THEATRE 

The Band’s Visit

The Band’s Visit, winner of 10 Tony Awards, including best musical, is being staged at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta from May 6 to 14.

Based on Eran Kolirin’s 2007 film of the same name, the offbeat tale is set in an Israeli town that is way off the beaten path, where a group of Egyptian musicians arrive disoriented, out of nowhere. Under the spell of the desert sky, the band and their provincial Israeli hosts move tentatively towards each other, from breaking bread to sharing secrets, suffering and music.

The show, brought to Malta by Revamp.mt, features a book by Itamar Moses and a score by David Yazbek together with a cast of actor-musicians.

For tickets, visit teatrumanoel.com.mt.

Sħuna u Tqarmeċ

A musico-literary event, the star of which is Maltese bread, is taking place at the Hilton Malta in St Julian’s on May 5 at 8.30pm.

Organised by Maypole and Kelma Kelma Nota Nota, the show stars Ray Calleja, Daniel Cauchi and the Big Band Brothers, and Michael Spagnol, head of the Department of Maltese at the Faculty of Arts, University of Malta.

Tickets are available from showshappening.com.

Skaduti

A comedy show written by David Rizzo is taking place at the Catholic Institute in Floriana, with proceeds going in aid of Puttinu Cares.

The plot follows a newly-wed couple who have just moved into a new home. Problems soon ensue, including the presence of some uninvited guests.

The cast includes Toni Busuttil, Eric Grech, Rita Camilleri, Redeemer Galea, who also directs the show and Christopher Barbara Fenech, the show’s artistic director.

For tickets, visit buytickets.mt.

Danusan: It-Tmiem

The popular comedians are performing their latest show atTeatru MBC in Nadur.

The plot sees them explore heaven after their death, only to be daring enough to explore hell as an option.

For tickets, visit showshappening.com.

MalTease

The variety and burlesque show, starring Undine LaVerve and inspired by the story of Strait Street in Valletta, is back for its sixth edition at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta from May 5 to 7.

Performances revolve around acts, loosely tied in by a story which will take the audience on a journey through space and time, bringing back Malta’s cabaret heyday.

For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

MUSIC

Gaulitana: A Festival of Music

The month-long festival is coming to an end on May 1, with a concert starring Matthias Gredler, former member of the prize-winning Vienna Piano Trio, at St Francis church, Victoria, at 7.30pm. Gredler will perform as a soloist on a 1752 J.B. Guadagnini cello.

The Gaulitanus String Orchestra, led by Marcelline Agius, will also perform a number of popular works in a fitting ending to a month-long cultural bonanza.

The concert will be conducted by Colin Attard.

Entrance is free. For more information, visit gualitanus.com.

High on Emotions

Emerging soprano Alexandra Camilleri Gambin will be accompanied by pianist Elaine Mercieca in a recital of songs and arias at Our Lady of Victory church, Valletta, on May 2 at 12.30pm.

The programme embraces works by various composers in English, German and Maltese, including Handel, Mozart, Grieg and Schubert.

Entrance to the concert is at a suggested donation of €10. One can obtain the tickets prior to the concert from the venue or by e-mailing baroccomalta@gmail.com or calling on 7968 0952. 

Rock the South Malta

The 10th edition of Rock the South Malta will be bringing a huge line-up of artists to Zion in Marsascala from May 5 to 7. There will be a main stage and a Silent Disco/Band in a Camp stage.

The main stage on May 5 will star Bo Ningen (JP/UK), Beangrowers, Areola Treat, Michael Azzopardi, Kym Pepe, Cher Camilleri and roża. Performances start at 5.30pm. Radju ĦAJ, The Violent Violets, Alias 1 and Estranyesa will perform at the Band in a Camp stage.

May 6 will feature Pulled Apart By Horses (UK), Brodu, AIM (IT), Shoshtakovich’s Nightmare, Massacre House Party, Beesqueeze, The Velts and Edgar Allan Paul on the main stage and Black Plague, Spots and Stripes and Zkeletonz DJ Set (UK) on the other stage. Performances will also start at 5.30pm.

