Festivals Malta is organising pared-down cultural events in Valletta this October.

The autumn of 2020 will go down in Maltese artists’ memory as the year that Festivals Malta made good on its promise to support those local artists who took the leap to go professional. Needless to say, the agency offers its support to all artists all the time. But, when tough times hit, Festivals Malta’s first line of support needs to go out to those artists who depend on being able to perform to make a living.

Għanjiet għal waqt l-Imxija, a project that fuses music, singing and contemporary dance that musically adapts poems by Albert Marshall.

In the context we are living in, where mass live performances pose a threat to life, this means finding new ways to link performers with audiences, safely.

Antoine Farrugia, the artistic director of what would have been the 14th edition of Notte Bianca, has a motto that guides the way forward: ‘Tadatta, tkun prudenti u timxi’ (which roughly translates as ‘adapt, be prudent and proceed’). Yes, Notte Bianca was cancelled this year but this did not mean that all performances were shelved or that the artists who strove to create and perfect them were dismissed with a shrug.

“Instead of bringing people into Valletta to watch the performances at one go,” he said, “where possible we are scaling down the performances and scheduling them on alternate days, making them as safe as possible to our audiences, while still delivering a cultural experience.”

Once it became evident that it was not going to be possible to hold Notte Bianca on October 3 as planned, all the productions that had been commissioned for the event had to be reassessed in terms of whether they could be staged in a way that met the safety guidelines issued by the health authorities and, if so, whether the artists would still be available on alternative dates.

It also became imperative to identify enclosed venues that would allow the organisers to control audience numbers and ensure that social distancing measures were implemented and observed.

Iss’aħna l-kor!, a work of comic choral theatre by KORO.

As a result, at Pjazza D’Armi, in Fort St Elmo, the Palace String Orchestra, conducted by Ryan Paul Abela, performed classic and film music on October 2. The setting, which was circular, promoted diversity, unity and equality. Booking was strictly required. This production was filmed and aired on TVM 2.

This was followed by a performance titled Iss’aħna l-kor!, a work of comic choral theatre, where four couples open up about how they managed to cope during the COVID lockdown to the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Rossini and Orff. And, those that could stomach it, stayed on and embarked on a journey through time with famous historical characters who recounted the grisly events that led to their untimely deaths in Grisly Cabaret.

Another event that required pre-booking was NotteXvoto. Staged at the unique Pilar church, in Valletta, the performance brought to life four saints, each of whom is intricately connected with the city. These saints, depicted in a restored 17th-century painting, had much to say on the current situation we find ourselves in today. This production was also filmed and aired on TVM2.

Some performances have been re-envisioned as television productions and will not be performed live, among them Għanjiet għal waqt l-Imxija, featuring nine poems penned by Albert Marshall, expressed in music by jazz expert Dominic Galea and interpreted by Corazon, Neville Refalo, Leontine Spiteri and Mark Tonna; Ballata tal-Belt Valletta, an imaginary autobiography of Valletta written within its streets and palaces by Joe Julian Farrugia; and Femrepublik, a musical production that celebrates the achievements and triumphs of Maltese women in the performing arts through the ages. All were aired on TVM2 last weekend and can be seen again on demand or via Festivals Malta’s Facebook page.

Grisly Cabaret, a journey through time that explores the depths of murder and death.

These were just a few of the offerings that Festivals Malta and Farrugia, working tirelessly with the artists themselves, as well as teams of other dedicated professionals ‒ including venue organisers, sound and lighting experts, set and costume designers, make-up artists, marketing experts, television crews ‒ and, crucially, health and sanitation authorities, have managed to pull together in spite of the odds.

Many challenges remain, among them the uncertainty the COVID-19 pandemic brings. As it cannot be guaranteed that the performers will not be quarantined or, worse, be down with the virus in the run- up to their performance, events are being confirmed as late as five days prior to the event.

For more information, visit the Festivals Malta website www.festivals.mt. Last weekend’s televised events can be enjoyed on TVM2 On Demand or on the Festivals Malta Facebook Page.