THEATRE

Cabaret

The iconic musical Cabaret is being staged at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta from May 10 to 19.

Originally written in the 1960s, Cabaret explores life in pre-war Berlin set against the decline of the ‘Jazz Age’ and the rise of the Nazi party to power.

The story focuses on the hedonistic nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Club, where Sally Bowles is a resident performer. Juxtaposing the horror of pre-war Berlin with the glamourous world of live cabaret, the musical offers an escape for both the characters on the stage and audience members alike.

Overseeing the action is the Kit Kat Club Emcee, and the club itself serves as a metaphor for ominous political developments in late Weimar Germany.

The local production will star Sean Borg as the Emcee, Maxine Aquilina as Sally Bowles, Isabel Warrington as Fraulein Schneider, Stephen Oliver as Herr Schultz and Jason Scerri as Clifford Bradshaw, alongside an ensemble of 11 chorus members and supported by a 16-piece orchestra.

The performance is directed by Lucienne Camilleri and the music director is Ryan Paul Abela. The costumes are designed by Stefania Grech Vella, and the set is by Adrian Mamo.

Tickets from teatrumanoel.mt.

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. 

Read this Times of Malta review.

MUSIC

Iljieli fit-Teatru: Beatfest − Rock

The SouthBeats Band will kick off the first concert of the Beatfest series at the Green Room of Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta on May 6 at 7.30pm.

Among others, they will play classic rock hit singles such as Hotel California, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Proud Mary and Sultans of Swing.

Tickets from ticketline.com.mt.

Trumpet Thrills

Trumpetist Jason Camilleri and pianist Milica Lawrence are teaming up to present classic and contemporary music at Our Lady of Victory church, Valletta, on May 7 at 12.30pm.

The programme includes works by White, Bach, Stewart, Wilson and Stephens.

The concert forms part of the series of the weekly lunchtime concerts organised by the Barocco Foundation, in collaboration with Din l-Art Ħelwa. For reservations, one can e-mail baroccobookings@gmail.com or get tickets at the entrance of the church.

After the performance, patrons may also watch the 10-minute documentary Grand Master de Valette and his first church of Valletta in the underground cinema.

Bir Miftuħ Opening Concert

Din l-Art Ħelwa is once again holding the Bir Miftuħ International Music Festival at the old chapel of Santa Marija ta' Bir Miftuħ in Gudja.

The opening concert, on May 10 at 7.30pm, will see a violin, flute, harp and voice performance of works by Massenet, Gaubert, Debussy, Piazzolla, Saint Saens, Fauré, Strauss, Ibert and Berlioz.

The Maltese and French musicians are Manon Galy, a violin rising star from Toulouse, Anissa Baniahmad (flute), Anne Marie Camilleri Podesta’ (harp) and soprano Gillian Zammit.

For bookings, call 2122 0358 / 2122 5952 or e-mail info@dinarthelwa.org. The event is being held in collaboration with the the Alliance Française and the German Embassy in Malta.

The next concerts will be held on May 18 and June 8.

Friday Night Fever

On May 10, Xagħra is hosting a disco-inspired night featuring 1970s music with a line-up of local artists: Jolene Samhan and Band, Sean Kamati, Joseph Refalo and DJ Alex Grech. 

Attendees are encouraged to dress in 1970s disco attire.

The free event is taking place in Xagħra square and starts at 8.30pm. It is organised by the Xagħra local council with the support of the Cultural Heritage Directorate within the Ministry for Gozo and Planning.

Choral concert 

The St Paul Choral Society is presenting a choral concert showcasing compositions from the 16th century to the present day at St Dominic church in Rabat on May 11 at 7.30pm.

The choir, under choirmaster Hugo Agius Muscat and assistant Cecilia Agius Muscat, will be a mix of ‘a cappella’ pieces and works accompanied by Elisabeth Conrad on the organ. 

The programme includes works by Viadana, Scerri, Bruckner, Bach, Saint-Saens, Rachmaninoff, Faure’, Palestrina, Durufle’ and others.Entrance is free but donations in aid of the church are welcome.

No tickets are required and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

MPO-MYO in concert

The Malta Youth Orchestra is joining the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra for their annual joint concert at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta on May 11 at 9pm. 

Under the baton of Michael Laus, the musicians will play a varied programme featuring Muscat’s Festival Overture, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Festival Overture, and concluding with Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique.