The event will close on May 7 from 2pm onwards with Beheaded, BNI, Club Murder, BILA, Haine, Krishna, Hempifier, Five Years From Now, Dalam, Mirage, Grotium, Ferret, Niket and Morsrot on the main stage. DJ Hades, ĦANEK, Gh⊕s††, CHILD and Tina will play at the Silent Disco/Band in a Camp stage.

For more information and tickets, visit rockthesouthmalta.com.

Spring Harmony

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Michael Laus, is celebrating spring at the Robert Samut Hall in Floriana on May 6.

The programme features Mozart’s dramatic work for strings Adagio and Fugue, and Extase by Christopher Muscat. Mezzo-soprano Claire Massa will perform Wagner’s Fünf Gedichte für eine Frauenstimme, five exquisite songs whose texts are profound poems by Mathilde Wesendonck. The horn section takes centre stage in Haydn’s Symphony No. 31, also aptly nicknamed Hornsignal Symphony, which displays his orchestral mastery. 

Tickets are available here.

Valletta Resounds: The Caravaggio Experience

St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation and Udjenza are producing a new concert as part of the Valletta Resounds series, which strings together Malta’s cultural heritage with theatrical storytelling and timeless classical music.

Titled The Caravaggio Experience, the concert is being performed weekly inside the oratory, which is adorned with Caravaggio's masterpieces.

Critically acclaimed Maltese musicians under the musical direction of Jacob Portelli are at the helm of the site-specific performance, bringing to life the works of baroque masters such as Vivaldi and Bach, along with the sound of sacred Maltese music by composer Francesco Azzopardi and more. They are accompanied by sopranos Dorothy Bezzina and Dorothy Baldacchino.

The concert is woven harmoniously with tales of the Knights of St John narrated by Jeremy Grech. 

A highlight of The Caravaggio Experience is the music score for the atmospheric light installation on details of the master's paintings.

The concert is being performed weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays until June 21 (except May 19 and June 2) at 6.30pm, with ticket holders being granted exclusive after-hours access to the Co-Cathedral at 6pm. 

Alongside its majestic architecture, visitors may also enjoy rare, centuries-old tapestries that will be exhibited inside the Co-Cathedral from May 5 to June 24, following a 16-year-long restoration project.

Tickets may be purchased from www.showshappening.com.

For more information visit www.udjenza.com.

FILM

Workers’ Day Film Screening: The Good Boss

Moviment Graffitti is holding an event at its premises at 67, Strait Street, in Valletta, tomorrow, May 1 to celebrate Workers’ Day and remember the past and current struggles of workers.

They will be screening the Fernando León de Aranoa satirical comedy The Good Boss (2021) about a charismatic and manipulative factory owner in a Spanish town meddling in the lives of his employees in an attempt to win an award for business excellence.

The event starts at 6pm and the film will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles.

Entrance is free.

Lux Audience Award Screenings

Alcarràs, one of the nominated films at the LUX – The European Audience Film Award, organised by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy, is being screened on May 3 at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta.

More nominated films will be screened throughout May. One can rate the films on the LUX Rating Platform, entering a competition to win from a number of prizes, that include the opportunity to travel to Strasbourg to attend the LUX Awards ceremony at the European Parliament and meet the directors of the nominated films.

The film that wins the LUX Audience Award will be adapted for visually and hearing-impaired audiences.

For more information and tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

MISCELLANEOUS

Malta Artisan Markets

The next edition of the Malta Artisan Markets is taking place tomorrow, May 1, at Campus Hub at the University of Malta, Msida Campus.

Various artisans will display their creations between 10am and 6pm.

Entrance and parking are for free.

For more information, visit the Malta Artisan Markets Facebook page.

Valletta Green Festival

Over 18,000 plants, including colourful flowers and evergreen trees, are adorning St George's Square as the Valletta Green Festival runs until Sunday.

Instead of an infiorata, the 10th edition of the festival sees trees and plants creating a trail, for people to walk around and enjoy.

From May 3, Ambjent Malta, ERA, Water Be the Change, Project Green, WasteServ, Eco Market Malta and the EIT Urban Mobility Hub will be exhibiting in St George's Square and Triton Square to provide educational information, freebies, and answer visitors' questions on how one can contribute to make our earth a greener, more sustainable space.

