

Earth Garden is returning to the Ta’ Qali picnic area between June 2 and 4.

The event will feature five music areas featuring all types of music, besides an ethnic market, a kids’ fun park, a dog park, a healing and chill-out area, two food courts, 11 bars and a camping area, among others.

For more information and tickets, visit www.earthgarden.com.mt/ or the festival’s Facebook page.

Peace and Simplicity

Soprano Rachel Fabri will be accompanied by versatile pianist Ramona Zammit Formosa during a concert at Our Lady of Victory church, Valletta, on May 30 at 12.30pm.

The programme includes works by Brackett, Morricone, Mozart and Handel.

After the concert, patrons are invited for free to the cellar of the church to watch a short audio visual show about the building, history and the restoration of this gem.

Entrance to the concert is at a suggested donation of €10. One can obtain the tickets prior to the concert from the venue or by e-mailing: baroccomalta@gmail.com or calling on 7968 0952.

Vocal Aid

Stagecoach Performing Arts School is presenting its next edition of the Vocal Aid concert in aid of Puttinu Cares.

The event will be held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta on June 2 at 7.30pm and on June 3 at 2.30pm.

Tickets are available from showshappening.com.

Simply Rock

The Malta Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Joe Brown, is presenting a night of rock favourites and classics at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta on June 2 at 8.30pm.

Tickets are available from ticketline.com.mt.

RockAstra

The Astra Theatre in Victoria is hosting the eighth edition of its event dedicated to rock music on June 3 at 9pm.

It will feature the La Stella Band, conducted by John Galea, and top local artists.

For tickets, log on to https://teatruastra.org.mt/events/2023/rockastra.

June Blossoms

Four female musicians will join forces to present a concert of romantic classical music with a difference at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta on June 4 at 6pm.

The concert will include works by two women composers: the American Amy Beach and the Swede Valborg Aulin, as well as the piano and flute sonata Undine by Reinecke and the Sonata for Piano and Violin n. 3 in D minor by Brahms.

Soprano Andriana Yordanova, pianist Julia Miller, flutist Clara Galea and violinist Agnieszka Kuzma will be performing.

For tickets, visit showshappening.com.

Valletta Resounds: The Caravaggio Experience

St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation and Udjenza are producing a new concert as part of the Valletta Resounds series, which strings together Malta’s cultural heritage with theatrical storytelling and timeless classical music.

Titled The Caravaggio Experience, the concert is being performed weekly inside the oratory, which is adorned with Caravaggio's masterpieces.

Critically acclaimed Maltese musicians under the musical direction of Jacob Portelli are at the helm of the site-specific performance, bringing to life the works of baroque masters such as Vivaldi and Bach, along with the sound of sacred Maltese music by composer Francesco Azzopardi and more. They are accompanied by sopranos Dorothy Bezzina and Dorothy Baldacchino.

The concert is woven harmoniously with tales of the Knights of St John narrated by Jeremy Grech. 

A highlight of The Caravaggio Experience is the music score for the atmospheric light installation on details of the master's paintings.

The concert is being performed weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays until June 21 (except May 19 and June 2) at 6.30pm, with ticket holders being granted exclusive after-hours access to the Co-Cathedral at 6pm. 

Alongside its majestic architecture, visitors may also enjoy rare, centuries-old tapestries that will be exhibited inside the Co-Cathedral until June 24, following a 16-year-long restoration project.

Tickets may be purchased from www.showshappening.com.

For more information visit www.udjenza.com.

DANCE

Deconstructive Construction

Żugraga Dance Organisation is showcasing a collaborative performance with live music, sculpture and dance to be presented at the Valletta Campus Theatre on June 3 and 4.

A society that initially supports housing, financial stability, and positive economic growth gradually starts to lose its scope, shifting to greed and desesitisation. What happens to its aesthetic and cultural fabric?

The show features dancers Julia Lundberg, Gaby Davies and Patsy Chetcuti, besides musicians Yun Cai, Bergur Fondsal Johannesen and a sculpture by Isaac Warrington.The event is supported by Arts Council Malta. 