Tickets from showshappening.com.

Voices of Two Islands

The St Monica Vocal Ensemble and the Vancouver Island Choir from Canada are holding a joint concert in aid of Hospice Malta at Robert Samut Hall in Floriana, on May 11 at 7pm.

The Canadian choir will perform works by Vecchi, Lotti, Monteverdi, while the St Monica Vocal Ensemble will play pieces by Purifoy and Chilcott, among others. The two choirs will together sing Morricone’s Nella Fantasia, and Għanjiet Maltin, a collection of traditional Maltese songs arranged by former St Monica Vocal Ensemble choir member Mario Attard.

For more information and updates, visit the St Monica Vocal Ensemble official Facebook page.

Do-Re-Mi Meets La

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra’s Do-Re-Mi adventure for children continues with Lana or ‘La’, the saxophone and the youngest member of the orchestra family, on May 12 at 11am.

Among others, the young audience will learn that La comes in varied sizes and voices for major impact and assorted musical colours.

Tickets from showshappening.com.

Serenade for Strings

A concert at St Anthony of Padua church in Għajnsielem is presenting a diverse selection of music with romantic overtones on Mother's Day.

Among others, works by Mozart, Dvorak, Piazzolla and Attard will be performed, including Mozart's beloved Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for Strings in G Major, K. 525) as well as a lesser-known Serenade for Strings composed by Norman Leyden.

The concert, under the musical direction of Pierre Louis Attard, will start at 7.45pm. Entrance is free.

Serenade for Strings forms part of the Spring Time in Gozo programme and is supported by the Gozo Cultural Heritage Directorate within the Ministry for Gozo and Planning as well as the Għajnsielem local council.

MISCELLANEOUS

Malta Café Scientifique 

The next edition of Malta Café Scientifique will delve into whether nature could provide a solution for the growing issue of air pollution in cities.

Prof. Ing. Daniel Micallef and Jeremy Sacco from the Faculty for the Built Environment at the University of Malta will present their research on air quality barriers using urban greenery.

The event is taking place at Studio B at Spazju Kreattiv, in Valletta, on May 7 at 7pm. Entrance is free but booking is required on kreattivita.org. 

The event is supported by the STEAM project, Spazju Kreattiv, the University of Malta and Malta Chamber of Scientists (of which the café forms part).

Public talk on Maltese literature translated into German

Albert Friggieri will deliver the public lecture ‘German Translations of Maltese Literary Works’ at the Gateway Hall B1 at the University of Malta in Msida on May 9 at 5pm.

Friggieri will be giving an over­view of the German translations of Maltese literary works that have appeared in print. Extracts will be recited in German and Maltese by Maxine Tanti and Nicole Vassallo, students from the Departments of German and Maltese. 

The lecture is co-organised by the University’s departments of German and Maltese and will be held in English. 

More information is available on the event’s Facebook page.

Valletta Green Festival

The 10th edition of the festival opens in St George's Square, Valletta, on May 10.

Among others, there is an EcoMarket featuring sustainable jewellery, art and paintings, beauty products, make-up and items for children and pets. The market is open daily from 10am to 6pm. A number of educational workshops for children related to gardening are also being held today, tomorrow and on May 18 and 19 from 3 to 6pm.

There will be a live performance by Trakadum today from 10.30am to noon and a flash mob performance on May 18 from 11am to 2pm.

The festival, organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency, runs until May 19. For all the details, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Art and Faith at the Oratories

The Jesuits’ newly restored Oratory of the Onorati and the Oratory of the Immacolata (adjacent to the former Jesuit church in Valletta) will be open to the public on May 11 from 2 to 6pm.

The international movement Pietre Vive has been invited by the Jesuits’ Church Foundation for the occasion. The movement offers a new approach to sacred spaces where sacred art is not simply an aesthetic component of the space, but an integral element in the understanding of the space and the spiritual concepts it embodies.

Visitors will be accompanied on a guided visit that delves into the symbols, stories and spiritual aspirations. They will also be allowed to spend some time in quiet reflection to spiritually engage with the space.

All visits are free of charge and are open to all regardless of personal creed or affiliation. Groups will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Gozo Spring Fair

A spring fair is being held at Villa Rundle Gardens in Victoria on May 11 and 12.

