MUSIC

Stabat Mater

Ten years from its first performance, Christopher Muscat's Stabat Mater will be once again performed at St John Co-Cathedral in Valletta with the participation of Caroline Bruker (soprano), Josef Bugeja (cantor), Jubilate Deo Choir, KorMalta and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

The concert, directed by Muscat himself, is being produced by RIDT with the intention to raise funds for medical research. 

It is being held on April 4 at 8pm. For tickets, visit teatrumanoel.com.mt.

Holy Week concert

The all-female choir Vox Dulcis Chorale, together with members of the Open Choir, and the Atoms Quartet, directed by Sean Scicluna, are presenting a concert of sacred music, including Lenten hymns, at St Francis church, Hamrun, on April 4 after the 6pm mass.

The choir is directed by John Anthony Fsadni.

Entrance is free.

La Croce

An evening of sacred music and reflection by the Leone Band commemorating the 100 years since the death of local composer and conductor Orlando Crescimanno is taking place at the Gozo Cathedral on April 4 at 8pm.

The band will be directed by Colin Attard and will be accompanied by the Aurora Choir. The concert is also marking the 160th anniversary of the band’s foundation.

The Goldberg Variations

World-renowned Italian pianist Francesco Attesti is performing Bach’s Goldberg Variations BWV 988 at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta on April 5 at 8pm.

First published in 1741, the work consists of an aria and a set of 30 variations is considered to be one of the most important examples of variation form. The variations are named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who may have been the first performer.

Tickets are available from teatrumanoel.com.mt.

Gaulitana: A Festival of Music

The Gaulitana music festival, which opened last Sunday, continues on April 5 with a flute/guitar duo from Italy at the Ċittadella Cultral Centre in Victoria at 7.30pm. The Counterpoint Duo will present works from around the world in Suoni Migranti, with compositions from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, France and Italy.

On April 8, MPO principal violin Maria Conrad and sub-principal viola Alexandre Razera will perform Dialogues at Lunchtime at the Ministry for Gozo hall in Victoria at 11am, with works spanning different musical eras.

And on Easter Sunday, MPO resident conductor and pianist Michael Laus will perform music by Beethoven in a concert at the same hall at 7.30pm.

Gaulitana: A Festival of Music runs throughout April. Events are free of charge. For more information, visit www.gaulitanus.com.

Toi Toi: Annual Easter Concert

Talented young artists from across Malta and Gozo will take part in an Easter concert produced by TOI TOI in collaboration with the Malta School of Music Contemporary Department.

Bursting with hits from the 1950s to the present day, the packed programme includes timeless favourites and medleys merging popular music genres, from retro ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ all the way to Harry Styles.

The TOI TOI Annual Easter Concert will take place at the Manoel Theatre on April 9 at 5pm. Tickets are available via www.teatrumanoel.com.mt.

THEATRE

Fit-3pm

Joseph Galea and Carlos Farrugia are presenting another production related to Holy Week, but which goes beyond the traditional representation of the Passion of Christ.

The production, written by Lon Chircop and suitable for an audience aged 15+, will be staged until April 8.

For more information and tickets, click here. 

Fejqan

Theatrical Company Dumnikani Beltin is staging its annual Holy Week play between April 3 and 7 at St Dominic’s Hall, Merchant Street, Valletta.

Written by Etienne Micallef and directed by Frank Micallef, the plot of revolves around Caiphas, his wife Ayla and their complicated family matters. Caiphas was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, presided over the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus.

The shows will be held on April 3 and 5 at 7.15pm and on Good Friday at 9.30am. For tickets, call Joe Zammit on 9945 1909.

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MISCELLANEOUS

Good Friday processions

Weather permitting, Good Friday processions will be held on April 7 in various localities across Malta and Gozo. These are Żejtun, Żebbuġ, Mosta, Vittoriosa, Senglea, Valletta, Cospicua, Luqa, Naxxar, Paola, Qormi (St George) and Rabat in Malta, and Victoria, Nadur, Xagħra and Żebbuġ in Gozo.

The locality of Għaxaq will hold its Good Friday procession on April 5, after it was postponed due to last Sunday's inclement weather.

