November 13 to 19, 2023

MUSIC

Glenn Miller Orchestra

The world-famous big band orchestra is performing for the first time in Malta on November 18. The band will be giving two concerts at the Mediterranean Conference Centre at 4 and 7.30pm.

The programme includes iconic classics from the golden age of the swing era, including popular numbers such as Moonlight Serenade, Ain’t We Got Fun and Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Tickets are available from showshappening.com.

Piano concert by Aleksander Dębicz

On the occasion of Poland’s Independence Day, pianist Aleksander Dębicz is giving a recital at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta on November 14 at 7pm.

The concert is organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland.

Entrance is free. To book a seat, send an e-mail to the embassy on valletta.amb.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl.

Concentus Rei

The Philharmonic Society G. M. Fra Antoine De Paule − Banda Kristu Re − AD 1898 is marking its 125th anniversary with a classical music concert at Christ the King basilica, Paola, on November 17 at 7.30pm.

Under the direction of David Joseph Sammut, the band will perform music by Colombier, Mangani, Morricone, De Haan, Vangelis, Lloyd Weber, Handel and Mascagni, among others.

Soprano Ruth Sammut Casingena will also participate.

Admission is free but one can reserve a seat here. Patrons are asked to be seated by 7.15pm.

The event is being held under the patronage of President George Vella.

Gran Gala all’opera

An open-air opera event is taking place in Visitation Square, Għarb, on November 14 at 8.30pm.

Performing on the night will be soprano Fiammetta Tofoni, tenor Dario di Vietri and baritone Giulio Boschetti.

To reserve tickets, call 2156 0556. The free event is organised by the Għarb local council in collaboration with the Ministry for Gozo and the Cultural Heritage Directorate.

Oratorio Filippu t’Aġġira

An oratorio in Maltese about St Philip of Agira will premiere at Żebbuġ parish church on November 17 at 8pm.

The oratorio – the first one about the saint composed for orchestra and not for a traditional Maltese band − was composed by Antoine Mercieca and features lyrics in Maltese by poet Philip Ellul.

During the premiere, soloists Rosabelle Bianchi (soprano), Charles Vincenti (tenor) and Louis Andrew Cassar (baritone), will be joined by Kor Attar (directed by choirmaster Mario Attard) and the Santa Cecilia Orchestra. All will be under the direction of Mercieca.

The event is being held by the Żebbuġ local council together with the archpriest and the parish clergy, in collaboration with the Ministry for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government.

Entrance is free of charge and everyone is invited to be seated in church at 7.30pm. 

The SPMO Clarinet Quartet

Clarinet players Michael Pirotta, Joe Cutajar, Christopher Michael Camilleri and Noel Beck from the St Paul Metropolitan Orchestra will be performing perennial favourites by Mozart, Bizet, Schumann, Dvorak, Brahms, Piazzolla, George Gershwin, Frank Perkins and others at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta on November 17 at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available from showshappening.com.

The Best of James Bond: The La Stella Band in Concert

The La Stella Band is performing some of the most popular soundtracks of the James Bond movies at the Astra Theatre in Victoria on November 19 at 8pm.

The orchestra will be under the direction of John Galea.

The free event forms part of the Festival Mediterranea and is being held with the support of the Ministry for Gozo and the Cultural Heritage Directorate.

Malta International Organ Concert

The 10th edition of the Malta International Organ Festival is being held from November 18 to December 9 at various historical churches across Malta and Gozo.

The opening concert, Painting Bach is taking place at St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta on November 18 at 8pm. The interdisciplinary performance will combine Bach’s music with visual arts and will feature Russian organist Svetlana Berezhnaya and visual artist Carlos Pardo Gomez of Spain.

For all the details, visit maltainternationalorganfestival.com.

Read more about the festival in this Times of Malta preview.

THEATRE

I Am My Own Wife

Exit Stage Right is reviving a powerful production 10 years since it was first performed in Malta.

I Am My Own Wife chronicles the life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf who, as an openly transgender woman, survived both the Nazi and Communist regimes of East Germany in an almost impossible test of personal bravery and endurance against the odds that daily life threw at her.

The play, written by Nanette Brimmer and performed by Alan Paris, brings Charlotte to life, together with some other 37 characters.

It is being held on November 17-19 and 24-26 at Theatre Next Door in Magħtab. For tickets, log on to tnd.com.mt.

Bla Kondixin

The satirical show returns on November 10 with its cast of popular characters and some new ones.

