THEATRE

Valeriana: The Titan’s Rock

Joseph Vella’s opera Valeriana: The Titan’s Rock is premiering at the Astra Theatre in Victoria on May 4 at 7.30pm.

Valeriana started out as a radio play written by Vincent Vella. It was awarded the prize as regional winner for Europe in the BBC World Service and British Council International Radio Playwriting Competition 2005. In March 2009, a Maltese version, entitled Valerjana – Gżejret l-Iġgant was put on at the Manoel Theatre.

Now Vella’s son, Joseph, is bringing back the tragicomedy about the clash of two men driven by hate, paranoia and illusions of grandeur.

Valeriana – The Titan’s Rock is being produced by Festivals Malta, on the occasion of the maltabiennale.art 2024, with the support of the Ministry for Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, and the Ministry for Gozo and Planning, in collaboration with the Astra Theatre.

For more information and bookings, visit www.valeriana.mt. Also read this Times of Malta interview with the production's director, Denise Mulholland.

Mid-Djarju Ta' Student Fi Skola Tal-Knisja

Jamie Cardona is playing himself and other characters in a solo play about his time as a teen at a Church school at Theatre Next Door in Magħtab.

Directed by Vikesh Godhwani and written by Cardona himself, the comedy tackles the insecurities of young Maltese people and the (very slow) process of growth.

Certified 18+, the show runs until May 12. For tickets, visit tnd.com.mt.

Baby Series: Sleepy Time Serenades

TOI TOI, the Manoel Theatre’s learning and participating programme, is presenting a musical performance centred around the enchanting theme of bedtime routines and soothing lullabies.

The musical experience is aimed at the very little ones (ages 0 to 4) and is intended to immerse the audience in a serene and calming atmosphere.

The 30-minute performance is taking place at the Manoel’s Studio Theatre on May 4 and 5 at 9.30 and 11am. Tickets from teatrumanoel.mt.

La Ronde

An adaptation of Arthur Schnitzel’s controversial play La Ronde is being staged at The Splendid in Strait Street, Valletta, until April 30.

The story is about a delivery driver who meets a prostitute before his date with a cleaner, who shares an illicit encounter with a student she works for, before he sneaks off to a cheap hotel for an affair with a married woman.

The play was banned for obscenity on its publication in 1903 and sparked angry riots when it premiered in Berlin. This bold reimagining places the action in the heart of contemporary Malta, exploring the sexual politics of power, desire, language, class and identity. 

It is directed by Philip Leone-Ganado and stars Simone Spiteri and Anton Saliba, who play 10 characters.

The bilingual performance has English surtitles. Tickets from showshappening.com.

Note: The play features strong language, sexual situations and mature themes and is not suitable for audiences below the age of 18.

MUSIC

Iljieli fit-Teatru

After the piano and the organ, the next recital in the Iljieli fit-Teatru series will explore the piano’s predecessor, the harpsichord, on April 29 at 7.30pm.

Joanne Camilleri, Malta’s leading exponent of this keyboard instrument, will guide the audience through the differences in sound, technique and mechanism between the harpsichord and the piano.

For tickets, visit ticketline.com.mt.

The SPMO Trios Concerto

The St Paul Metropolitan Orchestra is presenting a concert for violin, clarinet and violoncello  at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta on May 3 at 7.30pm.

Musicians James Zammit (violin), Mario Psaila (cello), Noel Beck (clarinet) and Evan Plumpton (guitar) will perform evergreen favourites by Bach, Haydn, Granados, Satie, Mahler, Piazzolla and others.

Tickets from showshappening.com.

Tiny Keys, Big Sounds

Tricia Dawn Williams is presenting contemporary compositions for toy piano, electronic music and small percussion instruments at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta on May 3 at 8pm.

The recital forms part of the ToyPiano+ project supported by Arts Council Malta, which involves the participation of 13 Maltese and international composers, three visual artists, as well as a collaboration with writer Trevor Zahra and actor Joseph Galea.

For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

Arrival – ABBA tribute band in concert

Arrival, the award-winning tribute show to Swedish group Abba, is presenting two concerts at the Hilton Conference Centre in St Julian’s on May 3 and 4, as part of the 50th anniversary tour of Waterloo.

Arrival has toured internationally and sold out in stadiums, arenas, theatres, and concert halls in over 31 different countries worldwide and has delighted audiences of all ages since forming in 1995. They performed live on UK and international TV and radio stations, with appearances in the US, India and China, for millions of ABBA fans.

