DANCE
Ħolm tal-Milied?
ŻfinMalta is presenting its first Christmas production with direction and original music performed live by The New Victorians, and choreography by Adriano Bolognino.
A dance theatre adaptation of the Christmas book Ħolm tal-Milied? by Trevor Zahra, the show juxtaposes classic Maltese traditions with a fresh and contemporary musical score and aesthetic.
Dramaturgy is by Victor Jacono, set design by Anna Horvath and costumes by Laurent Uyttersprot.
The show is being staged at the Valletta Campus Theatre on December 15-17 and 20-22. Almost all dates are sold out. Few remaining tickets are available from showshappening.com.
Unfold Motion: Dinam Tour Malta
Contemporary dance company Unfold Motion of Romania is bringing two contemporary performances and two workshops to Malta on December 15 and 16.
December 15 will see a double bill contemporary dance performances at Blue Box at M Space in Msida at 7pm. Tickets from bluebox.com.mt.
On December 16, the troupe will host two workshops at the University of Malta Dance Studies studios and at the foyer of the School of Performing Arts, where they will also present an audio-video performative installation titled Electronic Fairytales. Entrance to the workshops and Electronic Fairytales (duration 60 minutes) is free.
The event is being held in collaboration with Moveo Dance Company. For more information, click here.
MUSIC
Concert at Our Lady of Mount Carmel basilica
The basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta, is hosting a concert on December 12 at 6.30pm to celebrate the return of the altarpiece of the Blessed Sacrament chapel after restoration by Atelier del Restauro.
Another restored artefact to be returned during the concert is a 19th-century Baby Jesus.
The concert will consist of a number of motets and Christmas carols with music by Bach, Mozart, Faure, Adam, Rutter and others. Soprano Michaela Agius will perform.
Entrance is free.
Vox Dulcis Chorale Christmas concerts
Vox Dulcis Chorale will be performing in three concerts this week: on December 13 at Luqa parish church at 7pm; at Our Lady of Mount Carmel basilica in Valletta on December 15 at 7.30pm; and at St Andrews Scots church, also in Valletta, on December 16 at 7.30pm.
Under the direction of John Anthony Fsadni, they will interpret various sacred and Christmas music, such as Once in Royal David’s City; O Holy Night; Ejjew Ilkoll Nifirħu; Ding Dong! Merrily on High and Joy to the World.
The Luqa concert will include Bible readings. Entrance to all concerts is free.
Members of Vox Dulcis Chorale in a past performance at St Andrew's Scot church. Photo: Mario MintoffChristmas concert at St Dominic’s
The St Paul Choral Society is performing a selection of pieces from its Christmas repertoire at St Dominic church, Rabat, on December 13 at 7.30pm.
The programme includes favourite Christmas carols, two excerpts from Handel's Messiah, Maltese carols and lesser-known pieces.
The choir, under the direction of Hugo Agius Muscat, will be accompanied by organist Elisabeth Conrad. Entrance is free.
Luqa Christmas concert
Luqa local council is organising a Christmas concert in the village square on December 15.
Taking part are the locality’s two band clubs, the Għaqda Mużikali Sant’Andrija and Soċjetà Filarmonika l-Unjoni, and special guests Moira Stafrace, Chris Grech, Daryl Ebejer and Kevin Borg, who will be accompanied by the Rock Troupers. Guggen Music Malta will also perform.
The Centre Stage Choir will kick off the event, which includes a Christmas market, at 6pm.
Moira Stafrace is among the performers at the Luqa concert. Photo: FacebookChristmas Vocal and Musical Concert
On Friday, December 15, the Socjetà Filarmonika Sliema will be holding a Christmas concert at the Marian sanctuary of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Sliema at 7pm.
The concert, under the baton of band director Lesley Tabone, will be officially closing the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of Sliema band.
The programme includes various Christmas favourites such as White Christmas by Irving Berlin; John Williams’s Christmas Star; Colori di Natale by Donato Semeraro; and Thank God it's Christmas by Queen and John Lennon’s Happy Xmas (War is Over).
The children's choir Fathers' Angels, led by Fr Joe Caruana, OFM, will also participate.
Entrance is free.
The Fathers' Angels choirJoy Gospel Singers concert
The Joy Gospel Singers are holding a Christmas concert at the church of the Immaculate Conception, Ħamrun, on December 16 at 7.15pm.
