THEATRE

Passion plays

Here is a selection of some of the Passion plays being staged around the Maltese islands in the coming days.

Tarah Wiċċ Alla: A Passion play written by Joseph Galea is being staged at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta again this week, from March 26 to 30. It stars, among others, Charles Sammut, Antonella Galea Loffreda, Carlos Farrugia and Alexia Micallef. It is directed by Galea and Farrugia. Tickets from kreattivita.org.

Għaliex Twarrbuni: The Sezzjoni Żgħażagħ Santa Marija Mqabba is staging a contemporary drama in the run-up to Good Friday. Written by Jean Paul Muscat, Għaliex Twarrbuni covers current social issues, focusing especially on cyberbullying. The drama will be staged on March 28 and 29 at the Palazz Santa Marija, Mqabba, and entrance is free.

Ta’ Min hi l-Ħtija? The theatrical group within the Soċjetà Filarmonika San Pietru Banda Birżebbuġa A.D. 1990 is staging a Passion play at the band club’s premises today and on March 27, 28 and 29. Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information.

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ARTS

Art Explora Festival

The Art Explora Foundation’s museum boat is currently docked at Pinto Wharf, Valletta Waterfront, until March 31.

Besides an immersive exhibition, a series of events, including concerts, circus acts, film screenings, dance performances and more are taking place free of charge.

For all the details and tickets, visit www.artexplora.org. Also read this Times of Malta preview.

Maltabiennale.art

The first edition of the Malta Biennale, which opened on March 13, featuring exhibitions, theatre, dance and music performances, film screenings, workshops for children, lectures and more in various heritage sites across Malta and Gozo.

Maltabiennale.art runs until May 31. For all the details visit maltabiennale.art. Also read this Times of Malta preview.

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MUSIC

Agnus Dei

Soprano Charlene Portelli will perform a sacred music programme, accompanied by pianist Lydia Buttigieg, at Our Lady of Victory church, Valletta, on March 26 at 12.30pm.

The programme includes baroque masterpieces by Handel, Caccini, Mozart, Gounod and Pergolesi. Buttigieg will play two piano solos.

The event is organised by the Barocco Foundation in collaboration with Din l-Art Ħelwa. Reservations at €10 per person either by booking on baroccobookings@gmail.com or directly at the entrance of the church. 

APS Holy Week Concert

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Alan Chircop, will perform Gioachino Rossini’s Stabat Mater at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta on March 26 at 7.30pm.

The concert includes the participation of soprano Andriana Yordanova, mezzo soprano Mara Gaudenzi, tenor Alan Sciberras, bass Francesco Leone and the New Choral Singers, under choir master Mauro Farrugia.

Tickets from showshappening.com.

Favourite Opera Classics

Soprano Anna Poghosyan, accompanied by pianist Margarit Sargsyan, both from Armenia, will perform arias from opera favourites by Rossini, Handel, Mascagni and many more at the Grand Master’s Hall at Palazzo de la Salle in Valletta, on March 26 at 7.30pm.

The event is organised by the European Piano Teachers Association Malta (EPTA Malta) in collaboration with Renaissance Cultural Association, Gallery of Arts Cultural Fund (Armenia) and The European Centre for Culture and Arts.

A limited amount of tickets by donation will be available at the door. Reservation is necessary by sending a WhatsApp message to +356 9980 2226.

Chamber recital with Albert Mamriev

Pianist Albert Mamriev will perform Schubert’s Sonata in B Flat Major and Brahms’s Fantasies op. 116 at the Manoel Theatre’s Sala Isouard, Valletta, on March 27 at 7pm.

Bookings from teatrumanoel.mt.

TroffaĦamra album launch

TroffaĦamra, a Maltese singer-songwriter based in Barcelona, is launching her latest album, titled Weġgħat Żgħar, at the Blue Arena in Żabbar on March 31 at 6pm.

The album, recorded in 2023, features the collaboration of various musicians who will also perform at the launch. These include percussionist Michael Galea, Oliver Degabriele on electric bass, Fiorella Camilleri on flute and Mario Borg on tenor saxophone. She will be accompanied by vocalists Mariele Zammit and Justin Galea.

Tickets are available from ticketline.com.mt.

A Dream is a Wish

TOI TOI, the Manoel Theatre’s Learning and Participation programme, is holding its annual Easter concert on March 30 and 31, featuring concert music from favourite family films. 

A Dream is a Wish will take audiences on a journey through time with the development of music written for the big and little screen, beginning with famous animated classics. It will also feature music by Alan Menken, Pasek and Paul, Phil Collins and Lin Manuel Miranda, among many others. 

Performing on stage will be the Palace String Orchestra under the baton of Ryan Paul Abela, alongside direction and vocal arrangements by Kate Fenech Field, and performances by Tezara Saliba, Francesco Nicodeme, Michaela Agius, Clara Sciberras, Noel Zarb, Paolo Micallef, Bettina Zammit and some surprise guests. 