For tickets, visit showshappening.com.

King’s College School Coral Society in concert

The King’s College School Choral Society of Cambridge will be performing in Valletta and Vittoriosa on May 3 and 4, respectively.

On May 3, they will giving a concert at St John's Co-Cathedral at 7.30pm,w hile on May 4, they will sing during the 6pm mass and give a short concert at St Lawrence collegiate church, Vittoriosa.

Founded in 1996 as In Voco Parentis, King’s College School Choral Society is the parents’ and friends’ choir of King’s College School, Cambridge. The choir rehearses weekly and sings music from a varied repertoire.

In Malta, they will perform a programme of sacred choral music, including works by Batten, Palestrina, Mozart, Parry, Elgar and Gjeilo.

Entrance is free. For more information, call 9945 3440.

Rock the South

The 11th edition of the rock festival is taking place at Zion in Marsascala between May 3 and 5.

There will be two main stages and a silent disco stage. Among the local and international performers are BUMB (UK), Bila, Forsaken, Joon, Bennie Blue, Hearts Beating in Time, Brikkuni, Areola Treat, Eyes to Argus, Lady Lizard, Makyo (LU), Minivan (DE) and WaqWaq Kingdom (JP).

For all the details, visit the event’s Facebook page. Tickets are available from trackagescheme.com.

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FILM

Macbeth

Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta is screening a brand new production of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth starring Tony and BAFTA Award-winner Ralph Fiennes and Olivier Award-winner Indira Varma on May 2 at 7pm. 

The gripping tale of greed, murder, deception, and superstition is directed by Simon Godwin, with set and costume design by Frankie Bradshaw.The show was filmed live at Dock X, a custom-built theatre space in London.

Tickets for the screening, certified 12A, are available from kreattivita.org.

20 Days in Mariupol 

The winner of the best documentary feature award at the Academy Awards 2024 is being screened at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta on May 4 at 7.30pm.

Ukrainian film-maker and journalist Mstyslav Chernov offers a window into the practices of conflict-zone reporters and an unflinching, anguishing account of the 20 days he and colleagues Evgeniy Maloletka and Vasilisa Stepanenko spent covering Mariupol. 

On the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the team of Ukrainian journalists entered the strategic eastern port city of Mariupol. During the subsequent siege and assault, as bombs fell, inhabitants fled, and access to electricity, food, water, and medicine were severed, the team −  the only international journalists left − struggled to cover the war atrocities and to transmit their footage out. Eventually surrounded by Russian soldiers, they sheltered in a hospital, unsure of how they would escape.

The documentary, certified 18, is also showing on May 10, 19 and 25. For more details and tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

MISCELLANEOUS

Malta International Fireworks Festival

This year’s edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival, themed ‘A celebration of classics’, comes to an end with a grand final on May 3.

The event was originally scheduled for April 30, but was postponed due to forecast bad weather.

Various local and foreign fireworks factories are taking part.

The event is organised by the Ministry for Tourism and Public Cleanliness and the Malta Tourism Authority.

For all the details, visit the event's Facebook page.

Sannat Wine Festival − Est! Est!! Est!!!

The locality of Sannat in Gozo is hosting a wine festival on May 4 at 8pm. 

Visitors will also enjoy synchronised fireworks and live performances by Jolene Samhan and Cash & Band.

Entrance is free.

Open day at Torri Mamo

The 17th-century Mamo Tower in Marsascala will open its doors to visitors on May 5 between 9.30am and noon. 

There will be a tour by a Din l-Art Ħelwa volunteer at 10.30am, who will tell visitors about the site’s use from a 4th century tomb to a 20th century bomb shelter.

Entrance is by donation.

Open day at Grand Master’s Palace

Following extensive restoration efforts, the Grand Master’s Palace, in Valletta will once again be welcoming the public during a special opening on Sunday.

The palace will be open at a reduced price with a programme of activities. There will be animated guided tours in both Maltese and English, with sessions scheduled at 9.30am (Maltese), 10.30am (English), 11.30am (Maltese) and 12.30pm (English).

Pre-booking on www.heritagemalta.mt/store or at any Heritage Malta museum or site is required for these tours. 

The Malta Historical Fencing Association and the Fridericus Rex Malta Falconers will demonstrate their skills and share their knowledge with curious guests.

The palace will be open from from 9am to 6pm.

VISUAL ARTS

In Bloom

Acrylic and oil paintings feature in an exhibition by Julia Borg at the Palm Court Lounge, The Phoenicia Malta.