Entrance is free.
Gaudete!
All-male choir Cappella Sanctae Catharinae is presenting two concerts featuring baroque Christmas music and seasonal choral music on December 16 and 17.
The December 16 concert will be held at St Philip parish church, Żebbuġ, at 7.30pm, and the second one on December 17 at 11am at Church of the Annunciation (Carmelite Church), Mdina.
Entrance is free but there will be a retiring collection towards the restoration projects of the respective churches.
Cappella Sancta CatharinaeChristmas at Pjazza Teatru Rjal
The Malta Concert Orchestra will be rocking and swinging Christmas carols at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta on December 16 and 24 under the direction of Joe Brown and Paul Abela respectively.
The December 16 concert, titled Jingle Bell Rock, will be held at 11.30am and 12.30pm, while the concert on the 24th, titled Christmas Swings, will take place at 4and 5pm.
Entrance to the concerts is free.
Gaudete – Christmas concert
The Mosta Rotunda Foundation is hosting a Christmas concert at Mosta Dome on December 16 at 8pm.
The Shalom Choir, soprano Valentina Bezzina, Iuventutis Cantores and Maltese tenor trio Alan Sciberras, Cliff Zammit Stevens and Nico Darmanin will be performing several Christmas carols.
Admission is free but entry tickets must be collected from the Mosta Dome reception. For more information, call 9945 3484.
From left, Maltese tenors Alan Scibberras, Nico Darmanin and Cliff Zammit StevensIn Dulci Jubilo
The St Monica Vocal Ensemble is presenting its annual Christmas concert at St Mary parish (old church), Birkirkara, on December 16 at 7.15pm.
The choir will perform a variety of traditional Christmas carols, including a Maltese composition of one of their choristers, Adrian Ventura.
Entrance is free.
Romantic Classics
Michael Laus will lead the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta on December 16 at 8pm.
They will perform Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and Brahms’s Double Concerto. Violinist Carmine Lauri and cellist Maximilian Hornung will join the orchestra for Brahms’s piece.
Tickets from showshappening.com.
Versatile Brass Christmas in Paola
The Versatile Brass band will be performing at Antoine de Paule Square, Paola, on December 16 with various local singers: Aidan, Martina Borg, Pamela, Glen Vella, Michela Galea, Mike Spiteri and Janvil. They will be preceded by La Voix Harmonies and friends from La Voix Studios, namely Aidan Drakard, Lisa Gauci and Malta’s Got Talent winner Kyran Bonello.
The event starts at 8pm. Entrance is free.
The concert is organised by Paola local council, Port Regional Council and Socjetà De Paule.
Versatile Brass with singers Martina Borg, Janvil and Pamela at a recent event in Monaco. Photo: JDC StudioTHEATRE
The Great Little Panto Show
TOI TOI, the Manoel Theatre’s Learning and Participation Programme, is holding a pantomime for children aged 4+.
The panto features all the favourite nursery rhyme characters, including Cinderella, Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, Aladdin, Puss in Boots and the Big Bad Wolf from the Little Red Riding Hood, in an original story written by Malcolm Galea.
The show is directed by Dorothy Bezzina, with music composed by Matteo Depares.
The panto will be staged at the Manoel’s Studio Theatre on December 13, 16 and 17. For tickets, visit teatrumanoel.mt.
Żeża tal-Flagship
An adaptation of the local classic comedy, written by Mikielang Borg early in the last century, is being staged for one last time at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta on December 13.
Adapted by Joe Gatt and directed by Hermann Bonaci, the show includes a list of new songs which will be played live by the orchestra and sung by the cast that include Laura Bruno, Simon Curmi, Christian Arding, Michela Galea, Dario Bezzina and Ina Robinich, among others.
For tickets, visit teatrumanoel.mt.
Ribeye
Artist Mark Mallia is performing in a stand-up comedy show at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta, on December 12 at 8.30pm.
There will be storytelling, improvisation, jokes and social commentary.
The show is suitable for an audience over 18 years of age. Tickets are available from bookingoffice.com.mt.
Mark Mallia in a promotional poster for Ribeye.FILM
Movies That Matter: The Killing of a Journalist
On December 14, the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation in collaboration with the Dutch Embassy is presenting a film on the death of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, on February 21, 2018.