This year’s edition forms part of the maltabiennale.art 2024 programme and is being held in collaboration with the Valletta Cultural Agency with the support of Bank of Valletta. Performances start at 6pm. For tickets and more information, click here or call (+356) 2124 6389.

Gaulitana: A Festival of Music

Gaulitana: A Festival of Music continues this week with the concert Europhic Pipes, which will see Alexander Frey returning to the Michael Farley organ at the Rotunda church in Xewkija on March 25 at 7.30pm. The recital also features Gozitan musician George Camilleri.

On March 27, Frey concludes his stay at the festival with a multimedia lecture-recital titled ‘The Genius of Stephen Sondheim’ at the piano bar of the Hotel Ta’ Ċenċ at 7.30pm. Frey will delve into the music icon’s life and multi-faceted contribution to 20th-century musical theatre.

On March 30, mezzo-soprano Diana Gheorghiciuc and pianist Elia Faccini will perform in a vocal lunchtime recital of sacred music oeuvres titled Pietà, Signore at the Savina church, in Victoria at 11.30am. The concert will feature Orthodox liturgy a cappella chants.

Gaulitana: A Festival of Music runs until April 21. For more information, visit www.gaulitanus.com.

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FILMS

Madama Butterfly

The Eden Cinemas in St Julian’s are screening the Royal Opera House’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on March 31 at 3pm.

Directed by Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier, the opera stars Asmik Grigorian as Cio-Cio-San and Joshua Guerrero as Pinkerton.

For tickets, visit edencinemas.com.mt.

Italian Film Days: Il sole dell’avvenire

Spazju Kreattiv, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute, is showing the 2023 film Il sole dell’avvenire by Nanni Moretti on March 26 at 7.30pm.

The comedy-drama is about a film director who struggles with his relationship with his family and with his latest movie about the impact on the Italian Communist Party of the USSR invasion of Hungary in 1956.

The film, certified 15, will be shown in Italian with English subtitles. Tickets from kreattivita.org.

The Way We Move

On March 27, Friends of the Earth Malta is screening the documentary The Way We Move: Transporting Stories, featuring three cities (London, Barcelona and Frankfurt) and a short documentary about multimodal travel in the Maltese islands.

The screenings will be followed by a discussion on micromobility in Malta.

The event is taking place at the FoEM Green Resource Centre in Floriana. Tickets from foemalta.org.

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VISUAL ARTS

I Can’t Breathe

Christine X Art Gallery is hosting the thought-provoking solo exhibition I Can’t Breathe, showcasing a compelling series of paintings by artist Svetislav Martinovic.

The exhibition invites viewers on a profound journey, encouraging introspection and sparking conversations on the interconnected themes of brutality, environmental consequences and societal challenges.

I Can’t Breathe runs until March 28. For opening hours and more information, visit the Christine X Art Gallery Facebook page.

Inspire Inclusion

A collective exhibition inspired by the theme of this year's International Women's Day is being held at Rudy Buhler Art gallery in Marsascala.

Featuring the works of five female artists, Inspire Inclusion challenges conventional beauty standards and celebrates the diversity of women’s experiences across cultures, identities and backgrounds.

The participating artists are Anna Galea, Jo Dounis, Jennifer Mallia, Caroline Said Lawrence and Michelle Mahoney.

The exhibition runs at Rudy Buhler Art, 58, Triq is-Salini in Marsaskala until March 31. Regular opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 1pm and from 5pm to 8pm. 

Emerging Dimensions

Art educator and artist Lewis Zammit is presenting his latest exhibition of works at the Palm Court Lounge at the Phoenicia Malta in Floriana.

All of the exhibited paintings are firmly linked to questions that preoccupy Zammit such as the brevity of life and how infinitisimley small human beings are in relation to the infinte universe.

He plays around with the idea of the immensity of space, the unknown and that humankind is a mere speck in this continuum. However, Zammit’s inspiration always stems from nature.

Emerging Dimensions, curated by Charlene Vella, is open throughout March.

Paradoxum

Dave Calleja delves into the profound symbolism of masks in his debut solo exhibition at Il-Kamra ta' Fuq in Mqabba.

He here presents a series of masks, each portraying idiosyncratic characteristics. These creations underscore the notion that individuals often obscure their true selves, revealing specific personae based on their circumstances.

He thus provides a poignant commentary on the perpetual quest for self-discovery – an exploration shaped by societal norms and social interactions.

Paradoxum, curated by Melanie Erixon, runs until March 31. Visit the gallery's Facebook page for opening hours and more information.

Melita, מלט −mlṭ, refuge

Spazju Kreattiv is hosting an exhibition by photographer Anne Immelé who photographed Maltese Phoenician caves, punic temple remains and punic archeological sites such as Mozia Island (Sicily), Kerkouane and Carthage (Tunisia). She highlights their mineral characteristics, evoking their timelessness.