On Easter Sunday, many of these localities and more will hold a procession with the statue of the Risen Christ.

Il-Mixja

Vermiglio Theatre Productions is organising a Holy Week production in the gardens surrounding the Verdala Palace between April 4 and 6, with proceeds going to the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation. The event is taking place under the auspices of President George Vella.

The gardens will be transformed into the streets of Jerusalem, where several actors will interpret episodes from the Passion of Christ. John Vassallo will play the role of Christ.

The event starts at 7.30pm. For tickets, call 9957 6139, e-mail ilmixja@gmail.com or visit www.ilmixja.com.

L-Erbgħa tat-Tniebri

More than 140 re-enactors will take part in a Passion pageant along the streets of Żabbar on April 5 at 7pm. The Banda San Mikiel and the Żabbar, Xgħajra and Cospicua scouts will also be taking part.

The event, held in collaboration with  the Żabbar local council, will include a staging of the drama Litostrotos, written and directed by Renzo Bonello.

Il-Mixgħela tas-Salib tal-Għolja

Thousands of candles and traditional torches will once again light up the winding footpath leading to the Salib tal-Gћolja (Laferla Cross) in Siġġiewi, on Maundy Thursday, April 6.

Il-Mixgħela tas-Salib tal-Għolja is organised by the Siġġiewi local council together with the St Nicholas Band Club.

Good Friday walk in aid of Puttinu

The 18th edition of the Good Friday night walk in aid of Puttinu Cares is being held between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Participants will leave at midnight from Mellieħa and walk along Xemxija, St Paul’s Bay, Mosta parish square, Lija cemetery, Birkirkara Valley, Msida Valley, Pietà front and finish at the Floriana Granaries.

Donations will be collected from the departure points. There’s no need to book to join the walk. For more information, visit the Facebook page Mixja Ġimgħa l-Kbira 2023.

Lux Crucificus

Kerċem is hosting a light display consisting of several candles and projects together with religious symbols along its main roads on April 6, 7 and 8 from 7.30pm. onwards.

On Easter Sunday, the locality will host a synchronised fireworks show featuring a mechanical structure of the Risen Christ, built from recyclable material.

Organised by the Għaqda tan-Nar ta’ Kerċem, the event is taking place at 9pm in Triq San Girgor.

Malta Artisan Markets

This year's first Malta Artisan Markets event is taking place at the Phoenicia in Floriana on April 8, Easter Sunday, between 10am and 6pm.

Visitors may browse the various stalls while enjoying the music by DJ Don Peltrinsky or enjoy a drink from the hotel’s bar menu.

Entrance is free. For more details, visit www.maltaartisanmarkets.com or look up its Facebook page.

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GOOD FRIDAY EXHIBITIONS

Il-Misteru tal-Mewt u l-Qawmien

The Saint Joseph the Worker Exhibitions Society is organising the 23rd edition of the annual Good Friday Exhibition at the St Joseph the Worker Parish Centre, no. 71, Bwieraq Street, Birkirkara.

The exhibition includes the participation of about 40 exhibitors from different age groups. Among the items on display, one can find a life-size replica of Christ’s Last Supper, complete with life-size figures, various sets of Good Friday statuettes, a replica of the Golgotha, comprising more than 300 traditional clay statuettes, large replicas of the interior of a church, complete with Good Friday statuettes and scenes and symbols from Christ’s passion, depicted in coloured semolina, rice and pasta.

Other attractions include symbols and costumes of Roman soldiers and a life- size statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. Moreover, a number of items prepared during the year by the Society’s members, will also be on display for the first time during this exhibition. 

The exhibition is open daily from 9am to noon and from 4 to 9pm. On Maundy Thursday it will be open from 9am to noon and from 4pm until midnight, while on Good Friday, it will be open from 9am to 1pm and from 4 to 6pm.

Entrance is free of charge. For more information, log on to wirjasgh.webs.com or the society’s Facebook page.

The Last Supper Table at Lija

Lija parish church is holding a replica of the Last Supper Table according to Jewish custom at the old parish church of Our Saviour between April 5 and Good Friday.