Shows are being held on November 10-12, 16-19 and 23-26 at Montekristo Estate’s Arena in Triq Ħal Farruġ, Siġġiewi.

For tickets, click here.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

The family musical, based on the cinema version of the children’s book by Ian Fleming, is being staged for a second weekend at the Don Bosco Oratory in Victoria on November 18 and 19.

The show features music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and is adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sans. Among the 70-strong cast, Ludwig Galea is the main protagonist, Caractacus Potts, and Clara Sciberras is Truly Scrumptious.

The choir director is Antonella Rapa, while Mark Gauci is the musical director.

Tickets can be obtained from the Don Bosco Oratory of Gozo every day between 5 and 6pm, or by calling 2155 6616 or 9948 7751. Online booking is also available at donboscogozo.org.

Bull

Gozo’s Ringside Theatre Company is presenting a contemporary dark comedy written by Mike Bartlett at the Queen Mary, University of London, Malta Campus, in Victoria, until November 19.

Containing themes of power, ambition and bullying, this raw, quick-paced drama is directed by Jayne Giordanella and features Edward Thorpe, Kelly Peplow, Alex Weenink and Bob Cardona. It is suitable for an audience aged over 15.

Read more about the show here.

For tickets, visit https://ringsidetheatre.com/. 

ARTS

ŻiguŻajg

The children and young persons’ festival runs until November 19, with multicultural content and both local and international productions.

There will be 16 events in all, starring artists from the UK, France, Ireland, Australia and Scotland. These include interactive workshops, post-show discussions, hands-on activities and site-specific installations. 

For all the details and tickets, visit www.ziguzajg.org.

FILM

14th German Film Festival

The German-Maltese Circle, in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, is organising the 14th German-Film Festival from November 15 to 18.

A variety of recent films will be shown, including documentaries, comedy, drama, children and young adult movies. All films will be shown with English subtitles and entrance is free.

For a detailed programme and to reserve a seat, click here.

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MISCELLANEOUS

ĊineXjenza

The next edition of ĊineXjenza on November 14 will include a screening of the 2020 Netflix film The Social Dilemma.

The docudrama examines the effect of social media on society, including its effects on mental health, through interviews with many former employees of social media companies and academic researchers.

Following the screening, a panel of experts will discuss the psychology of addiction, the ethics of data privacy and the role of technology in society, among others. Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, together with the student organisation ICTSA, will be leading a world cafe session on these subjects.

The event kicks off at 7pm. For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.

Science in the City virtual festival

Science in the City is hosting a virtual festival on November 17, where it will share some of the science magic its team spread during the main festival in September. The performances will be broadcast via the Science in the City YouTube and Facebook accounts from 5 to 10pm.

Participation is for free but tickets have to be booked via Eventbrite.

Celebrating 7 Years of Esplora

Esplora Interactive Science Centre is celebrating its seventh anniversary with a weekend of activities on November 18 and 19 from 10am to 5pm.

The celebration will include informative discussions, workshops and hands-on activities. Among others, one may discover practical ways to reduce their carbon footprint, learn about the latest advancements in climate science and engage with local research initiatives aimed at preserving our planet.

Entrance is free but due to capacity restrictions, admission will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, click here.

International Christmas Fair 2023

The Association of International Women in Malta is holding its annual Christmas Fair in aid of Fondazzjoni Sebħ at InterContinental Malta on November 19 from 10am to 5pm.

Besides stalls selling various goods, there will be a children’s corner, music and other activities. Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information.

Diary of War: The Mosta Rotunda

House of Tours, in a collaboration with the Mosta Rotunda Foundation, is taking tour-goers on a journey to the year 1942, when a World War II bomb pierced the Mosta Rotunda’s iconic dome, but, rather than detonate, it slid across the floor sparing the lives of around 300 people. 

The multidisciplinary tour blends theatre with history and live music, offering an immersive experience that goes beyond the narration of facts.

Led by accredited tour guide and theatre practitioner Jeremy Grech, audiences will have the opportunity to explore the underground shelters found beneath the grounds of the Mosta Dome as they learn more about the events that led to the bombing of the church.

Haunting melodies and cinematic sounds will underscore Grech’s performance.

The event is being held on November 18 at 8pm and on November 19 at 3pm. Due to the limited availability, advance booking is recommended. Places on the tour may be booked by sending an e-mail to hello@houseoftours.eu.

VISUAL ARTS

Carpe Tempus

Over 60 artworks by Joanne Fenech Portelli will be on display at Palazzo Ferreria in Valletta until November 16.

