MUSIC
Stephen Schwartz: Defying Gravity − Live in Concert
Oscar, Grammy and Tony award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz will perform at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta on September 29. He will be accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and a host of major national and international guests.
These include Matthew James Thomas (from Schwartz’s Tony Award-winning musical Pippin), Michael McCorry Rose (from his Broadway production of Wicked), and Keri René Fuller (from Six the Musical on Broadway), besides local artists Destiny, Ira Losco and tenor Joseph Calleja.
Audiences will be treated to newly orchestrated arrangements of the composer’s most popular works, besides surprises and stories of how the songs evolved. Among others, Defying Gravity from Wicked, Morning Glow’ from Pippin, When You Believe from The Prince of Egypt, Out There from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Colours of the Wind from Pocahontas will be performed.
The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets from showshappening.com.
MCO: Music from the Movies
The Malta Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Joe Brown, will present some of the most iconic film scores at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta on September 27 at 8.30pm.
Singers Edward Ellul, Talitha Dimech and Victorio Gauci will accompany the orchestra.
Tickets from ticketline.com.mt.
The Rockit Experience
The St Paul Metropolitan Orchestra is teaming up with metal band Oblique Visions to present a fusion of orchestral music and doom-death metal at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta Msida Campus, on September 26 at 7.30pm.
They will perform music from the band’s latest album Out of Darkness. The evening will also feature progressive rock band Viper Soup Complex.
Tickets from showshappening.com.
150 Years of Music
The King’s Own Philharmonic Society of Valletta, under the baton of musical director John Galea, is holding a concert at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta on September 27 as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations.
Entitled One Hundred and Fifty Years of Music, the concert will take the audience on a musical journey across various genres of music, including opera, jazz and blues, rock and contemporary numbers.
The concert will also feature Dominic Galea, singer Amber Bondin and musician Joe Camilleri ‘il-Bibi’. It will be compèred by Keith Demicoli.
Tickets are available from www.teatrumanoel.mt or from the theatre’s booking office.
The King’s Own Philharmonic Society will be performing at the Manoel Theatre.Una notte con le stelle
A concert featuring legendary Italian artists Al Bano, Ricchi e Poveri, Matia Bazar and Riccardo Fogli is taking place at the Granaries in Floriana on September 28.
The show will be compèred by popular dancer and TV host Lorella Cuccarini. Doors open at 6pm.
Tickets from showshappening.com.
Lorella Cuccarini. Photo: Shutterstock.comTempietto Serenade
The gardens of Villa Frere in Pietà are hosting the first-ever performance on September 28: a unique, improvised neo-classical concert by pianist Yun Chai and featuring dancer Tara Dalli.
All the profit from tickets will be donated to the NGO Friends of Villa Frere to help restore and rebuild the historic villa’s gardens. Wine is included in the ticket price.
The event starts at 5.30pm. Parking will be available near Pietà Primary School until that time. The area will be closed thereafter to facilitate event preparations.
Tickets are available from showshappening.com.
Malta Death Fest 2024
The annual festival dedicated to death metal is taking place at The Garage in Żebbuġ on September 27 and 28.
Among the bands taking part are Halcyon, Caedre, Angel Crypt, Sacroment, Defcarnation, Martyrium, and Invercund.Headliners include Italian band Maze of Sothoth, Dutch band Sepiroth and Finnish extreme metal band Impaled Nazarene.
Tickets will be available at the door.
Sandfest – Island Sounds Malta 2024
A three-day festival headlined by English singer Rag ‘N’ Bone Man (Human, Giant, Lovers in a Past Life) and Joel Corry is taking place between September 27 and 29.
There will be a festival pre-party on September 27, the main festival event and after-party on September 28, and a day-to-night beach club takeover on September 29. Among the deejays performing will be Mistajam, Rio Fredrika and Caity Baser.
Tickets from fixr.co.
Rag 'n' Bone Man. Photo: Shutterstock.comTHEATRE
1x1: A Collection of New Monologues
Audrey Rose Mizzi in Friġġ. Photo: Jake GialanzeChewing Productions is presenting the third edition of their new theatre anthologies at Theatre Next Door in Magħtab from September 27 to 29.
These are Friġġ by Lara Agius to be performed by Audrey Rose Mizzi; 90 Sekonda by Benjamin Abela starring Miguel Formosa; Anti Social by Julia Camilleri to be performed by Zofia Stelmaszcyzk, and Moving Boxes by Nicky Gambin and Martina Zammit, featuring Sara Gauci.
With performances in both Maltese and English, the four solo performances blend comedy and drama to tell stories about social media, climate change, gender identity, and body image.
All monologues will be surtitled in English on all performance dates. Due to depictions of drug and alcohol use, sex and violence, the show is suitable for an audience aged 16+. Tickets from fmt.com.mt/tnd.
Peter Gynt
A reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s iconic play Peer Gynt is being staged at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta on September 27-29 and October 4-6.
Adapted by British playwright Brad Birch and directed by Chris Gatt and starring Joseph Zammit alongside an international cast and crew, Peer Gynt promises to be a unique theatrical experience that spotlights themes of identity, culture and displacement.
