MUSIC

Malta Jazz Festival 2022

This year’s Malta Jazz Festival kicks off this evening with the official launch of a retrospective exhibition of artworks by the late Charles ‘City’ Gatt, founder of the festival at 7pm and a performance by the Daniele Cordisco Quintet, featuring Greg Hutchinson and Stjepko Gut, at 9pm at The Phoenicia in Floriana.

Cordisco will then lead a guitar masterclass tomorrow at The Phoenicia at 5pm. 

Both this evening’s performance and tomorrow’s masterclass are free of charge but booking is required via www.festivals.mt/mjf.

This year’s programme will feature concerts, jam sessions and masterclasses by other local and international jazz stars, including John Scofield, Richard Bona and Alfredo Rodriguez, Joel Ross, the Danny Grissett Trio, Francesco Ciniglio, the Clark Tracey and Dominic Galea Legacy Quintet, Yusan, Blue Tangerine and the Warren Galea Trio.

The festival runs until July 16, while the exhibition closes on July 31.

One of the artworks by the late Charles ‘City’ Gatt showing at The Phoenicia in Floriana.

Malta International Music Festival

The National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, under the direction of Alibek Kabdurakhmanov, will today bring the festival, which started on June 25, to a close with a recital dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi.

The orchestra will be accompanied by Italian musicians Davide Alogna on violin and Nicola Peretto on saxophone.

The concert is being held at the Hilton Malta, St Julian’s, at 8pm.

For more information and tickets, visit https://maltafest.eu/concerts/schedule/.

Harpists Jacob Portelli and Laetitiae Mariae Troisi (left), together with soprano Michaela Agius

Two Harps, One Voice

The Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is today hosting a concert of sacred music at the Valletta basilica at 8pm.

Harpists Jacob Portelli and Laetitiae Mariae Troisi, together with soprano Michaela Agius, will perform works by Mozart, Handel and Mendelssohn, among others.

Entrance is free but donations are being collected for the restoration of the basilica’s oratory.

ARTS FESTIVALS

Victoria International Arts Festival

After a month of performances, the 25th edition of the Victoria International Arts Festival is coming to a grand close today with a recital by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of British conductor Philip Walsh, at St George’s Basilica in Victoria. The orchestra will be accompanied by Scottish violinist Andrea Gajic.

The programme features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major op. 21 and Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra op. 61.

The event starts at 8pm. For more information and tickets, visit www.viaf.org.mt.

MCAST ICA Festival 2022

MCAST’s Institute for the Creative Arts has turned its annual exhibition into an arts festival, with the aim of reaching out to the community. The festival is celebrating creativity and is acting as a platform to showcase the students’ hard work and collaboration with relative stakeholders in the industry.

The event, which runs until July 31 at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, includes a fine art exhibition, interactive media and a game art networking event, photography and graphic design.

For more details, visit https://icafestival.com/, the event’s Facebook page and www.kreattivita.org/en/event/mcast-ica-festival-2022/.

EXHIBITIONS

Ecotopias

A solo exhibition by Roderick Camilleri at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq, Mqabba, is closing today. Opening hours 6am to noon. For more information, visit Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq Facebook page.

Ecotopia IX by Roderick Camilleri

Mystery and Process

An exhibition of 20 abstract paintings by Anthony Spagnol runs at the Art Galleries of the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta until Thursday, July 14. Opening hours today from 8am to 7pm and tomorrow, on Wednesday and Thursday from 8am to noon and 4 to 7pm. For updates, visit the Malta Society of Arts Facebook page.

Solitary Observations

Ray Forder-Stent, an English artist residing in Malta, is presenting his first solo exhibition at the Art by the Seaside gallery in Senglea until Friday, July 15. On display are a wide range of oil paintings, based on his keen observations, where he captures his individual viewpoint of landscapes, people, still lifes and the artistic value of everyday things he notices on the Maltese islands. Visit the gallery’s Facebook page for more details.

Strange Days

An exhibition of fine art prints and paintings by Australian artist Christian Palmer runs at the new gallery Green Shutters, 27, St Thomas Street, Floriana, until July 23. For more details, follow the Facebook page Lily Agius Gallery.

One of the works by Christian Palmer on display at the Green Shutters art gallery in Floriana. Photo: Facebook

Something About You

A 10-year survey exhibition by Marinella Senatore at Blitz in Valletta brings together paintings, drawings, videos, a powerful project with Russian protest group Pussy Riot featuring a new organic site-specific sculpture, and a public artwork on the historical façade of Valletta’s Casino Maltese.

The exhibition culminated in the public performance The School of Narrative Dance on June 30, which featured over 100 participants from local groups and communities, and a dance movement in Republic Street, Valletta, in memory of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The exhibition runs until July 23. For more information, visit https://blitzvalletta.com/.

Humanity at War: Reflections

A photographic exhibition capturing the human side of war by photojournalists Darrin Zammit Lupi and Heidi Levine is on at the Malta Enterprise offices in Pietà.

Curated by Pamela Baldacchino, it features photos of conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Libya and Bosnia.

Funds raised will go towards Ukrainian refugees in Malta and the building of ‘Becs’ Junior Secondary school in Ethiopia, in memory of 15-year-old Rebecca Zammit Lupi who died in 2021 from a rare form of cancer.

The exhibition runs until July 23. It is open between Monday and Friday from 9am to noon and from 6 to 8pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 6-8pm.

Photos forming part of the exhibition Humanity at War: Reflections at Malta Enterprise. Photo: Facebook/Malta Enterprise

Connections

Contemporary artworks by Alfred Camilleri are on display at MUŻA, Valletta, until July 24. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Visit the museum’s Facebook page for more information.

Let Me Be Myself

The international Anne Frank exhibition is on display at Il-Ħaġar Museum, Victoria, until July 25. Opening hours this week: Monday to Sunday from 9am to 11pm. Visit the museum’s Facebook page for more information and updates.

Whereabouts

An exhibition of works by Debbie Bonello and Andrew Borg is on at Il-Ħaġar Museum, Victoria, until July 25. Opening hours this week: Monday to Sunday from 9am to 11pm. Visit the museum’s Facebook page for more information and updates.

Colour Blocking

A colourful stone sculpture exhibition by Antoine Farrugia is open to the public at the Phoenicia Hotel Deep Nature Spa.

Prehistoric pottery making

An exhibition presenting the results of a scientific investigation of materials and techniques used in pottery making during Maltese prehistory is open at the National Museum of Archaeology. The exhibition runs until the end of August. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 9am to 4.30pm. 

whatson@timesofmalta.com