Entry, which is free, will be approximately every 15 minutes. The commentary will be alternately in English and Maltese

The opening and blessing ceremony on April 5 will be in the form of a prayer vigil, with the singing of hymns, reading of excerpts from the bible and sharing of spiritual thought. At the end, wine and bread will be served to those present.

One may also visit the table on Maundy Thursday between 8 and 10.30pm and on Good Friday between 9am and 12.30pm.

Ecce Mater Tua

A Holy Week exhibition set up by Darren Vella is taking place in collaboration with the Gozo cathedral altar boys at Santa Barbara chapel in the Citadel.

The exhibition consists of Passion statues and an altar of repose in a miniature church.

Opening times are: April 4, from 5pm to 9pm, April 5 between 9am and noon and from 5pm until 9pm, Maundy Thursday from 9am to noon and from 7.30pm to 10pm, and on Good Friday from 9am to noon.  

In Coena Domini

The Kummissjoni Festi Parroċċa Santwarju Madonna tas-Sacro Cuor together with the Socjetá Filarmonika Sliema are presenting a Holy Week display until April 7.

The exhibition features a Last Supper table with life-sized statues of the apostles and various artefacts related to the Holy Week.

It is taking place at the Sliema Band Club, 34, St Trophimus Str, Sliema, in front of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Opening days and times are: April 3, 4 and 5 from 5 to 7.30pm, April 6 from 5 to 10pm and April 7 from 8am to noon.

On April 4, there will be a procession with the statue of Christ the Redeemer accompanied by the Sliema Band, and on April 6, the sanctuary and St Trophimus Street will be adorned with fjakkoli (flaming lanterns).

 

VISUAL ARTS

Sovereign Art Foundation students’ exhibition

Works by the finalists of the Sovereign Art Foundation Students Prize Malta & Gozo are being exhibited at Palazzo Ferreria in Valletta until April 4.

All secondary schools and colleges in Malta and Gozo were invited to participate in this year’s competition, by nominating and submitting the best artworks produced by their students.

The public is encouraged to visit the exhibitions and vote for their favourite artwork to select the Public Vote winner. The artist behind the winning entry will take home €300 and their school will win €800 to be destined to the school’s Art Department or the creation of one. Voting can also be done through the foundation’s website. 

An international panel of judges will select The Judge’s Prize. The student producing the winning artwork will receive €500 and the school €1,500.

Anema e Core

Jo Debono’s latest works are on display at the exhibition Anema e Core, being held at the Malta Chamber of Commerce in Valletta until April 6.

His works elicit a sense of nostalgia as Debono sometimes refers to his childhood memories, portraying the various villages he visited as a boy while accompanying his father who went on hunting expeditions in a pristine countryside. 

Anema e Core runs until April 6. Visit the event’s Facebook page for opening hours and more information.

Colorabis Senex – Colour the Old

A pop-up exhibition of landscapes by Patrick Galea shows the artist’s development in his style, favouring a freer approach towards composition.

Its title refers to colouring the old, the established, as in the landscapes that have been there forever although recent construction has changed some of the topography portrayed. The artist claims that his style, having been mostly ‘representational’ has, over the past year, transformed into a more non-representational format.

Colorabis Senex – Colour the Old, hosted at 4, Triq l-Imħażen Mdina, is on between March 31 and April 8. Opening hours are from 10am to 1pm on March 31 and April 2 and from 10am to 3pm on April 1, 6 and 8. Consult the artist’s Facebook page for more information.

Read a Times of Malta interview with the artist here.

Oikos Logia

A multimedia exhibition exploring the dysfunctional relationship between humans and their habitat is open at R Gallery in Sliema.

Oikos Logia features the work of 10 artists who look to the global misuse of resources and their inherent capability for dramatic reuse, especially as it relates to an increasingly overwhelming ecological anxiety.

The participating artists are Adrian Abela, Anna Calleja, Tom van Maldren, Ian Schranz, Ritty Tacsum, Showzen Kajima, Jon Banthorpe, Cyril Sancereau,  Sam Vassallo and Stefan Spiteri. 

The exhibition runs until April 8. More information is available on the gallery's Facebook page.