The plot follows the life and adventures of one of Europe’s great liars on a surreal and thrilling ride, following the impulsive fantasist as he rises from rural poverty to obscene wealth and power.
Produced by Adrian Buckle and the Malta School of Drama & Dance, the show is supported by Arts Council Malta. Booking from kreattivita.org.
Read also this Times of Malta preview.
Joseph Zammit as the title character. Photo: Jacob SammutCospicua Short Play Festival
The seventh edition of the Cospicua Short Play Festival is being held on September 27 and 28.
A number of plays on various themes will be staged in key locations in the city, and will be followed by an awards ceremony.
Attendance is free. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page or the Bormla Local Council Facebook page.
The Eden Stand Up Comedy Night
The event's posterInternationally acclaimed comedians Luke Nixon, Will Hannigan and Geoff Whiting will star at the 24th edition of the Eden Stand-Up Comedy Night, being held at the Eden Cinemas in St Julian’s on September 27 at 8.30pm.
Nixon is an award-winning comedian, actor, and writer, who among others, co-hosts Catastrophe Cabaret, one of London’s top comedy nights.Canadian comedian Hannigan is a rising star who toured Canada for nearly a decade, appearing at Just For Laughs NorthWest and Grindstone Comedy Festival.
This edition will again be hosted by Comedy Club regular Whiting, founder of Mirth Control Comedy, who has worked in all notable comedy clubs in Europe.
Tickets from edencinemas.com.mt.
FILM
EUNIC Film Festival
Spazju Kreattiv is holding another edition of the EUNIC Film Festival between September 24 and 29.It will feature 14 screenings, celebrating diversity in all its forms.
These include Waltzing Matilda from the Czech Republic, Perfect as You Are from Hungary, Murina, being presented by the EC Commission, Carmen from Malta, Mi Vida from the Netherlands and 3 Nuits Par Semaine from France.
There will also be short movies and animated films.
For all the details and tickets, visit kreattivita.org.
The event's posterMISCELLANEOUS
Science in the City
This year’s edition of Science in the City will take place on September 27 and 28 at the Triton Fountain in Valletta, featuring dozens of interactive stands and hands-on activities. Nearby at Sala San Duminku, a variety of indoor performances and workshops aim to spark curiosity and creativity.
This year’s event, which is themed J.E.D.I (justice, equity, diversity and Inclusion) will include activities such as interacting with humanoid robots from the University of Malta Cottonera Resource Centre, using 3D modelling to understand the role of microbes in the intestine with The BioArte Limited, virtually exploring shipwrecks, plane wrecks and other underwater locations around Malta thanks to Heritage Malta and more.
There will also be performances from local and international performers Braintastic! Science, Ringroad Theatre, The Bad Boy of Science, Diccon Cooper and Buddies’ Experiments.
For all the information, visit the event's Facebook page. Also read this Times of Malta preview.
Sean Briffa from Ringroad Theatre gives a sneak peak of his performance at this year’s Science in the City.International Puppet Festival
The Għarb local council is hosting the first-ever International Puppet Festival in the village square on September 28 and 29.
There will be parades by giant ambulatory puppets by foreign companies, interactive, friendly, family entertainment by actor and popular puppeteer Sean Briffa, while Maltese theatre company Theatre Anon will be demonstrating how to use different styles of puppetry to animate stories, with free entry to all. They are also running workshops on creating shadow puppets and using life-size puppets which should be pre-booked.
For more information, visit the event's Facebook page. Also read this Times of Malta preview.
A large puppet crafted by French theatre company Paris Bénarès.Lejla fil-park
Sustainable Development Malta is holding the third edition of Lejla fil-park at the Park ta’ San Klement in Żabbar on September 27 between 5 and 9.30pm, as part of Sustainable Development Week.
There will be various activities for all the family, including sports, educational stalls, exhibitions, interactive activities and entertainment.
Entrance is free. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
[attach id="1425238" size="large" align="left" type="image"]The event's poster[/attach]
Żejt iż-Żejtun
The event celebrating the olive-picking season and olive-pressing for oil will be held in Żejtun returns on September 28 and 29 (morning).
Organised by the Żejtun local council, it will start on September 28 at around 7.30pm with the Bandu (banns or proclamation) that will announce the event. A défilé of village folk and farmers on carts, carrying the olive harvest for pressing, will then parade along the streets of Żejtun.
Drummers and flag bearers in medieval costumes, together with folk singers and dancers, will provide the traditional musical input in celebration of a bountiful harvest.
An exhibition of agricultural tools, agricultural products and folk art will deck the village in traditional attire that will come alive in a celebration of colour, music, movement and food.
Pride of place will, of course, be given to the olive tree. Maltese ftajjar and bread dressed in freshly pressed olive oil will be distributed for free tasting.
Olive trees and associated products will also be on sale. An audiovisual presentation will feature olive tree varieties and techniques for their proper cultivation.
The crypt of the parish church of St Catherine will be open for public viewing.
On the morning of September 29, the parish will organise the traditional blessing of horses, cattle and pets. This will take place after the planting of trees by children who would have received their Confirmation this year.
The church belfries will also be open to the public.
For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.
Locals parading along Żejtun during last year's folk festival. Photo: Facebook