It was the first targeted killing of a journalist in Slovakia’s history, and shocked citizens protested on a scale not seen since the fall of communism.
Kuciak was well known for covering questionable financial connections between politicians and “elite” business tycoons, namely millionaire Marián Kocner.
When police failed to meaningfully investigate the prime suspect, journalists mobilised the public. Leaked files, Kuciak’s posthumous reports and civic outcry led to scandalous discoveries of decades-old corruption networks involving Kocner and the police chief, high-ranking bureaucrats and the prime minister himself.
The screening, in English and Slovak, with English subtitles, is taking place at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta at 7.30pm. Entrance is free but tickets have to be booked via kreattivita.org.
Erase the Nation
A Polish war documentary that sheds light on Russian war crimes committed against Ukraine’s national and multicultural heritage is being screened at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta on December 15 at 6pm, as part of its world premiere tour.
Erase the Nation documents the resilience and determination of individuals from the world of culture, as they fight to preserve Ukraine’s history and heritage in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A Q&A session will follow with the film’s director and host Tomasz Grzywaczewski, a war journalist and documentary film-maker with experience of the Ukrainian frontline, and an author of several non-fiction books focusing on central and Eastern Europe.
Entrance is free but tickets need to be booked via kreattivita.org. Read more about the film here.
A destroyed church in Ukraine's Donetsk region featured in the film.Callas − Paris 1958
The film's posterA film featuring opera diva Maria Callas's debut in Paris in 1958 will be screened at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta on December 15 at 8.30pm and on the 17th at 5.30pm.
The exclusive performance at the Paris Opéra was a one-night-only affair and was attended by the crème de la crème of Parisian society, including notable figures such as then French president Coty, Jean Cocteau, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Charlie Chaplin and Brigitte Bardot.
The footage has been fully restored for the first time in colour exclusively for the big screen.
For tickets, click here.
MISCELLANEOUS
Ċinexjenza
The next edition of Ċinexjenza is screening the 2018 film Annihilation at the Spazju Kreattiv cinema in Valletta on December 12 at 7pm.
The plot is about a biologist who signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature do not apply.
Following the screening, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, together with the student organisations S-Cubed and Betapsi Malta, will be leading a discussion on what makes people human, and how DNA can already be manipulated or cloned.
For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.
Big Little Motor Show
The Die Cast and Scale Model Society is holding its annual event in the main hall at St Theresa College’s Middle School, Birkirkara, until December 13.
Forty-eight collectors are taking part, exhibiting a diverse collection of model of cars, dioramas and a miniature model of the Grand Harbour, among others.
The exhibition is open on December 10 from 9am to 8pm, on December 11 and 12 from 3 to 8pm and on December 13 from 9am to 5pm.
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
Christmas in the Capital
The Valletta Cultural Agency is hosting its Christmas programme until December 31 in Valletta’s main squares and streets, while the Christmas lights and decorations will continue into January.
There are a Christmas tree near Parliament, a crib and various family activities taking place on a daily basis. For all the details, visit the Valletta Cultural Agency Facebook page.
Children dancing with Father Christmas during one of the many activities forming part of the Christmas in the Capital programme. Photo: Aaron AttardFairyland
Triton Square in Valletta has once again been transformed into Santa’s City.
Attractions include Rudolph’s Wheel, the ice-skating rink and the artisan market, besides daily live entertainment.
Fairyland is on until January 7. For all the details, visit https://fairylandmalta.com/.
Esplora Christmas Wonderland
The Esplora Interactive Science Centre in Kalkara is hosting a Christmas market between December 8 and January 7 from 6 to 10.30pm. Doors will close at 8.30pm.
For more information, click here.
Christmas at the Aquarium
The Malta National Aquarium is holding various Christmas events from December 8 to January 7. These include Breakfast with Santa, a craft station, Santa’s Coral Cove, Jumper Day, Christmas VR, Fishes and Wishes, and special aquarium tours featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
For all the details, visit the event's Facebook page.
Mercury Christmas Market
Times Events and Mercury Malta have joined forces to set up a Christmas market at the newly opened commercial centre in St Julian’s from December 13 to 17.