Order of Malta National Art Exhibition

The Order of Malta is hosting a National Art Exhibition at St John’s Cavalier in Valletta, with the aim to raise funds for the charitable causes that the Maltese association of the Order supports in Malta.

The exhibition, which is potentially going to be the largest collective art exhibition ever organised locally, features the works of 128 painters and watercolourists, six bronze artists, 17 ceramicists, eight sculptors, five photographers and a glass sculptor.

The Order of Malta National Art Exhibition will be open daily from March 24 to April 6 between 10am and 6pm, including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Southern Dreams

Artist and poet Paul Cassar is exhibiting his latest works at Esplora in Kalkara.

Southern Dreams includes abstract and landscape paintings, poems inspired by art pieces and several sculptures in a representation of the beauty of the colours of the south of Malta, especially Kalkara.

Southern Dreams runs until Apri 9. For more information about opening hours, visit  https://esplora.org.mt/.

Heart of Matter

Victor Agius is presenting his latest earth paintings and stoneware ceramics at Il-Kamra ta' Fuq in Mqabba.

The core of Agius’s practice can be experienced through his shamanic gestures in which the primordial matter of terrarossa, ceramics, pigments, cement and clay focus on how man uses nature and materials around him to practise his rituals, to satisfy his material and spiritual needs, while exposing his fragile existence.

Heart of Matter, curated by Melanie Erixon for Art Sweven, runs until April 9. Consult the venue’s Facebook page for opening hours.

Prestorjha

Enrique Tabone is holding a solo exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, featuring works of contemporary art on the theme of the female figure in prehistoric Malta and Gozo from a feminist perspective.

Works in this series include objects made from the artist’s signature use of plexiglass, site-specific installations, as well as video art from an intimate performance, along with art prints, some of which are produced from the artist’s studies on the structures presented during this exhibition. 

The exhibition includes contributions by photographers Alex Attard and Jean Marc Zerafa, digital work by Solid Eye, along with texts by archaeologist Isabelle Vella Gregory and curator Toni Sant, which appear in a catalogue raisonné, published in limited edition by Kite Group.

This catalogue also features a retrospective of the artist’s work since 2010, as exhibited in 2022 at the University of Malta’s Valletta Campus in collaboration with the Institute of Maltese Studies.

The exhibition runs until April 9. For more information, click here.

Light, Shadow and Line

Arte... e Gallery in Victoria is hosting an exhibition by Lawrence Pavia, an artist who is synonymous with the hard-edge technique, cultivated during his formative years when he was mentored by Harry Alden.

Pavia veers away from the romanticisation of streetscapes and vernacular architecture, the compositional elements and chromatic choices steadily becoming his fingerprint across the years.

The exhibition is on until April 14. Consult the gallery’s Facebook page for opening hours.

Read more about the exhibition here.

Drama on Canvas

Best known for her work in drama and as a TV presenter, Elsa Romei is also a visual artist whose paintings are currently on display at the Valletta Local Council premises in Republic Square, Valletta.

Titled Drama on Canvas, also a reference to her previous genre of artistic expression, Romei’s themes include portraits, nudes and landscapes, among others.

“My portraits are not portraits of real people. They depict a character, a feeling, a situation, a story,” she remarks.

She also says that her childhood was spent in Egypt and Uruguay and these influences are woven into the fabric of her paintings.

Drama on Canvas, curated by Louis Laganà runs between April 1 and 15.

Botanical Portraits

Maltese artist Carmen Forder is presenting an exhibition of 28 watercolour paintings of plants, some growing in the UK and some growing in Malta, at the Museum of Natural History, Mdina. 

The subjects depicted include a rose, a bunch of tulips, friars cowl (garni), various varieties of aubergine, culinary nuts, portraits of fruits including the prickly pear, winter twigs and more.

This exhibition also features works by Carmen’s husband, Ron, who is a wood turner. He creates exquisite small clocks, goblets and bowls from various pieces of wood grown in Malta and the Mediterranean region, those grown in the UK and also some exotic woods. He also combines resin with wood in some of his pieces.

Botanical Portraits is open from Tuesday till Sunday, 9am till 5pm, at the National Museum of Natural History, Mdina until April 16 (closed on Mondays and on Good Friday).