There will be locally made goods on sale, flower arrangements and competitions, and children’s crafts, besides other fun events.

The fair will be open from 10am to 6pm on both days.

Science in the Citadel

The fifth edition of Science in the Citadel is taking place in Victoria on May 12. The event was originally scheduled for April 28 but was postponed due to inclement weather.

The fun-filled educational event, suitable for all ages and families, will feature various free activities, including engaging workshops, an interactive science fair, demonstrations and experiments, exhibitions, tours and talks, besides some comedy, magic and dance performances.

The event, which is sponsored by Eco-Gozo − A Better Gozo, is being held from 10am to 6pm.

VISUAL ARTS

Whimsical Inquiries: A Visual Exploration of Curiosity

Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema is inviting visitors on a journey of wonder and exploration, encouraging them to embrace the mysteries and complexities of life through the lens of art.

The exhibition, Whimsical Inquiries: A Visual Exploration of Curiosity, curated by Christine Xuereb Seidu, brings together a diverse collection of works by emerging and established artists alike. From paintings to three-dimensional work, each piece in the exhibition reflects a unique interpretation of curiosity and invites viewers to delve into the unknown.

The participating artists are Trevor Borg, Karen Caruana, Rebecca Cassar, Trevor Diacono, Charlene Galea, Ruslana Grima, Lufer, Mariam Mifsud De Giorgio, Adrian Scicluna, Sabina Smialek, Stefan Spiteri, Elisa Von Brockdorff and Emma Weller.

The exhibition runs until May 16. For more information, visit the gallery's Facebook page.

Searching for Stillness

In his 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.

Gimme Some Sugar

Figurative painter SJ Fuerst playfully celebrates candy’s presence in pop culture in an exhibition at the Art Galleries at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta.

The paintings are bright, humorous and seductive. The artist painted on vintage Candy Land board games and candy boxes. She also incorporated elements of sculpture for the first time. Among others, she cast lollipops out of resin to paint on and sculpted marshmallows and popsicles out of clay.

The exhibition runs until May 23 and entrance is free. Opening hours from Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 7pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. The palazzo is closed on Sundays and public holidays.

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.

My Point of View

Fabio Borg is presenting his 11th solo exhibition at the Palm Court Lounge of The Phoenicia in Floriana.

Through his bold and evocative brushwork, Borg invites viewers to embark on a visual journey that transcends the boundaries of reality and imagination. While his paintings may appear to be landscapes - which, in fact, were the starting point for these paintings - they are not landscapes per se.

Captured rapidly, the compositions express a mood evoked through colour, thus a continuation of his last solo exhibition titled Moodscapes. This collection features experiences drawn from everyday life, hence its title.

My Point of View runs until the end of May.

No Smoking During the Apocalypse

Artist Julian ‘Julinu’ Mallia is presenting a collection of oil paintings at Il-Kamra ta' Fuq in Mqabba.

The visual series features unlikely encounters that are imbued with an aura of poetic ambiguity and laced with a dash of absurdist deadpan humour.

Within this monochrome universe, impossible objects float over a celestial background, the real merges with the digital and Tony Montana dines with Jesus Christ. Beneath these highly imaginative juxtapositions, however, lies a more sobering concern about the search for meaning when confronted with what Albert Camus refers to as “the unreasonable silence of the world”.

No Smoking During the Apocalypse, curated by Melanie Erixon, is on from May 10 to June 2. For more information, including opening hours, visit the gallery's Facebook page.

Tmermir/Decay

An exhibition of paintings by Matthew Joseph Casha, winner of the Arts Council Malta's Premju għall-arti 2023, is opening at Rudy Bulher Art gallery in Marsascala.

The artist delves into the intricate interplay between form and decay, seeking to unveil the profound beauty inherent in the gradual erosion of structure and the emergence of macro-perspectives. Through his work, he aims to capture the essence of impermanence.

Casha thus invites viewers to contemplate the ever-evolving nature of existence and find solace in the relationship between creation and dissolution.

Tmermir opens on May 10 at 6pm and runs from May 11 until June 16. Opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 1pm and 5 to 8pm

The gallery is located at Quayside Court, 58, Triq Is-Salini, Marsaskala. For more information, call 356 7977 1340, e-mail rudy@rudybuhler.art or visit www.rudybuhler.art.

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