There will be stalls selling Christmas gifts and home décor, contemporary jewellery and artisan treats besides daily entertainment by street performers and string quartets, among other acts.
Look up the event's Facebook page for more info.
Christmas trees lighting up the piazza at Mercury Malta. Photo: FacebookWoodland Christmas market
The newly renovated woodland section of Ta' Qali National Park is hosting a Christmas market from December 15 to 17. Entry is from the Adventure Park.
There will be various market stalls featuring environmentally friendly gifts and sweet treats and mulled wine and free activities, workshops and entertainment.
The Kids4Kids Market will be a highlight on the 17th, showcasing the creative talents of young artisans and empowering them to swap, trade and be an entrepreneur for the day. Entrance is free.
For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
The Magro Christmas Family Fest
The Magro Brothers are holding their annual event for all the family in Xewkija until December 24.
Activities include Christmas crafts, science experiments, a carousel, a merry-go- round and train rides, among others. There is also a new virtual reality experience.
For the opening days and hours and more details, click here.
More Christmas markets
The following localities are hosting their own Christmas markets and activities in the coming days:
Rabat: Natalis Notabilis (December 7 to 13)
Fontana: Milied fl-Għejun (December 10 to 12)
Mtarfa: Milied Imtarfi (December 13)
Fgura: Pjazza fil-Milied 2023 (December 15 and 16)
Qawra: Qawra Community Christmas Fair (December 15 to 17)
Żebbug, Malta: Milied Żebbuġi (December 15 to 17)
Mellieħa: Il-Villaġġ tal-Milied fil-Mellieħa (December 15 to 17)
Kalkara: Trejqet il-Milied (December 17)
Qormi: Milied flimkien f’Ħal Qormi (December 17)
Sannat: Christmas in Ta’ Sannat (December 16)
Għarb: Milied fil-Pjazza (until December 25)
Victoria: Villa Rundle Illuminated Gardens (until December 23)
For more information, visit the Facebook pages of these events or of the respective local councils.
The Magical Illuminated Trail and Village
The Magical Illuminated Trail at Verdala Palace is on until January 7, with proceeds going once again to the Malta Community Chest Fund.
Among others, one will find a captivating Mythical Tree, the ethereal Flower Land, the enchanting Fantasy Garden and the cosmic Space Explorer World.
One can also witness the beauty of the first ever life-size Illuminated Crib in Malta, be surrounded by the magical glow of thousands of twinkling fairy lights and encounter many cartoon creatures.
Opening hours: 5 to 9pm. For tickets, visit illuminatedtrailmalta.com or showshappening.com.
One of the illuminated structures in the trail. Photo: Facebook/Illuminated Trail MaltaVISUAL ARTS
Collectively Solo III
Gallery 23 in Balzan is hosting the third in a series of collective exhibitions until December 15.
The idea behind the Collectively Solo exhibitions started in 2020 when the solo exhibitions booked at the gallery had to be postponed due to the pandemic. In December that year, the artists were invited to exhibit together.
This year, the gallery is giving the opportunity to emerging artists to exhibit alongside more established artists. The collection offers a wide range of artworks and includes paintings and ceramics, from figurative to landscapes together with a selection of abstracts, all in a variety of mediums and tones.
Opening hours: Wednesdays 6.30 to 8pm and Sundays from 10.30am to 12.30pm. One can also visit by appointment by calling 9942 8272 or e-mailing info@gallery23malta.com.
St Paul's Street by Kevin SciberrasSaffi – Layers of Joy
Fabiola Agius Anastasi is holding her second solo exhibition this year at the Wignacourt Museum in Rabat, with a percentage of the proceeds going to Hospice Malta.
In Saffi – Layers of Joy, the artist explores an array of mediums: from acrylic to plaster, delicate gold leaf, and translucent glassine to create a symphony of colours and textures that celebrate the myriad facets of joy.
Large surfaces are used to paint scenes and details taken from unusual angles, with creative interpretations and expressive bursts of colour.
The exhibition is open until December 19. The museum is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm, last entry at 4.15pm.
Malta Photographic Society Exhibition
The 58th National Competition & Exhibition of Photography 2023, organised by the Malta Photographic Society, is being held at the Malta Society of Arts' seat Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta until December 21.