The collection features en plein air paintings Fenech Portelli created in the last few years, including some executed in Holland, the UK, Romania, Italy and Poland. They are mainly oil paintings but there is also a small number of Cyanotype prints.

The exhibition is open from Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 7pm and on Sundays, from 8.30am to 6pm.

Entrance is free.

Synaesthesia – The Scent of Beauty [1]

Alexia Baldacchino is exploring cross-sensory imagery at her first solo exhibition at Senglea’s gallery Art by the Seaside.

The term ‘synaesthesia’ elicits the father of abstraction, Vassily Kandinsky, and his ability to hear colours. 

Inspired by the American Tonalists of the 1880s, the atmospheric paintings that Baldacchino executed with a warm and limited palette also refer to photographers such as Alfred Stieglitz, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Edward Steichen as well as to the floral-themed paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe.

The exhibition is on until November 16.

Read more about it in this Times of Malta interview with the artist.

ME My Artistic Impression

Artistic Karen Calleja is presenting her latest collection of works at Gemelli Framing in Ta’ Qali.

With a precise and meticulous execution, Calleja depicts her impressions in a most challenging way. With both pouring and texture techniques the medium itself starts a journey to the unknown.

The exhibition is made up of a mysterious world of patterns that eventually depict an abstract harmony and at the same time, in some respect so figurative, relate a story of a particular memory in life.

The exhibition runs until November 20.

Converging Directions

An exhibition of modern and contemporary intaglio prints from Malta and Sweden opens on November 9 at the Upper Galleries, Malta Society of Arts, Valletta.

iMprint 6: Converging Directions pays homage to the graphic works of Emvin Cremona (1919-1987), one of Malta’s most influential 20th-century artists.

It also features intaglio works by international artists through a collaboration with Grafiska Sällskapet, the Stockholm-based Swedish Printmakers’ Association founded in 1910.

The iMprint biennial exhibition is organised and curated by artist-printmakers Lino Borg, Justin Falzon, and Jesmond Vassallo together with art historian Christian Attard.

Like the previous edition, iMprint 6 is being produced in collaboration with ArtiGrafika – the NGO with a mission to promote and encourage artists working in graphic art in all its diverse forms in Malta.

iMprint will be publishing a limited edition catalogue that includes an essay by Anna Cremona (Emvin Cremona’s daughter).

Converging Directions runs till November 23.

Xewka F’Qalbi Xewka F’Sormi

A a collective exhibition exploring rape culture and celebrating 10 years of the Women’s Rights Foundation is currently on at Rosa Queer in Main Street, Balzan.

Curated by Rachelle Deguara and developed conceptually with Emma Agius, the exhibition features artists who explore the culture which normalises or trivialises sexual assault or/and abuse.

The exhibition aims to challenge societal attitudes and encourages conversation about rape culture locally, in the light of the work done by the Women’s Rights Foundation for the cause, while encouraging discussions about consent and the need for education and prevention.

The participating artists are Emma Agius, Isaac Bezzina, Silke Debanant, Nicole Sciberras Debono, Nik Ebejer, Saaqia, Claire Farrugia, Shanice Farrugia, Robin Cassar Fiott, Sam Vassallo and Francesca Zammit.

The exhibition runs until November 25.

Trigger warning: the exhibition content may be disturbing.

More information about the Women’s Rights Foundation can be found at https://www.wrf.org.mt/.

Reverie

A utopian and unspoilt world, free from human influence, is being represented in the new collection of paintings by Jo Dounis at The Phoenicia Malta’s Palm Court Lounge throughout November.

Captured with mixed media and painted over a base layer which is textured and consequently adds depth and three-dimensionality to each canvas, each painting is of a perfect natural scene, one which might be experienced in a daydream, or a fantasy.

None of the compositions include any hint of buildings, nor signs of civilisation or any other human interference. The focus is solely on nature and its enormity.

Natural vistas, whether experienced in her home country or on her extensive travels, are an infinite source of inspiration for Dounis. The result is that some paintings can easily be associated with familiar Mediterranean landscapes, others are inspired by Nordic or other faraway scenes.

Reverie, curated by Charlene Vella, is open until the end of November.

Froġa / Farrago

Sebastian Tanti Burlò is exhibition a collection of oil paintings at Sliema’s R Gallery.

The artist is known for his political cartoons in the Times of Malta but here he swaps his pen for the brush while retaining his unapologetic social commentary, a flair for the absurd, satirical strokes and an underlying subversive narrative. Nature, journalism and the world’s issues are represented in this exhibition.