In echo, her portraits of sub-Saharan refugees convey the ephemerality of human life’s moments and life paths.

The exhibition, which runs until April 7, is being held in collaboration with maltabiennale.art 2024, Stimultania France, EgliseArt Palermo, Jaou Tunis and is supported by the Centre national des arts plastiques (National Centre for Visual Arts), France  Embassy of France Malta, French Institut Tunis and French Institut Palermo.

Melitae

Kurt Friggieri's solo exhibition titled Melitae is currently on at the Gemelli Art Gallery in the Crafts Village, Ta’ Qali.

Friggieri has worked on numerous altarpieces in church halls, parish houses, private residences, and churches across Malta. Notably, he contributed to the decorative work at the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta.

Drawing inspiration from several renowned artists, including Caravaggio, Guido Reni, Francesco Zahra, Raymond Pitrè, and Giuseppe Calì, Friggieri is known for his mastery of canvas technique and his use of different fabric textures. His preferred painting style is baroque, employing the wet-on-dry technique, which involves retouching certain areas after the paint has dried.

In Melitae, he presents 20 scenes from Maltese and Gozitan history, religious processions, traditional feasts, Good Friday, Corpus Christi, as well as landscapes and streetscapes around Malta.

Melitae runs until March 31.

[attach id=1409453 size="large" align="left" type="image"]One of Kurt Friggieri's artworks on display at Gemelli Art Framing.[/attach]

Seeing Music

A collection of works by the late Frank Briffa (1947-2021) is on display at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta.

Frank Briffa was born in Egypt but was brought up by his Maltese parents in London, never negating his Maltese heritage. The British capital, with its hold of museums and galleries, offered varied inspiration to the young Briffa.

He held a doctorate for his research on copper toxicity, however, he never let go of his interest in the arts, composing various musical pieces.  In 1998, he left the official academic world and teaching to pursue his artistic career full time. His creative output is multifaceted.

This exhibition is a homage to Briffa’s love of music, showcasing pieces inspired by compositions that had deeply resonated with him over the years. 

Seeing Music is open until April 11 at the Malta Society of Arts, Republic Street, Valletta. Entrance is free.

Unknown Prescription

Artists Mario Abela, Charles Balzan and Justin Falzon are participating in an exhibition curated by artist Austin Camilleri Il-Ħaġar - Heart of Gozo Museum in Victoria.

The works by the three Maltese artists are set off against pieces from the museum’s permanent collection, thus presenting a dialogue between the artefacts from previous centuries and these contemporary works.

The exhibition is on until April 14. One can purchase the exhibition catalogue (No. 28 of Il-Ħaġar Gems Series) from the venue. It features essays by Austin Camilleri, Maria Frendo, Niki Young, and Gabriel Zammit.

The museum is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm. Entrance is free.

[attach id=1409454 size="large" align="left" type="image"]A work by Justin Falzon. Photo: Facebook[/attach]

Dream [of] Land

An interdisciplinary exhibition project combining narratives of identity, belonging and home through the blurred overlap of art-making and craft is on dispay at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta.

Dream [of] Land brings together a body of collective work exploring the tangible manipulation of matter through acts of weaving, moulding and sculpting, not only of conventional materials but of narratives, memories and legacies.

The exhibition seeks to question and redefine the significance of matter and materiality, by regarding it as an active agent with its own historicity and potentiality for dreams and change.

Curated by Elyse Tonna and Sarah Chircop, it features the work of Francesca Beltrame, Noah Fabri, the LaLaLa Collective, Femmy Otten, Florence Peake, Sephora Schembri, Dasha Tsapenko and Rakel Vella. Margarita Pulè is the project manager.

Dream [of] Land runs until April 21. For more information, visit kreattivita.org.

OTHER EXHIBITIONS

Let Me Be Myself The Life Story of Anne Frank

The University of Malta Library in collaboration with The Tayar Foundation is hosting the exhibition Let Me Be Myself - The Life Story of Anne Frank until March 21.

The exhibition consists of 34 panels, each containing key images and texts about the world that surrounded Anne Frank, from the rise of Hitler to the persecution of the Jews and World War 11. It also gives an account of her life: from her birth in 1929 up to her death in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945.

The library is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 8pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 12.15pm. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Entrance is free.

In the Footsteps of the Hospitallers: 900 Years of Chivalry, Faith & Charity

The National Library of Malta in Valletta is hosting an exhibition about the Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM).

By means of maps, documents, printed works and objets d’art, In the Footsteps of the Hospitallers traces the story of the Order, starting from their humble beginnings in Jerusalem during the mid-11th century.

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.

It will remain open during library hours until March: Monday to Friday: 8.30am to 4.30pm; Saturdays: 8.30am to 12.30pm (every third Saturday of the month, the library opens from 8.30am to 3.30pm. Entrance is free.

whatson@timesofmalta.com