There will also be an eco-market along Old Theatre Street selling Maltese organic produce over the weekend.

The event is organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency.

Il-Manuċċa ttir maż-żmien

The manuċċa, a kite and a symbol of Żejtun, is going to take visitors across different periods of the locality’s rich history on May 6.

Żejtun’s main square and the surrounding open spaces will be transformed to host various activities and re-enactments from three different periods: the Knights of St John, the French and British periods.

This event, which starts at 7pm, is organised by the Southern Regional Council and the Żejtun local council.

For more information, look up the event’s Facebook page.

Shema

On May 6, the Diocese of Gozo is organising an event inspired by the Jewish word Shema: ‘Hear, o Israel’ (Deut 6.45), the first words of a daily Jewish prayer in the Bible.

The event, which takes the form of Notte Bianca, will feature free attractions in the centre of Victoria, which are somehow related to the Word of God. These vary from an exhibition, concerts, outdoor exhibitions by local artists to activities addressed to children.

Among those taking part are the Animae Gospel Choir, under the direction of Pamela Bezzina which will hold a concluding concert in Independence Square, the Cash Trio, Echo String Ensemble, Gaulitanus Choir, the Diocesan Youth Choir, soprano Miriam Cauchi and harpist Caroline Muscat, the Beta Entertainment Theatre Company, chef George Borg and TV presenter Peppi Azzopardi.

For more details and information, visit the event's Facebook page.

VISUAL ARTS

Untitled

Mark Geoffrey Muscat is showcasing a new collection of watercolours of land and seascapes in what is his third solo exhibition at The Phoenicia in Floriana.

Untitled comprises 26 watercolours that perfectly encapsulate Muscat’s style and technique, one that has matured over the 16 years in which he has exhibited his work.

The exhibition, curated by Charlene Vella, is open until May 2 at The Palm Court Lounge, The Phoenicia Malta.

My Journey Through Nature

Audrey Mercieca is exploring public places by looking at the natural, built and social landscape of Malta and Gozo in her latest exhibition, currently on at the Valletta local council premises in Republic Square.

Through the media of watercolour and oils, she explores the relationship between human beings and the environment. She particularly likes to paint en plein-air and the ‘alla prima’ method gives her that deliberate, spontaneous approach.

Mercieca is also exhibiting another aspect of her oeuvre, classical portraiture and figurative painting. Another theme she explores is self-portraits with floral motifs.

My Journey Through Nature, curated by Louis Laganà, is on until May 2.

The Colour Purple 

Thirty-four artists are taking part in this collective exhibition, being held in memory of artist Jackie Magri, at Gallery 23 in Idmejda Street, Balzan. Proceeds from the sale of the works on display will go to Puttinu Cares.

The participating artists are mainly friends of the late Magri’s art group, under the tutorship of Debbie Caruana Dingli and Tonio Mallia (who are also taking part).

The exhibition will be open on May 3 from 6.30 to 8pm. Viewing can also be arranged byappointment on 9942 8272 or by e-mailing info@gallery23malta.com.

Outset

Outset is the debut exhibition for two artists, Massimo Dimech and Steve Sciberras, who have been painting landscapes en plein air for the last four years.

Curated by Marika Azzopardi, the exhibition showcases their individual style in which they try to recapture Malta’s idyllic locations.

The exhibition is hosted by the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, 219, Republic Street, Valletta, until May 4.

Where Are We all Going

Retired consultant paediatrician Carol Jaccarini has always been interested in history, archaeology, literature and the arts and has published a book entitled Ir-Razzett - The Maltese Farmhouse, besides other academic papers.

His latest pursuit is the study and sketching of the wild flora of our islands. He was personally invited by artist Anton Calleja to join life classes at Baħrija but these have stopped in the meantime. Over the years, he had followed courses with Jason Lu, the late Harry Alden and Winston Hassall in portraiture, still life and watercolour painting techniques.

His latest exhibition finds Jaccarini exploring different themes.

Where Are We all Going, hosted by Art..e Gallery, in Victoria, runs until May 5. The artworks can be viewed Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 12.15pm or by appointment on 9980 4774.