Over 900 submissions were received by the Malta Photographic Society, resulting in the selection of 107 prints and 150 digital projected images for the exhibition, which span a diverse spectrum: from emotionally charged compositions to highly artistic masterpieces and timeless classics.
Entrance is free. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. The palazzo is closed and Sundays and public holidays.
A House of Glass
Jon Grech’s third solo exhibition in a career spanning over three decades is taking place at Camilleri Paris Mode in Rabat.
Rather reclusive and reluctant to exhibit, this exhibition finds the artist, who is in his late 40s, at the height of his creative power, showing a technical bravura that those familiar with his work have grown accustomed to.
The title of the exhibition points towards transparency, towards the viewer as a voyeur. It refers also to fragmentation relating to visual perspective and a juxtaposition of narratives into disconcerting scenarios.
The exhibition is on until mid-December.
Read this Times of Malta review for more information.
Two of the exhibits. Photo: Elisa von Brockdorff/Camilleri Paris ModeAPS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale
The APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale is holding its fourth edition under the artistic direction of Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci.
This year's edition is reigniting the significance of the Mediterranean as a geographical and cultural region, this time harking back to the multi-forms of mythological, religious, and spiritual deities. Hence the theme title of Mediterranean Goddesses.
The theme of spiritual and species fertility, rich within the concentrated Mediterranean soil and sea, can, albeit its utopian sub-text, offer an alternative to the political reality plaguing our world today. This notion develops upon the theme of the 2020 Mdina Biennale: Regaining a Paradise Lost: The Role of the Arts, and that of the 2017 edition: The Mediterranean: A Sea of Conflicting Spiritualities.
The biennale runs until December 15. For more information, visit mdinabiennale.com/.
Narratives for Post-Modern Love
Gabriel Buttigieg is presenting an intimate, visual essay portraying the way we love and perceive love − confusing, multi-layered, raw, uncertain, lonely, painful and fearsome − at The Splendid in Strait Street, Valletta.
Each of his works was made with the specific space, context and history, firmly in mind, and as the narratives unfold, so do the artist's emotions.
Curated by Lisa Gwen, Narratives for Post-Modern Love is open until December 22. One may visit from Monday to Friday from 3 to 8 pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. The exhibition is closed on Sundays.
Revelations
A solo exhibition by Isabel Warrington is open for viewing at Gemelli Art Gallery/Framing Studio, Ta’ Qali Crafts Village, Ta’ Qali.
The artworks are an introspective journey by the artist, executed mostly in watercolour, inks and acrylic. However, many of the paintings also include items like buttons and bits and pieces that she collects and then uses to inject opulence into her pieces, giving them a theatrical feel.
The artist's love for the environment comes into play and she uses recyclables to their optimum effect. There is a recurring character throughout most of the pieces that encourages the viewer to ponder on the meaning behind each narrative and interpret it in their own way.
The exhibition is open until December 23. Opening hours are Monday to Friday: 8am to 2.30pm, Saturday: 8am to noon.
Mediterranean Gardens
Kenneth Zammit Tabona is showcasing his idea of the most perfect Mediterranean gardens at The Phoenicia Malta in December.
The pen and ink watercolours paintings feature a wide range of plants, including lilies and palm trees, and decorative elements such as urns, sculpted busts and flower pots, ponds and fountains.
The exhibition runs until December 31 at the Phoenicia's Palm Court Lounge.
One of Kenneth Zammit Tabona's works on display at The Phoenicia.Morning Light
Richard Saliba’s new exhibition at art..e Gallery in Gozo explores that magical time when night changes into day.
The artist, who is one of Malta’s main contemporary protagonists in the genre, focuses mainly on the Gozitan pristine landscape, and poetically portrays idyllic nature, filtering out the polluting visual noise of cranes and ghastly architecture.
These works are to be considered a conversation, a prayer that includes nature, the faraway silhouette of the dominating church and the great expanse of the sky.
Morning Light, hosted at art..e Gallery of 1, Library Street, Victoria, is on until December 31.
Emotions of the Spirit
A collection of 28 works by Ivan Grixti is open for visitors at Level O, SkyParks Business Centre, MIA, Luqa, until the end of December.
Works include several portraits, including a self-portrait, that of homeless men and of Pope Benedict. There are also abstracts and a depiction of war, among others.