Performances will be held on Saturday at 8.30pm and on Sunday at 8pm. For tickets, visit showshappening.com.

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FASHION

The Pink Fashion Show by Sicilia Outlet Village

Pink Magazine is organising the first-ever Sicilia Outlet Village catwalk featuring some of its international and luxury brands on May 31.

The event is happening at Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar at 6.30pm. Tickets from ticketline.com.mt.

Look Good Feel Good Fashion Show

Europa Donna Malta is organising a fashion show with the participation of breast cancer survivors as models at the Xara Lodge in Rabat on June 2.

The event aims to raise awareness about breast cancer and empower those who have been through this journey. All proceeds will be donated to Europa Donna Malta.

The show starts at 7pm. The event includes a buffet of pasta, plus wine and free flowing water.

For tickets, call 9999 4666 or 7925 1180 or e-mail info@europadonnamalta.org.mt.

Read more about the initiative in this Times of Malta interview.

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FILM

Lux Audience Award Screenings

The 2022 comedy fantasy Will-o’-the-Wisp by director João Pedro Rodrigues  is showing on May 31 at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, as part of the Lux Audience Award screenings taking place throughout this month.

One can rate the films on the LUX Rating Platform, entering a competition to win from a number of prizes, that include the opportunity to travel to Strasbourg to attend the LUX Awards ceremony at the European Parliament and meet the directors of the nominated films.

The film that wins the LUX Audience Award will be adapted for visually and hearing-impaired audiences.

For more information and tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

Met Opera Live: Mozart’s Die Zauberflote

Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta is screening English director Simon MBurney's daring vision of one of opera’s most beloved works − Mozart’s The Magic Flute − live from the Met Opera.

Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Met Orchestra, with the pit raised to make the musicians visible to the audience and allow interaction with the cast. McBurney incorporates projections, sound effects and acrobatics to match the spectacle and drama of Mozart’s fable.

The cast includes soprano Erin Morley, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, baritone Thomas Oliemans in his Met debut as Papageno, soprano Kathryn Lewek and bass Stephen Milling.

The screening starts at 6.55pm. For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

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MISCELLANEOUS

Honey and Bee Fest

Villa Rundle Gardens in Victoria is hosting a feast dedicated to honey and its characteristics on June 3 and 4.

Stalls will offer various products made from honey, while visitors can learn more about bees, the production of honey and Maltese apiculture and agriculture.

Bargain Book Fair

The Salesians of Don Bosco are holding a book fair at St Patrick's Salesians School in St John Bosco Street, Sliema, on June 3 and 4.

A big collection of paperbacks and hard cover books will be available at reduced prices. 

For more information, call Fr Charles Cini on 7949 2555 or e-mail charlescini@gmail.com.

Malta Artisan Markets

The next Malta Artisan Markets is taking place at Roseville Malta in Attard on June 3 from 6 to 10pm.

The event is a celebration of the facility’s 13th anniversary and CareMalta Group’s 30th year anniversary.

There will be a curated selection of handcrafted creations by local artisans, ranging from paintings and sculptures to jewellery, ceramics, textiles and more.

There will also be live music, refreshments and an opportunity to tour the grounds of the care home.

Entrance is free. Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information.

VISUAL ARTS

Insider Outsider: Mellieħa

Insider Outsider: Mellieħa is the title of Debbie Bonello’s and Sarah Calleja’s current exhibition at the Palm Court Lounge at Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana. As the title indicates, this exhibition is a portrayal of the village by two of Malta’s most foremost landscape artists. They both paint en plein air, thus capturing the nuances much more effectively.

Bonello is the insider as, although not currently living in Mellieħa, she was born and raised there. Calleja is the outsider as she visits the village for its nature and beaches.

Curated by Charlene Vella, the exhibition is on until May 31.

Read this article for more information.

Decadence, Now.

The exhibition Decadence, Now at the Malta Society of Arts showcases artworks, objects, music and paraphernalia from the Decadent art movement from 1880 to 1910.