Bottled Time

Maltese artist Henry Falzon’s latest exhibition, Bottled Time, explores themes that the local art-loving public has grown to expect of him – oils and pastels that celebrate the transparency of the sea and the life beneath it, often from a very high vantage point that glorifies the vastness of this huge body of water that surrounds Malta and that is integral to the local way of life.

The choice of title does not relate to repression, it is not a metaphor for negative containment, for bottled-up feelings but to reminiscing and bringing up the memories to savour them like a bottle of vintage wine.

Bottled Time, hosted by Camilleri Paris Mode, Rabat, runs until May 6.

Read the Times of Malta review of the exhibition here.

From Chaos We are Borne

Karl Fröman's latest collection, From Chaos We are Borne, connects the chaotic elements of our development and the order that gives it life, with plays on literature from Ayn Rand, Merleau-Ponty, and back to Carl Jung.

The Swedish-born artist remarks that he can’t help but feel that the roles of the artists are plagued by confusion; a long stumble through all the immense changes to be endured, while trying to escape from disorder.

His figurative works put themselves in a realm on the fringe of neo-realism, having roots in the Florentine and Dutch tradition.

The exhibition, curated by Melanie Erixon for Art Sweven, is on at Mqabba’s Il-Kamra ta' Fuq until May 7.

Also read this review.

Turning Tables

A collaborative exhibition in which sculptor Francesca Balzan and book and paper artist Glen Calleja engage with artworks from MUŻA’s reserve collection is on until May 7.

The visitor is led through four distinct chambers at the museum, each detailing nuanced narratives about what goes on around tables in our daily lives.

Turning Tables references the exhibition hall’s former use as the auberge's dining room, where tables were once the principal feature.

Balzan and Calleja draw on the museum’s past, evoke it, confront it in an attempt at provoking reflections about art practice, curation and conservation today. All is played out in the key of disruption and is meant to reframe, in playful provocation, national patrimony and the ecosystem that surrounds it.

MUŻA is open daily, including weekends and public holidays, from 10am to 6pm. Learn more about the exhibition here. 

Turning Tables is the final stage of a multi-year project, supported by Arts Council Malta.

Irregularity

J.P. Migneco (b. 1989), an artist who lives and works in Malta, is holding an exhibition at Valletta Contemporary until May 6.

Titled Irregularity, the exhibition features a series of artworks that explore the relationship between natural and artificial environments. The body of work involves a process of reinterpreting landscapes that are found near coastal areas in Malta, through the use of photography, drawing, digital media and painting.

The theme of this project delves into notions related to urbanisation and the advancement of technology. Therefore, the work attempts to evoke issues related to human-environment interaction in the digital age.

Valletta Contemporary is open from Wednesdays to Sundays from 2 to 7pm. For more information, look up the gallery's Facebook page and website.

Rituals of Passage

Valletta Contemporary is displaying the result of a co-creative project between Ryan Falzon, Aaron Bezzina, Alexandra Fraser, Yasmine Akondo, Mladen Hadžić, and Stefan Kolgen.

Rituals are part of everyday life. During times of distress, they give comfort. The title is based on the fact that rituals can bring one from one stage to another physically and mentally. Post-COVID rituals can help one find balance in a disrupted society where attention to mental health and well-being has become important. 

The artists created the works with the exhibition space in mind, presenting them in such a way that they interact with each other and that they challenge the viewer, offering context for the audience to create their own story.

Rituals of Passage, curated by Ann Laenen and Stefan Kolgen, closes on May 6. During the opening weekend some works will be accompanied by a performance and a discussion session about the meaning of rituals will be organised, followed by a meet and greet with the artists.

Valletta Contemporary is open from Wednesdays to Sundays from 2 to 7pm. For more information, look up the gallery's Facebook page and website.

Read more about the exhibition here.

Passing Through

Xaxa Calleja is presenting her sixth solo exhibition at the Volunteer Centre, Bartolomew Street, Rabat, with part of the proceeds of the sales of works going to Puttinu Cares.

In the exhibition, the artist tries to capture a moment in time in her paintings before that moment disappears before her eyes. She tries to portray the intensity of her feelings in the works before that feeling fades away.

