Opera singer breaks with tradition

Soprano Maria Muscat's dream is to make classical music "popular" by taking it out of opera houses.

True to her vision, La Barokka - that's her stage name - will be holding a "modern" classical concert at the Hilton Hotel, in St Julians on October 8 at 8 p.m.

Her repertoire will include interpretations of popular pieces from the opera Tosca, Andrea Boccelli's popular song Time To Say Goodbye and a piece by Albinoni with her own original lyrics.

But the event will go well beyond singing. Miss Muscat will sing the Habanera from the opera Carmen to the accompaniment of flamenco dancers, interpret Circle of Life from Disney's The Lion King as African dancers thump the stage and perform Gospel music alongside foreign Gospel dancers.

The concert will also include duets, including You with R&B artist John Mallia. This song is to be launched later this month and brings together the classical and R&B.

Other duets will be with Maltese folk singer Frans Baldacchino il-Budaj; with Reuben Sciberras to sing Zucchero's Miserere, which he sings with Pavarotti, and with Natasha Grima to sing Gente Come Noi by Ivana Spagna.

The concert will include songs in Maltese, English, French and Italian.

Miss Muscat said she has been preparing for the concert for over two months and found organising a concert to be very challenging. She is set on offering the public something which will be well worth their time and money.

Her future dream is to give a concert at a high end London hotel. "It is very difficult to infiltrate the market especially since we are very tiny fish. But all big fish were once tiny. I'm in love with music and with my product. My dream is to make classical music popular. I can try to do this by taking the music out of opera houses," she said.

Tickets cost Lm5, including a reception at the end and the opportunity to interact with the artistes. They are available from the hotel.