THEATRE

Il-Kbir Għadu Ġej

The smash-hit jukebox musical is returning to the Mediterranean Conference Centre today, promising a bigger and better spectacle than the original show staged in 2019. 

Created and directed by Sean Buhagiar, based on the music hits of Freddie Portelli and penned by Malcolm Galea with musical direction by Dominic Galea and choreography by Warren Bonello, the musical is featuring most of the original cast, with some new additions, including Debbie Scerri, Julie Pomorski, Gianluca Mifsud, Sean Briffa and Daron Galea. Kevin Borg is resuming the lead role of Il-Kredu.

Ten shows, suitable for all the family, are being held between today and August 15. The show will have surtitles in English. For tickets, click here.

The project is supported by Arts Council Malta, Kinnie, and the Valletta Cultural Agency and is produced by Balzunetta Productions. For more information, visit www.balzunetta.com.

MUSIC

L-Għanja tal-Poplu

The final night of the 46th edition of the song festival is taking place this evening at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta.

Sixteen songs made it to the final out of 131 entries. They will be judged by an expert jury and a jury composed of members of the public.

Tony Camilleri will be the event's special guest. Valerie Vella will host the festival.

The voluntary organisation Għanja tal-Poplu organises the festival in collaboration with the Malta Concert Orchestra and Pjazza Teatru Rjal, and with the support of Arts Council Malta and the Valletta Cultural Agency.

For tickets, click here. For more information about the competing songs, visit https://www.ghanjatalpoplu.org/.

Cristina Ramos live at the Cittadella

Spanish rock-opera singer Cristina Ramos, a winner of Spain's Got Talent (2016), The Voice − Mexico (2017) and finalist of America's Got Talent (2019), will be singing at the Cittadella ditch in Victoria this evening accompanied by DCapitals Big Band.

The concert, which is opening the Cittadella Arts Festival, will also feature local talent Francesca Sciberras, Gail Attard, Danica Muscat, Eliza Stellini and Fabian Galea. The band will be under the direction of George Apap.

Earlier in the day, at 10am, Ramos is meeting young and upcoming singers at the Cittadella Cultural Centre.

Entrance for the concert, which kicks off at 9pm, is free of charge. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit the Cittadella Arts Festival Facebook page.

The festival is organised by DCapitals Big Band in collaboration with the Malta Arts Council and the Ministry for Gozo (Gozo Cultural Support Programme).

Summerfest ’22

Daħlet Qorrot Bay in Gozo is hosting Summerfest ’22 this weekend.

Today, DJ Danyel will present a warm-up set before a gig by alternative rock band ManaTapu. A beach party with guest deejays Husko and Junior B will follow.

Tomorrow, there will be live deejay sessions all afternoon. Partygoers may also enjoy various water sports and water slides throughout the day.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Paul Van Dyk: Off the Record tour

Grammy-nominated German DJ and producer Paul Van Dyk, known for such hits as For an Angel and 1998, will be performing live at Monte Kristo Estates on July 30 as part of his Off the Record tour.

He will be supported by deejays Tenishia and Clay C. The line-up also includes Dylan Deck, Neo B2B Pomroy and Lien T.

For tickets, visit www.showshappening.com.

ARTS FESTIVALS

APS Summer Festival

The festival is today hosting two circus acts from Italy and Brazil specialising in clownerie, the art of improvisation and interaction.

Companhia Palma, who is presenting the show Second Try, is made up of two women from Brazil and Italy, who use juggling, comedy, physical theatre and clownerie improvisation as a springboard to transform the stage into a playground, create magic and interact with the audience.

Popular Italian artist Gianni Risola is presenting his spectacle, the Otto Panzer Show. The protagonist is Otto, a lovable clown, dressed as a circus instructor, who presents a number of authentically bizarre performances, involving the public in his crazy adventures. 

The APS Summer Festival comes to a close tomorrow, July 31. For more information and tickets, visit www.apsbank.com.mt/aps-summer-festival-2022.

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 tomorrow, 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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DANCE

Dance Festival Malta

The four-day festival, being held in various venues across Valletta until tomorrow, July 31, is providing dance students and professionals with a platform for intense training and professional development.

The event is hosting a series of workshops, masterclasses and performances that welcome the richness of the universal language of dance cultures, and features international artists and choreographers.

Three choreographies will take place this evening at Valletta Campus Theatre, starting at 8pm. A Q&A session will follow at 9.45pm.

Tickets are available here. For more information, visit www.festivals.mt/dfm.

FILM

Kinemastik International Short Film Festival

The 18th edition of the short film festival is taking place this weekend at the Msida Bastion Cemetery and Historic Garden. 

This evening, there will be a sunset DJ session with Joon at 6.30pm to be followed by two short film programmes and Les Nuits Comiques, featuring Dean Weangrow, Nigel Baldacchino and Campbell Reid on the decks.