Thematically, the paintings fall naturally into a group of three. The first group are studies of heads capturing snippets or impressions of people or objects that have left a mark with her. The second group are landscapes or floral arrangements, while the third group are abstract works which are mostly an exploration of a mood or a feeling.

The exhibition will be open daily until May 13. For more details, contact xaxart@gmail.com and visit www.xaxacalleja.com.

Faces & Places

Caroline Said Lawrence is presenting a mini-retrospective at Art By The Seaside Gallery, in Senglea.

Titled Faces & Places, the exhibition explores four themes: portraits, landscapes, cityscapes and the caricaturish Parole! Faces. Most of these works are being exhibited for the first time.

Said Lawrence has been painting portraits since 2004, and is considered by the artist as her career’s primary body of work. The ink and acrylic paintings of the Three Cities reveal Said Lawrence’s love of architectural drawing, and of the area. The SoPicasso and Parole! paintings, meanwhile, are quirky humourous portrayals of social conversations.

The exhibition is open from May 5 to 19. Consult the gallery’s Facebook page for opening hours.

Esprit Barthet – A Life of Colour

Il-Ħaġar, Heart of Gozo Museum in Victoria is hosting a retrospective exhibition of Esprit Barthet (1919-1999).

Curated by Nicoline Sagona, the landmark exhibition is showcasing Barthet’s famous ‘rooftops’ series, as well as his well-known portrait paintings and experimental styles throughout his career.

The exhibition runs until May 22. The museum is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Entrance is free.

Read more about the exhibition here.

The New Gothic

Local contemporary artist Ġulja Holland, renowned for thought-provoking and politically engaged practice, is holding her fourth solo exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta.

Entitled A New Gothic, it is her largest boday of work to date, produced over three years, and draws on timely themes such as the anthropocene, eco-anxiety, and gender issues, challenging viewers to engage with the complexities of our world and to question their own place within it.

Curated by Andrew Borg Wirth, the collaborative project will also see Holland overlap with local and international artists, academics and practitioners from across disciplines including Charlie Cauchi and Rieko Whitfield (UK).

For more information, visit the Spazju Kreattiv website or the artist's Facebook page.

Also read the following article.

Malta 1971 and Oskar – Photographs by Uno Karlsson

Swedish photographer Uno Karlsson visited Malta back in 1971, snapping pictures of Malta in colour. Now 24 of these photos are being exhibited at the Malta Postal Museum and Arts Hub in Valletta from May 5 toJune 3.

These photos stand out like postcards of beauty, showing a rural temperament that was part and parcel of everyday life enjoyed by all locals in a carefree, unselfconscious manner.

A series of black-and-white prints documenting Oskar Nilsson, somewhat of a local character in Stromstad, Sweden, are also being exhibited.

Nigerian Contemporary Art Exhibition 2023

Joseph Barbara and Bruno Eke of Simpli International are holding a second contemporary art exhibition at the two galleries of the Cavalieri Art Hotel, St Julian’s, until June 1. 

Fifty works have been selected for this exhibition, representing a wide spectrum of Nigerian art executed by well-established and new young artists.

The styles differ from traditional African art to avantgarde modern paintings, with figurative, abstract and surreal themes.

There will also be two other exhibitions, one starting on June 2 until June 22, and the other from June 23 to July 16.

The works are by Nigerian artists based in Nigeria and from the country’s diaspora. Artists from the UK, the US and other parts of the world are also participating.

The aim of the exhibition is to promote cultural exchange and deepen the relationship and friendship between Nigeria and Malta.

OTHER EXHIBITIONS

Shoah the Holocaust: How Was It Humanly Possible?

The Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta has organised a Holocaust Memorial exhibition which will be displayed at three venues in Malta until June.

The exhibition deals with major historical aspects of the Holocaust, beginning with Jewish life in pre-Holocaust Europe and ending with the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps across the continent and the remarkable return to life of the survivors.

The display panels feature explanatory texts, with quotes from Jewish victims and survivors, photographs, art documents and videos for eight survivor stories.

The exhibition is open until June 4 at the University of Malta, Msida Campus, from Monday to Friday from 7am to 11pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 4.45pm.

For more information, visit shoah.jewishheritagemalta.org/.

whatson@timesofmalta.com