MUSIC
Love and Valentine’s Day
Soprano Anne Marie Gauci Agius and pianist Galina Antariuk are presenting a concert of romantic arias in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.
The programme includes Novello’s My Dearest Dear, Quilter’s Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal and ’Tis Valentine’s Day, Schumann’s Widmung and Der Nussbaum, Grieg’s Ich Liebe Dich, and Debussy’s Beau Soir and Nuit d’Étoiles.
It also features some Maltese contributions, such as Żerniq, Għodwa and Festa, providing a touch of local flavour and cultural richness.
The concert, organised by the Barocco Foundation in collaboration with Din l-Art Ħelwa, is taking place at Our Lady of Victory church, Valletta, on February 11 at 12.30pm. Reservations at €10 per person can be made either by booking on baroccobookings@gmail.com or at the entrance of the church.
A viewing of the 10-minute documentary Grand Master de Valette and his first church of Valletta in the underground cinema is free of charge to all patrons.
Sustain-Delay ‘25: In Thin Air
The first concert of the Malta Society of Arts programme Sustain Delay for 2025 features Maltese flautist Laura Cioffi and Portuguese vocal performer Dullmea.
Dullmea blends voice and electronics into immersive soundscapes, while Cioffi, a flautist from Żurrieq but based in Glasgow, explores historical, orchestral and improvisational performance.
The concert is taking place at the Malta Society of Arts premises at Palazzo de la Salle, Valletta, on February 13 at 8pm. For more information, visit artsmalta.org. Tickets from showshappening.com.
Schubert’s Piano Sonatas by Francis Camilleri
On Valentine’s Day, pianist Francis Camilleri will perform works by Schubert in an intimate recital at the Malta Society of Arts.
The concert shines a light on three lesser-performed Schubert sonatas: A major D. 664, A minor D. 784 and G major D. 894 and will emphasise these sonatas’ connection to Beethoven’s legacy and their profound emotional depth.
The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets from showshappening.com. Seating is limited.
The event is organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency.
Francis Camilleri. Photo: Facebook/MPOSkyfall in Concert
The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra is performing the complete soundtrack of the 2012 Bond movie Skyfall live to film at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta, on February 15.
For this performance, the orchestra will occupy the entire stalls section in the MCC’s Republic Hall, while a massive screen on stage will show the Bond movie. Ninety musicians, under the baton of Ryan Paul Abela, will perform Thomas Newman’s Oscar-winning score, synchronised with the on-screen action.
There will be a matinée performance at 2.15pm, which will be a more relaxed affair, and a gala performance at 8.15pm, which will also include a pre-concert red carpet event with drinks, canapés and live music.
Tickets are on sale at showshappening.com, with special concessions available for students, seniors (60+) and people with disabilities.
Produced internationally by Film Concerts Live! in association with EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM), this event is being organised locally by Scrolls Productions and is supported by VisitMalta.
Għawdex Inħobbok
The concert celebrating love returns to Independence Square, Victoria, on February 15 at 8.30pm.
The yearly collaboration between the Ministry for Gozo and Fevasi will see the 20-piece Musea Orchestra performing with various singers.
The event is also supported by Ivan Grech, StraitAhead and many others.
Entrance is free.
A view of last year's concert. Photo: Facebook/Fevasi
THEATRE
Toi Toi Babies: Down to Earth
TOI TOI participatory theatre presents the third part of its four-part series exploring the elements for babies aged 0 to 3.
Down to Earth is inspired by the love for nature and young children’s sense of wonder about the environment. Nurturing a desire for discovery, the little participants (and accompanying adults) will be immersed into a special brand of interactive play, encouraging their natural instinct for curiosity and movement.
The show, being held on February 15, 16, 22, and 23, features newly commissioned music played live by TOI TOI artists. 0-3 shows are relaxed and informal, and adults are encouraged to aid their baby’s participation.
Tickets from teatrumanoel.mt.
Dear Evan Hansen
FM Theatre Productions and the Manoel Theatre are staging six-time Tony award-winning musical again from February 13 to 16.
The musical, with a book by Steven Levenson and score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, revolves around a teenage boy, Evan Hansen, who suffers from social anxiety. As assigned by his therapist, he writes letters to himself to build his confidence.
One day, a letter of his ends up in the hands of classmate Connor Murphy, who soon after takes his own life. When Connor’s parents contact Evan to give him the letter they believe was ‘addressed’ to him, Evan finds himself caught in a whirlwind of events, leaving him at the centre of an ever-growing lie that spirals out of control after going viral on social media.
The role of Evan will be played alternately by Kyle Mangani and Luigi Buhagiar, with Kristen Abela and Charlotte Formosa sharing the role of Zoe Murphy. Completing the cast are Dorothy Bezzina, Nadine Farrugia, Raphael Pace, Thomas Camilleri, Jamie Cardona and Carla Fenech.
Dear Evan Hansen, suitable for an audience over 16, is directed by Denise Mulholland, with Kris Spiteri as the show’s musical director, set design by Matthew Cassar and videography by Dylan Odo.
Tickets from teatrumanoel.mt.
The cast of Dear Evan Hansen. Photo: Jacob SammutFILMS
Irish Film Days: Tarrac
Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta is showing the 2022 Irish film Tarrac on February 11 at 7.30pm.
The contemporary drama, set on the coastline of Kerry, follows a girl’s challenges in the competitive world of rowing in Naomhóg boats. While establishing new friendships and reigniting old ones, the girl feels an unbearable strain as years of suppressed grief and sadness begin to catch up.
Attendance is free but booking is required via kreattivita.org.
Max Richter’s Sleep
Paul Scerri’s exhibition The Sound of You Dreaming, now open at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, includes a number of auxiliary events such as the screening of Max Richter’s Sleep.
Max Richter is one of the most prominent contemporary classical musicians, who has been nominated twice for a Grammy award and has written music for film and TV.
In 2019, director Natalie Johns, in collaboration with Richter, produced a documentary about Sleep, his titanic eight-and-a-half-hour-long album designed to be listened to while asleep.
This album and documentary, both beautifully sensitive, were part of the inspiration for The Sound of You Dreaming.
The screening will be held on February 12 at the Spazju Kreattiv Cinema at 6.30pm. Entrance is free of charge but tickets must be booked via kreattivita.org.