Planned Ivry Gitlis concert (2)

I deeply regret the loss of the Ivry Gitlis concert as it seemed to be the most perfect win-win opportunity for everybody concerned. Malta was going to receive very positive publicity through the TV documentary and association with one of the greatest violinists who has ever lived, the National Orchestra would benefit from that coverage as well as from a Gitlis master class together with the opportunity to share in the revenue streams from the concert, DVD and documentary, the young artists with whom Gitlis was going to be performing would similarly benefit from the exposure while the Maltese audience would have seen a living 'great' and some stars of the future.

Violinist Arabella Steinbacher, for instance, would have been appearing at the Mediterranean Conference Centre immediately after performing with Valery Gergiev and the St Petersburg Orchestra in Frankfurt and Munich.

As a member of the team assisting Mr Kent-Watson and involved with the four international artists scheduled to participate in the concert, I know that concrete third party arrangements were in place.

I understand the relevant minister and the Malta Tourism Authority were sufficiently convinced to have made an offer of support to Mr Kent-Watson to enhance the prominent appearance of Malta in the resulting TV biographical documentary featuring Mr Gitlis in which the National Orchestra would have participated. Mr Gitlis is so committed to the project that his October trip here (his first to Malta since appearing with Yehudi Menuhin 32 years ago) included location checks and a visit to a National Orchestra rehearsal with the full support of its chairman.

Prior to Mr Gitlis' visit, there were at least 26 items of correspondence between Mr Kent-Watson and the National Orchestra. The National Orchestra had itself issued a press release and convened a press conference at which the Minister of Tourism and Culture had announced the new season, including Mr Kent-Watson's projects. The concert and rehearsals were in the printed schedules for all orchestra players and the MCC reserved by the National Orchestra for November 6.

I believe the secretary to the National Orchestra board also unfairly overlooks the significant amount of promotional work Mr Kent-Watson had already prepared gratis for the National Orchestra as part of the overall project deal.

Mr Thewma expresses surprise in receiving Mr Kent-Watson's e-mail "unilaterally cancelling the proposed concert". We all wish that e-mail had not been necessary but Mr Kent-Watson's ability to manage the situation within Malta was lost from the moment one of the orchestra people had made jocular remarks to Mr Gitlis about the turmoil in the National Orchestra board.

Our international soloists, and Mr Gitlis in particular with his UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadorial commitments, have very full diaries and we were immediately pressed by their representatives to reconfirm the continued commitment of the National Orchestra to the November 6 date or they would take up alternative engagements. The board was unable to meet on any date except the artists' representatives' deadline day and Mr Kent-Watson pressed for a definitive decision but instead, as Mr Thewma reported, a postponement was requested.

Having worked hard to support cultural tourism and classical music performance in Malta in the brief time I have been visiting the islands, I was desperately disappointed when this non-decision effectively cost Malta an opportunity of taking a major step towards becoming a significant feature on the global classical music performance map. The Gitlis concert would have been the start of a new chapter, not an end in itself. It might still be possible to rescue these projects for Malta if goodwill, a sense of urgency and common sense now prevail.