ARTS FESTIVALS

APS Summer Festival

The third edition of the APS Summer Festival continues today at the University of Malta Msida campus.

Seville-based Puerto Flamenco are presenting the sold-out show Entre Nosotros (Between Us) this evening at 8.30pm. The compact, raw and spontaneous performance by Francesca ‘La Chica’ Grima and Andrej Vujicic utilises all the knowledge and understanding of the genre they developed over decades of working together.

Tomorrow, the New Victorians will perform in concert. They will be supported by a number of other female artists, namely Hannah, Jolen Samhan and Ceci&Kris.

The event Qamar/Qabar Poetry in Sight and Sound, featuring visual interventions by Austin Camilleri, music by Alex Vella Gregory and soprano Miriam Cauchi, will take place on Saturday, while Gozitan band Kantera will perform on Sunday.

The APS Summer Festival runs until July 31. For more information and tickets, visit www.apsbank.com.mt/aps-summer-festival-2022 and the event’s Facebook page.

Malta Summer Festival

The first edition of the Malta Summer Festival is coming to an end today with a programme of ballet music from the operatic repertoire and featuring a number of local and foreign dance companies.

These are PKProjects, the Yada Dance Company, Moveo Dance Company and Kivos Ensemble.

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of the festival’s artistic director Óliver Díaz, will perform works by Smetana, Verdi, de Falla, Bizet, Wagner, Saint-Saëns and Malta’s own Charles Camilleri.

The event is being held at Fort St Elmo, Valletta, at 8.15pm. For more details and tickets, visit maltaorchestra.com and the MPO’s Facebook page.

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/.

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THEATRE

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The Manoel Theatre is presenting its first in-house musical theatre production of the highly acclaimed dark musical.

With music and lyrics by Stephan Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler, the musical features Roger Tirazona in the title role. The cast also includes Kateriana Fenech, Ryan Grech, Jasmine Farrugia, Stephen Oliver and Noel Zarb.

The production is directed by Lucienne Camilleri, while Ryan Abela is the music director.

The musical is being staged until Sunday, July 24. For more information and tickets, visit www.teatrumanoel.com.mt and the theatre’s Facebook page.

The Merry Wives of Windsor (Terrace)

Shakespearean shenanigans are currently unfolding at San Anton Gardens, with the Malta Amateur Dramatic Club’s (MADC) hilarious The Merry Wives of Windsor (Terrace).

Directed by Chris Gatt and set in the eponymous Sliema street in the late 1970s − early 1980s, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Terrace) follows the pathetic attempts of Sir John Falstaff (Edward Thorpe), a fallen knight of the garter, to woo housewives Margaret Ford and Alice Page (Kim Dalli and Antonella Axisa). 

The play is being staged at San Anton Gardens until Sunday, July 24, with performances starting at 8.30pm. This production is supported by Arts Council Malta and is suitable for audiences aged 8 and over. For more information and tickets, visit the event’s Facebook page and www.madc.com.mt.

OTHER EVENTS

Harbour Cruise: World War II

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the awarding of the George Cross to Malta by King George VI in 1942, Heritage Malta is today organising a harbour cruise which will focus on the World War II heritage found within the Marsamxett and Grand harbours.

The cruise boat will set sail from Sliema Ferries (Luzzu Cruises Point) at 6.30pm. Ticket holders are to be at the jetty at least half an hour before. The boat will return at about 7.45pm.

For tickets, log on to https://heritagemalta.mt/store/e1077/.

Malta Fashion Week & Awards

Malta Fashion Week is taking place until Friday at the Grand Harbour Terrace, on the rooftop of the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta.

Established local and international fashion brands and upcoming ones are exhibiting their latest collections.

Today is the turn of Morfium (Serbia) and local brands Blakkript and James Dimech.

Gagliardi, Nadya Dzyak (Ukraine) and Charles & Ron will present their latest creations tomorrow.

Visit fashionweek.com.mt and the event's Facebook page for more information and tickets.

Lunchtime tours at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum

A series of new guided tours at Palazzo Falzon in Mdina taking place this week until Sunday are highlighting objects linked to the Order of St John.

One may also admire the museum's significant collection specifically displayed to capture and reflect the life and taste of Captain Olof Gollcher.

Bookings at a suggested donation of €10 can be made by e-mail on bookings@palazzofalson.com or by calling on 21454512.  One may also come to the museum 10 minutes prior to the lunchtime tour, which starts at noon.

Gustav Café is open to guests for refreshments on the rooftop terrace of the museum.

Logos Hope in Grand Harbour

Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating book fair, is currently docked in Grand Harbour. It offers over 5,000 books covering a wide range of subjects, including science, sports, hobbies, cookery, arts, medicine, languages and faith.

The ship is open to the public at the Valletta Cruise Port as follows: Tuesday through Friday and Sunday: 3pm-10pm; Saturdays: 10am-1pm, 3-10pm. It is closed on Mondays.

Entrance fee for 13- to 64-year olds is €1 per person, while adults 65 and over enter for free. Children under 12 years old enter for free but must be accompanied by an adult.

EXHIBITIONS

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 Saturday, July 23. For more details, follow the Facebook page Lily Agius Gallery.

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 Saturday, 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 Saturday, 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.

Connections

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

Emerging

Art by the Seaside gallery in Senglea is hosting a collective exhibition featuring works by 13 artists who are newcomers to the scene.

The collective will be inaugurated today at 6.30pm and is only open for four days, until Sunday, July 24. Most of the young artists will be in attendance at the gallery during opening hours.

Consult the gallery’s Facebook page for opening hours and more information.

Let Me Be Myself

The international Anne Frank exhibition is on display at Il-Ħaġar Museum, Victoria, until July 25. The museum is open daily from Monday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. 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. The museum is open daily from Monday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Visit the museum’s Facebook page for more information and updates.

City Lights – A Charles Gatt Retrospective

Best known as a musician and jazz percussionist, the late Charles ‘City’ Gatt also loved to paint. The Phoenicia, in Floriana, is hosting a retrospective exhibition of his colourful, abstract works at the hotel’s Palm Court Lounge until July 31. The exhibition is curated by Charlene Vella.

Ritrarti

A photography and art exhibition by Silvana Camilleri and Charles Vassallo runs at Ċentru Pastorali Sgħajtar, Triq il-Lanġas, Naxxar, until July 31. Consult the event’s Facebook page for opening hours.

Bathers and Sails

An exhibition of works by Norwegian artist Olaug Vethal, who lived in Malta between 1996 until her death in 2007, runs at Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema until August 5.

The gallery in Tigné Street, Sliema, is open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm, and from 4 to 7pm, and on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.

For more information, visit www.christinexart.com and the Christine X Art Gallery Facebook page.

Landforms

Patrick Dalli is exhibiting a collection of large-scale oil paintings exploring the Maltese landscapes in abstract form.

Curated by Roderick Camilleri, the exhibition is open until August 11 at the Art Galleries of the Malta Society of Arts at Palazzo de la Salle, Valletta, between today and August 11. 

Summer opening hours: Mondays and Fridays: 8am to 7pm; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 8am to noon and 4pm to 7pm; Saturdays: 8am to 1pm.

For more information, visit www.patrickdalli.com and www.artsmalta.org/events.

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

Harboured

An exhibition of watercolour works by Sarah Calleja inspired by the Grand Harbour and its stories is on at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba until August 15.

The gallery is open weekly from Mondays to Saturdays from 6am to noon and on Sundays from 7am to noon. More evening hours are announced weekly on Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq Facebook page.

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