Tomorrow, the children’s festival, Little Rock People, will be held.

For more information, visit www.kinemastik.org and Kinemastik’s Facebook page. A Times of Malta interview is available here.

OTHER EVENTS

The Farsons Beer Festival

The Farsons Beer Festival runs until August 6, featuring a huge line-up of local artists performing on the main stage and the alternative stage, a wide variety of food stalls and, of course, various beers.

The festival also hosts an electronica stage, a night edition of the Eco Market, a cider garden and a children’s area.

This evening, Hearts Beating in Time, Cheryl Balzan and Kantera are performing on the main stage, while The Velts, Eyes to Argus and Pyramid Suns will hit the alternative stage. Casa Electronica is hosting Junior B.

The festival is being held at the Ta’ Qali picnic area. Entrance is free. 

For more information, including the full line-up of performing artists and a site map, visit farsonsbeerfestival.com/ and the event’s Facebook page.

Lunchtime tours at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum

A series of guided lunchtime tours at Palazzo Falzon in Mdina, highlighting objects linked to the Order of St John, continue until tomorrow, July 31.

During the tour, 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 2145 4512.  One may also arrive at 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 enter for free but must be accompanied by an adult.

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EXHIBITIONS

An Experience of Colour Through Different Mediums

A photographic and artistic exhibition by artist Frank Bonnici and his son, photographer Kris Bonnici, at Ir-Razzett tal-Markiż Mallia Tabone in Mosta comes to a close today. For more information, visit the cultural centre’s Facebook page.

City Lights – A Charles Gatt Retrospective

A retrospective exhibition of artworks by the late Charles ‘City’ Gatt, best known as a musician and jazz percussionist, is on display at The Phoenicia’s Palm Court Lounge until tomorrow, 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 tomorrow, 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 Tigné Street, Sliema, until August 5.

The gallery 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.

Humanity at War: Reflections

A photographic exhibition capturing the human side of war by photojournalists Darrin Zammit Lupi and Heidi Levine runs until August 10.

Curated by Pamela Baldacchino, the exhibition 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.

One may visit the exhibition at the Malta Enterprise offices in Pietà from Monday to Friday from 9am to noon and from 6 to 8pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 6 to 8pm.

Landforms

Patrick Dalli is exhibiting a collection of large-scale oil paintings exploring 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.

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.

MSJA’s Photographic Exhibition

A photographic exhibition organised by the Malta Sports Journalists (MJSA) is open at the Parliament House foyer until August 12.

Thirteen MSJA member photographers took the 78 photos on display. These cover several disciplines in local and international sports events during the past months or years.

One may visit the exhibition from Mondays to Saturdays from 9am to 7pm and on Sundays from 9am to 12.30pm. For more information, visit the MJSA website at www.maltasportsjournalists.com/.

Memories of My Island

A Maltese photographer based in New York, Nicky Conti, is presenting a collection of street photography at the Malta Postal Museum & Arts Hub in Valletta, until August 13.

Her photography draws upon memories, capturing moments in time. The photographer invites the public to create their own memories while rekindling old ones through hers.

The Malta Postal Museum & Arts Hub in Archbishop Street, Valletta, is open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Entrance is free. For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page.

Harboured

An exhibition of watercolour works by Sarah Calleja inspired by 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.

Ceramic Art Collective

A collective exhibition of ceramic artworks has opened at the Cittadella Cultural Centre Hall 2 in Victoria.

Taking part are Mario Sammut, Charles Sammut, Hermine Anne Sammut, Phyllis Camilleri, Daniel Scerri, joan Haber, Christian Formosa, Paul Scerri, Katrin Formosa, Victor Agius, Chris Saliba, Mariz Cassar, Nadia Haber and Sylvana Magro.

During the exhibition days, the ninth edition of the Gozo Ceramics Festival will be held in Xlendi on August 7. The festival will include live demonstrations by ceramic artists, live folk music, street art and Raku firing.

The exhibition comes to a close on August 26. For more information, visit the Gozo Ceramics Festival Facebook page.

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. 

Willie Apap – Colour and Light 

A retrospective exhibition of works by Willie Apap (1918-1970), considered one of Malta’s leading exponents of 20th-century art, opens this evening at 7.30pm at Il-Ħaġar – Heart of Gozo Museum in Victoria.

The 70 works on display feature portraits, landscapes and still-lifes, dancers, human figures, sacred and ethnic works in oils and inks, and are accompanied by a lavish 100-page GEMS # 20 catalogue.

The exhibition, curated by Maria Cassar, runs until October 10. Opening hours are from Monday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Entrance is free.

The exhibition is supported by Malta Tourism Authority and the Gozo Ministry’s Cultural Directorate. For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page.

whatson@timesofmalta.com