In Bloom is very much a reflection of Borg's artistic voyage, her womanhood and a representation of timeless tales that have been woven into the fabric of women’s lives. And thus, the flower – often seen as the apt representation of women and femininity – is not represented as delicate, but bold, and thus challenges this common ideology.

The exhibition is open at the Phoenicia until the end of the month and is curated by Charlene Vella.

Collective exhibition in Swieqi

The Swieqi Arts Group is holding a collective exhibition titled Symphony of Colors between May 3 and 5.

The participating artists include David Radmilli, Paul Fenech, Anthony Lucian Cauchi, Ronald Muscat Azzopardi, Joseph Trapani, Carmen Busuttil, Hui Sin, Madeleine West and Yuexin Kong.

The exhibition is being held at the Swieqi local council community hall. It will be open on May 3 from 6 to 8pm, on the 4th from 10am to 8pm and on the 5th from 10am to 6pm. The artists will be on site to greet visitors.

For more information, visit the Swieqi Arts Group's Facebook page.

Homesick

Etienne Farrell’s current exhibition revisits the Malta she grew up in, with a particular focus on the life around the traditional Maltese facades.

Homesick deals with playfulness, emotional attachment and a longed-for feeling of connectivity and warmth.

The exhibition is hosted by The Hilton, St Julian’s and runs until May 5. It is open every day. 

Searching for Stillness

In this latest solo exhibition, Godwin Muscat Azzopardi builds upon the choice of subject and the evolving style shown in his recently exhibited works. 

This time, the theme is in the exhibition title. As the artist points out in his explanatory statement, stillness is not simply an absence of sound and activity, which would make it negative. It is a positive state that needs to be sought for and hopefully found. It is a state that enables us to stop and think, to focus on what is meaningful and to work towards a better life.

The paintings in this exhibition are predominantly inspired by the ever-changing moods of nature and are expressionist in style.

Searching for Stillness, hosted by Art..e Gallery, of 1, Library Street, Victoria Gozo, is on until May 17.

Kwadri

Gemelli Art Gallery in Ta' Qali is presenting a collection of artworks featuring works by Carmel Bonello, Kevin Sciberras, Ethelbert Perini and Antonio Mifsud.

Kwadri celebrates the magic of collaboration and the beauty of each artwork presents and comprises works in different mediums, all inspired by the local surroundings. 

Kwadri is open unil May 25 from Monday to Friday from 8am till 2.30pm. On Saturdays, it is open between 9am and noon.

fabricATE

Gabriel Buttigieg is debuting his first solo exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, where he presents his own personal interpretation of Graeco-Roman myths which he uses as metaphors for the erotic and spiritual questions that have haunted humanity since time immemorial. These include taboo and transgression, the cruelty and capriciousness of the gods, love, lust, power and destruction.

These fabricated narratives are specifically being portrayed on exquisite fabrics, provided by project partner, camilleriparismode. The often intricate surfaces serving as a backdrop, as well as a springboard for the artist’s complex creations.

Known for his experimentation, and an ever-evolving expressive aesthetic idiom, through fabricATE, Buttigieg utilises a variety of media in this exhibition. He is also debuting a pair of larger-than lifesize sculptural works which have been realised at Funderija Artistika Chetcuti, which is also a partner in this project.

fabricATE, curated by Lisa Gwen, is open till June 23, from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 9pm; and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am till 9 pm.

Reminiscence

Acrylic paintings feature in an exhibition by Mariam De Giorgio at Marilù's, St Nicholas Square, Siġġiewi.

Reminiscence is a sample of De Giorgio’s fond memories represented in 12 vivid acrylics. Most of the works depict parenthood at some of its most adorable moments against the backdrop of a typical Maltese summer setting.

The exhibition is open at the Marilù's in Siġġiewi until June 2024, where a mural by De Giorgio adorns one of its rooms.

OTHER EXHIBITIONS

Curious Beauty: An Alternative Costume Exhibition

Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti is organising the exhibition Curious Beauty: An Alternative Costume Exhibition at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum in Mdina. 

Under the artistic direction of Caroline Tonna and Francesca Balzan, historic costume and accessories from the State, Church and important private collections will be displayed in contemporary art installations against the backdrop of the medieval palazzo. Micheal Lowell is the creative director.

The exhibition runs until June 16. For more information, visit www.patrimonju.org/exhibitions/curious-beauty.

whatson@timesofmalta.com