Grixti has just returned from Poznan, Poland where he lived, studied and worked as an educator for the last 12 years. There he mastered the language and attended several art courses. He graduated B.A. (Hons) in Education: Technical Drawing and Design & Technology (2001-05) from the University of Malta and then attended a post-graduate course at the Fine Arts Institute Marie-Curie Sklodowska, Lublin, Poland (2021-2022).
In Malta, he studied under Anthony (Tony) Demicoli, Paul Vella Critien, Anthony (Anton) Calleja and Philip Agius. He has exhibited in Malta, Poland and France.
Icons on Ammunition Boxes
One of the artworks on display.A conceptual project by Ukrainian artists Sofia Atlantova and Olexander Klimenko features icons painted on wood fragments from ammunition boxes left by Russian soldiers on the battlefields in Ukraine.
The exhibition, titled Icons on Ammunition Boxes, is being held at St Nicholas church in Merchants Street, Valletta, until January 7.
The artists say that classical icons are not only a representation of sacred personages or events, but a way of depicting reality that is otherwise hidden.
Their icons are constant reminders of tragic vicissitudes of modern warfare and of the ongoing war which continues to directly impact hundreds of thousands and displaces millions.
All donations and sale proceeds will go to Ukrainian volunteer health organisation Wings of Victory, that provides access to free medical care and services to Ukrainians suffering from Russian invasion.
Opening hours: Saturdays from 5.30 to 7pm and on Sundays from 9am to noon.
Muxrabija
L-Imgħallem by Gerald-John FenechDrawing from various theological, philosophical and literary sources, Gerald-John Micallef is presenting a series of figurative works that question and meditate on the world today at The Dome’s Visitor Centre in Mosta.
The exhibition's title refers to a vernacular structure in old Maltese and North African houses that protrudes out of the first floor onto the street like a giant peephole. One could secretly observe the goings-on in the immediate neighbourhood. The artist here in fact metaphorically observes the outside world and reflects on it.
Muxrabija is on from December 8 to January 8.
Apotheosis
Following Inaction is a Weapon of Mass Destruction (2022), Darren Tanti is exhibiting his latest collection of works at the Oratory of the Jesuit Church Complex in Archbishop Street, Valletta.
Using a mix of contemporary forms of art and traditional aesthetic languages, the artist is presenting a hybrid body of work that addresses the current state of humankind and its ultimate call: holiness.
It includes mostly sculptures and objet d’art incorporating less traditional aspects like neon tubes and perspex, which can be perceived as standalone installations making up one coherent exhibition.
Apotheosis, curated by Melanie Erixon and organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency, is open every day between 9am and 4pm (excluding Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve) until January 9.
[attach id="1379700" size="large" align="left" type="image"]One of Darren Tanti's works on display at the Oratory of the Jesuits' Foundation. Photo: Facebook/Valletta Cultural Agency[/attach]
New Forms
In a bold departure from the traditional gallery setting, James Vella Clark is exhibiting his latest collection of abstract expressionist works at FORM's home showroom in Valley Road, Msida.
Themed New Forms, the 16 large new paintings on canvas seek to ignite a conversation about the intersection of art and living spaces, inviting viewers to rediscover how art can seamlessly integrate into personal spaces as a daily reminder of the enduring beauty in our lives.
The exhibition runs until January.
Garden in the Sun by James Vella ClarkOTHER EXHIBITIONS
Ancient Tea With New Glamour
The China Cultural Centre in Malta is hosting an exhibition with the theme of 'Tea for Harmony', co-organised with the Xi’an Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.
Featuring intriguing displays, artefacts, paintings and photographs from the city of Xi’an, this new exhibition opens a window into the enduring significance of tea in Chinese culture.
A Tang-style gilded tea set made of bronze gold and silver is the main attraction. Other exhibits include a batch of royal teaware items that were unearthed in 1987 at the ancient Buddhist Famen Temple in northwest Shaanxi and a modern reprinted thread-bound edition of The Classic of Tea, considered to be the first known monograph on tea in the world, written by Lu Yu between 760 CE and 762 CE, during the Tang Dynasty.
One may visit the exhibition, which will remain open until the end of this year at the China Cultural Centre, 173, Melita Street, Valletta. The centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to noon, and from 1.30 to 4pm. Entrance is free. Reservation is advised for group visits at events2023ccc@gmail.com.