For more information, visit the Heritage Malta website.

When the Moon Waxes Red

A new exhibition opening at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta brings together artists from around the world who address the imbalance between human activities to extract resources and colonial ideologies, justifying the protection of property over people and nature’s degradation, by using ecofeminism as a point of departure.

Curated by Maren Richter, the exhibition − whose title is borrowed from Vietnamese film-maker Trinh Minh-h’s book When the Moon Waxes Red − features the work of Ursula Biemann, Seba Calfuqueo, DIS Collective, Charlene Galea, Romea Roxman Gatt, Folly Feast Lab (Yara Feghali and Viviane El Kmati), Crystn Hunt Akron, Sasha Huber, Nation25 (Elena Abbiatici, Valeria D’Ambrosio and Caterina Pecchioli), Daniela Ortiz, Kanthy Peng, Robertina Šebjanič and Bartolina Xixa.

The exhibition runs until April 16. For more information, click here.

Drawing with Fire

Antoine Paul Camilleri is exhibiting a series of pyrographs at the Malta Postal Museum & Arts Hub in Valletta.

For this technique, the artist makes us of a heated tool to etch lines in the composition, thus bringing it close in conception to the traditional etching process in which acid, instead of fire, is used to eat away the material. One essentially draws with fire on the panel, somehow bringing together the act of creation and destruction.

The 27 artworks are all thematically linked to Valletta, a theme very central to the oeuvre of the artist’s father, the late Antoine Camilleri, a giant of Maltese 20th-century modernism.

Drawing with Fire runs from April 8 to 29. Consult the venue’s Facebook page for more information and opening hours.

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.

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.

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.

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OTHER EXHIBITIONS

Viva Viva l-Karnival: The George Zahra Donation

An exhibition celebrating a donation of carnival memorabilia by carnvial enthusiast George Zahra to Heritage Malta runs at the Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa until April 9.

The exhibition comprises official carnival programmes dating as far back as 1930, models for carnival floats, music scores, trophies and participation certificates, among other memorabilia.

Entrance to the exhibition is part and parcel of the Inquisitor’s Palace experience and there is no additional fee. The museum is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays to Sundays from 9am to 5pm.

Unseen and Unheard: Stories of Women Under Fire

The Storm Petrel Foundation is hosting an archival exhibition that sheds light on overlooked or previously unrecorded war narratives and microhistories from Malta and elsewhere.

It brings together items and artefacts drawn from different collections, with a primary focus on wartime experiences of women and girls.

The exhibition was inspired by a series of conversations between the NGO and Robert Attard, who had found a collection of letters written by a young German woman during World War II, some of which are on display.

The exhibition is organised across five different rooms at the Storm Petrel Foundation’s premises in Attard, with each room representing a different era or focus.

The Storm Petrel Foundation has collaborated with Simon Cusens, Kim Dalli, Sharp Shoot Media, Media Coop, Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta, Sarah Chircop and Giuliana Fenech, Heritage Malta, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna and Palazzo Falson.

The exhibition runs until April 14. For opening hours and more information, visit the foundation's Facebook page.

Chinese Zodiac Sign Exhibition

The China Cultural Centre in Malta, in collaboration with the China Arts and Entertainment Group, is presenting an exhibition on the Chinese zodiac sign of the rabbit which is this year’s sign.

With the aim to promote an understanding of China’s traditional culture and its connections with local tourism, the exhibition showcases how this particular zodiac sign is transmitted in various cultural facets of different Chinese regions.

Colourful illustrations portray how this rich heritage is passed on through the creation of costumes and dance, opera, silk fabric designs, ceramics, lanterns, pencils, paper-cutting, festive candy and bean flour lamps.

The exhibition is open at the China Cultural Centre at 173, Melita Street, Valletta, until the end of April. Entrance is free. Groups are advised to book in advance through events2023ccc@gmail.com.

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 April 23 at MCAST Paola, opening hours Monday to Friday from 7am to 8pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 12.15pm (closed on Sundays); and from April 24 to June 4 at the University of Malta, Msida Campus, open 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