The project claims, to a great extent, that the critical study of decadence should not be confined to its traditional association with morbidity, a cult of artificiality, exoticism and aestheticism. Although these topics continue to fuel a whole new wave of contemporary decadentism in visual culture.

Decadence, Now. looks to the curatorial as an art method in and of itself, with the exhibition becoming the ultimate art object. In doing so it seeks to reposition artefacts, reconstruct narratives and reopen artistic debates; creating a friction and a presence that is expressed by a number of individuals investigating a common theme.

The exhibition runs until May 31 and admission is free. The exhibition is curated by Andrew Borg Wirth for City of Art.

Reacting artists include Andrew Borg Wirth, Luke Azzopardi, Michael Zerafa and Maria Theuma.

VIA: Way of the Streets

Christine X Curated is hosting a street photography exhibition of silver-gelatin handprints by Jacob Sammut.

The photos document the human element in the streets and were shot in Budapest, Edinburgh, Florence, London, Prague, Scotland, Turkey, Valletta and Zealand.

The images used in this first edition of VIA have been chosen from a vast archive of work that Sammut started working on in 2014. They were shot using 35mm or 120 medium-format, black and white film, which were then developed and hand-printed on fibre-based paper in the darkroom. 

The exhibition will remain open daily (except Sundays) at Christine X Art Gallery in Tigné street c/w Hughes Hallet Street, Sliema, until June 2. Opening hours: from 10am to 1pm and 4 to 7pm.

For more info, visit the exhibition's Facebook page.

Malta 1971 and Oskar – Photographs by Uno Karlsson

Swedish photographer Uno Karlsson visited Malta back in 1971, snapping pictures of Malta in colour. Now 24 of these photos are being exhibited at the Malta Postal Museum and Arts Hub in Valletta until June 3.

These photos stand out like postcards of beauty, showing a rural temperament that was part and parcel of everyday life enjoyed by all locals in a carefree, unselfconscious manner.

A series of black-and-white prints documenting Oskar Nilsson, somewhat of a local character in Stromstad, Sweden, are also being exhibited.

Read more about the exhibition here.

Nigerian Contemporary Art Exhibition 2023

Joseph Barbara and Bruno Eke of Simpli International are holding a second contemporary art exhibition at the two galleries of the Cavalieri Art Hotel, St Julian’s, until June 1. 

Fifty works have been selected for this exhibition, representing a wide spectrum of Nigerian art executed by well-established and new young artists.

The styles differ from traditional African art to avantgarde modern paintings, with figurative, abstract and surreal themes.

There will also be two other exhibitions, one starting on June 2 until June 22, and the other from June 23 to July 16.

The works are by Nigerian artists based in Nigeria and from the country’s diaspora. Artists from the UK, the US and other parts of the world are also participating.

The aim of the exhibition is to promote cultural exchange and deepen the relationship and friendship between Nigeria and Malta.

Joseph Chetcuti: The Sculptor and Bronzesmith

Four years after his untimely death, the work of sculptor and bronzesmith Joseph Chetcuti is being showcased in a retrospective exhibition at MUŻA, the national museum of art in Valletta.

The founder of Funderija Artistika Chetcuti (as it is known today) in Luqa Industrial Estate, Chetcuti is best remembered for the monuments, portrait busts and commissions he worked on during his lifetime.

Curated by Lisa Gwen, the retrospective runs until June 25.

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

OTHER EXHIBITIONS

Shoah the Holocaust: How Was It Humanly Possible?

The Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta has organised a Holocaust Memorial exhibition which will be displayed at three venues in Malta until June.

The exhibition deals with major historical aspects of the Holocaust, beginning with Jewish life in pre-Holocaust Europe and ending with the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps across the continent and the remarkable return to life of the survivors.

The display panels feature explanatory texts, with quotes from Jewish victims and survivors, photographs, art documents and videos for eight survivor stories.

The exhibition is open until June 4 at the University of Malta, Msida Campus, from Monday to Friday from 7am to 11pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 4.45pm.

For more information, visit shoah.jewishheritagemalta.org/.

whatson@timesofmalta.com