The Word Made Flesh
An exhibition featuring about 27 antique bambini (statuettes of Baby Jesus) is being held at the Birkirkara Collegiate Museum until January 5.
The Word Made Flesh aims to help visitors rediscover the beauty of the image of Baby Jesus as the main focal point of the Christmas season.
It includes a 300-year-old Maltese wax bambino and works from Sicily, Italy, Spain and Northern Europe.
Besides the temporary exhibition, visitors will be able to view other items displayed at the museum all year round, such as silverware by the famous Cannataci brothers, brocades, vestments, altar antependiums, sculptures and various paintings.
Entrance to the museum is through the basilica’s sacristy. It is open from Monday to Friday from 6.30 to 8.30pm and on Sundays and December 13 from 9am to noon. It will be closed on December 25, 26, January 1, 2 and on Saturdays. A catalogue of the exhibited works is available at the door.
A 300-year-old wax statuette of Baby Jesus on display at the exhibition.The Crib’s Journey with St Francis
A Christmas crib exhibition, a joint collaboration between Heritage Malta and Għaqda Ħbieb tal-Presepji Għawdex Malta, has been launched at the Grand Master’s Palace, under the auspices of President George Vella.
Titled The Crib’s Journey with St Francis, this exhibition forms part of a string of initiatives around the globe, organised by the International Friends of the Crib Federation, celebrating the 800th anniversary since the first crib was created by St Francis in Greccio, Italy.
On display are some 60 cribs by Maltese and foreign artists, crafted out of different materials, including papier-mâché, glass and jablo.
Several workshops will be organised throughout the duration of the exhibition, addressing topics such as crib-making, crib accessories and crib figurines. Lectures on the history of Christmas cribs will also be held.
Heritage Malta will be publishing an informative full-colour catalogue about this exhibition, with a general introduction about Christmas traditions and the Maltese crib, and a limited edition and numbered 15-figure nativity set.
The exhibition runs until January 21. All profits will be directed to the Malta Community Chest Fund. Entrance is through Merchants Street.
Civil Splendour
One of the uniforms on display.An exhibition at the Malta Postal Museum & Arts Hub is giving visitors a rare opportunity to view at close quarters the exquisitely tailored and embroidered civil uniforms worn by high-ranking British and colonial officials at state occasions in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Among others, the exhibition shows all five grades of the uniform worn in the 19th century as well as their evolution into the foreign service uniform in the 1950s which is still current today although only worn by ambassadors and the marshal and vice-marshal of the Diplomatic Corps.
The exhibition is on at the Malta Postal Museum, 135, Archbishop Street, Valletta, from December 6 to January 27. Opening hours are from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.
Fare Convito: The Archaeology of Banqueting in Hospitaller Malta (16th to 18th century)
A range of maiolica and porcelain vessels, used both for display and for serving food during formal banquets in Hospitaller Malta, is being exhibited at the Romegas Hall, National Museum of Archaeology, until the end of December.
The exhibition, entitled Fare Convito: The Archaeology of Banqueting in Hospitaller Malta (16th to 18th century), delves deeply into how food, art and politics came together in the ritual of baroque banqueting – the formal and communal sharing of food and drink – between the 16th and the 18th century in Malta.
During that period, under the Order of St John, Malta imported many aspects of the European dining culture, mainly from Renaissance Italy and from Rococo France. An especially striking feature was the Convito – the formal banquet – which provided a theatrical backdrop for political discussion and intrigue.
They include two late Renaissance plates belonging to Cardinal Farnese’s famous credenza, a Chinese Ming porcelain import to Malta, important examples of South Italian heraldic plates, and a wide range of French and North Italian faience, including examples in the Rococo style of Moustier.
Admission is free. The exhibition will move to the Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa from January until March 2024. A booklet will be available for sale at both exhibitions.
In the Footsteps of the Hospitallers: 900 Years of Chivalry, Faith & Charity
The exhibition traces the history of the Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.An exhibition about the Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) has opened at the National Library of Malta in Valletta.
The exhibition, curated by Maroma Camilleri, is dedicated to the memory of a prominent Maltese member of the Order of Malta, the Bailiff Fra’ John Edward Critien, Grand Prior of Rome, who passed away on December 3, 2022.