ARTS FESTIVALS

Malta International Arts Festival

The Malta International Arts Festival comes to an end this week. Wednesday, June 28, will see the third edition of M.A.D. (Music and Dance), featuring three new choreographies set to contemporary music by dance artist Dmytro Grynov and Sarah Vella, among other works. Musicians will perform live during the event, which is taking place at the Valletta ditch.

Rito, a performance that involves the five senses to celebrate human aspects and the strengths of nature, is then taking place at the Valletta Campus Theatre on June 29 and 30. It features the OtraDanzaCompany accompanied by a string quartet.

ŻfinMalta and KorMalta are participating in a double bill programme titled Sunrise Mass on July 1 at the Manoel Theatre, featuring Belgian string quartet Boho4 and choreographies by Paolo Mangiola.

The festival wraps up with Les Nuits Barbares Ou Les Premiers Matins Du Monde (The Barbarous Nights or the First Dawns of the World), a performance inspired by the history of the Mediterranean basin and featuring choreography by Hervé Koubi at the Valletta ditch.

For more details, visit www.festivals.mt/miaf. Some productions which premiered last week will be staged again this week: Leġġendi is happening again today and Harbour Odyssey on June 27 and 28.

Victoria International Arts Festival

The Victoria International Arts Festival enters its third week with an evening of Spanish and Latin American music at the Aula Mgr G. Farrugia. Today’s vocal recital will feature Serbian mezzo soprano Sanja Anastasia, who will accompanied by Italian Giulia Mandruzzato on the piano.

The Martinů Quartet from the Czech Republic will perform at St George’s Basilica tomorrow, July 27, while Francis James Camilleri will give a solo recital on the piano at the Aula Mgr G. Farrugia on June 28. The Royal Conservatoire Brass, a brass ensemble comprising senior students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, will perform on June 29 at St George’s Basilica and again on June 30 on the rooftop of Il-Ħaġar Museum.

A pianoforte duo made up of Natascha Chircop and Marco Rivoltini will perform at the Aula Mgr G. Farrugia on July 1. The same hall will host a recital by German violinist Heidi Schmid and Swiss pianist Joseph-Maurice Weder on July 2.

The Victoria International Arts Festival runs until July 11. For more information and tickets, visit www.viaf.org.mt/.

MUSIC

Malta International Music Festival

The Malta International Music Festival features recitals and concerts by international artists in various venues across the island.

British pianist Ashley Wass is performing at the Manoel Theatre today at 8pm; the South Czech Philharmonic, featuring oboist Ivan Kobylskiy (France), will be performing at the Grand Masters suite at the Hilton, St Julian’s, tomorrow, June 27; while the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at the same venue with pianist Yekwon Sunwoo (South Korea) on June 28 and with violinist Gil Shaham (US) on June 29.

June 29 will also see the Vienna-based Selini Quartet performing with soprano Andriana Yordanova (Bulgaria-Malta) and pianist Sofia Narmania (Malta) at the Palazzo de la Salle in Valletta.

The Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra of Turkey will perform at the Hilton with flutist Jasmine Choi (Korea-Austria) on June 30 and with violinist Marc Bouchkov (Belgium) on July 1. The orchestra will also perform with violinist Chloe Hanslip (UK) at the Mediterranean Conference Centre on July 2.

The festival, organised by the European Foundation for  Support of Culture, runs until July 13. For more information and tickets, visit https:// maltafest.eu/concerts/schedule/.

South Korean pianist Yekwon SunwooSouth Korean pianist Yekwon Sunwoo

THEATRE

Meet Cute

The Manoel Theatre is hosting a new jukebox musical written and performed by the TOI TOI Collective from June 30 to July 3. Directed by Petra Sant and featuring singer Sean Borg and musical theatre soprano Rachel Fabri, Meet Cute is an unconventional romantic comedy that explores – with the help of songs from the world of musical theatre – the idea of a ‘meet cute’ scene, where two future lovers first meet under unusual, humorous or cute circumstances. For tickets, visit www.teatrumanoel.com.mt/.

Snow White – The Adult Panto

Malcolm Galea dresses up as the Dame once again in an adult and hilarious take on the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The panto, certified 18+, is taking place at Spazju Kreattiv today and from July 1 to 3. For more details and tickets, visit www.kreattivita.org.

EXHIBITIONS

Just Human

An exhibition, featuring the works of Debbie Caruana Dingli, Saviour Baldacchino, Antoine Paul Camilleri and Wallace Falzon runs at Obelisk Gallery, Main Street, Balzan, until July 8. Visit the gallery’s Facebook page for more details.

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 from July 1 to 15. He will be displaying a wide range of various 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.

Prehistoric pottery making

An exhibition presenting the results of a scientific investigation of materials and techniques used in pottery making during Maltese prehistory is now 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.

OTHER EVENTS

Traditional <em>għana </em>singers and musicians. Photo: FacebookTraditional għana singers and musicians. Photo: Facebook

Mnarja 2022

The oldest folkloristic event in Malta is taking place once again this year on June 28 and 29 at Buskett Woodlands. The programme includes a parade with carts and carriages, a fruit and vegetables exhibition and competition, an exhibition and competition of fancy poultry, rabbits and various breeds of birds, a dog show, għana singing and folk dancing, a demonstration of traditional crafts, an InGuardia parade, guided tours to Verdala Palace and the Razzett tal-Bagħal, and a children’s area with traditional Maltese games. Activities on June 28 start at 5pm, while on June 29, they will kick off at 6am. For more details, visit the Facebook page Agrikoltura.

Omid Djalili: The Good Times Tour

Multi-award-winning British comedian, actor and writer Omid Djalili will be performing at the InterContinental Arend & Conference Centre, St Julian’s, on June 29 and July 1. For tickets, visit www.showshappening.com/Eden-Entertainment/Omid-Djalili-2022.

MEDIEVAL MDINA FESTIVAL 2022

Mdina is going back in time once again. The event relives  the medieval period between AD 1200 and 1500 with pageants and the re-enactments of typical scenes, battles and traditions. For more information, visit the Medieval Mdina Festival 2002 Facebook page.

FEASTS

June 26: Immaculate Heart of Mary, Burmarrad; St George, Qormi; St Nicholas of Bari, Siġġiewi; St John the Baptist, Xewkija;

June 29: St Peter and St Paul, Nadur and Mdina;

July 3: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Fleur-de-Lys; St Andrew, Luqa; Immaculate Conception, Ħamrun; Our Lady of Lourdes, Qrendi; St Paul, Rabat; The Visitation of Our Lady, Għarb.

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