The tragicomical is investigated through an ideal romantisation of our country and how society has evolved, together with comments on world issues that trouble the world at large. 

The exhibition, hosted at R Gallery of 26, Tignè Street, Sliema, runs until December 3. For more information, read this Times of Malta review.

Eye Sea You

Artist Trevor Diacono is presenting his latest collection of works at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba.

Diacono comes from a family of artists that includes his grandfather Victor Diacono, one of Malta’s foremost 20th-century sculptors, and his uncle, Andrew Diacono, a name that needs no introduction among local art aficionados.

The artist claims that he sees his journey “as a continuous, often tormenting pursuit to translate the intangible depths of emotion and perception into tangible, three-dimensional form”.

He pusues his artistic family’s legacy that explores the caricatural in society and beyond. In this exhibition, he carries this on in his sculptures of fish, humanising them with their witty titles. The underlying theme is the marine, including even undulating waves.

Eye Sea You, curated by Melanie Erixon, is on from November 11 until December 3.

Pathos

Chris Ebejer is presenting a new collection of works in various media that include terracotta, bronze porcelain and marble at MUŻA in Valletta.

The artist’s source of inspiration is mythology and gods, and the Mediterranean spirit. The figurative sculptures, as well as the reliefs, are the result of long hours of deep thought.

The sculptor worked on these works both in Malta and Italy, the latter of which is where he spends long periods of time working in bronze and marble.

Pathos runs until December 10. Entrance is free and opening hours are Monday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

Emotions of the Spirit

A collection of 28 works by Ivan Grixti is open for visitors at Level O, SkyParks Business Centre, MIA, Luqa, until the end of December.

Works include several portraits, including a self-portrait, that of homeless men and of Pope Benedict. There are also abstracts and a depiction of war, among others.

Grixti has just returned from Poznan, Poland where he lived, studied and worked as an educator for the last 12 years. There he mastered the language and attended several art courses. He graduated B.A. (Hons) in Education: Technical Drawing and Design & Technology (2001-05) from the University of Malta and then attended a post-graduate course at the Fine Arts Institute Marie-Curie Sklodowska, Lublin, Poland (2021-2022).

In Malta, he studied under Anthony (Tony) Demicoli, Paul Vella Critien, Anthony (Anton) Calleja and Philip Agius. He has exhibited in Malta, Poland and France.

OTHER EXHIBITIONS

Ancient Tea With New Glamour

The China Cultural Centre in Malta is hosting an exhibition under the theme of ‘Tea for Harmony’, co-organised with the Xi’an Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.

Featuring intriguing displays, artefacts, paintings and photographs from the city of Xi’an, this new exhibition opens a window into the enduring significance of tea in Chinese culture.

A Tang-style gilded tea set made of bronze gold and silver is the main attraction. Other exhibits include a batch of royal teaware items that were unearthed in 1987 at the ancient Buddhist Famen Temple in northwest Shaanxi and a modern reprinted thread-bound edition of The Classic of Tea, considered to be the first known monograph on tea in the world, written by Lu Yu between 760 CE and 762 CE, during the Tang Dynasty.

One may visit the exhibition, which will remain open until the end of this year at the China Cultural Centre, 173, Melita Street, Valletta. The centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to noon, and from 1.30 to 4pm. Entrance is free. Reservation is advised for group visits at events2023ccc@gmail.com.

Fare Convito: The Archaeology of Banqueting in Hospitaller Malta (16th to 18th century)

A range of maiolica and porcelain vessels, used both for display and for serving food during formal banquets in Hospitaller Malta, is being exhibited at the Romegas Hall, National Museum of Archaeology, until the end of December.

The exhibition, entitled Fare Convito: The Archaeology of Banqueting in Hospitaller Malta (16th to 18th century), delves deeply into how food, art and politics came together in the ritual of baroque banqueting – the formal and communal sharing of food and drink – between the 16th and the 18th century in Malta.

During that period, under the Order of St John, Malta imported many aspects of the European dining culture, mainly from Renaissance Italy and from Rococo France. An especially striking feature was the Convito – the formal banquet – which provided a theatrical backdrop for political discussion and intrigue. 

They include two late Renaissance plates belonging to Cardinal Farnese’s famous credenza, a Chinese Ming porcelain import to Malta, important examples of South Italian heraldic plates, and a wide range of French and North Italian faience, including examples in the Rococo style of Moustier.

Admission is free. The exhibition will move to the Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa from January until March 2024. A booklet will be available for sale at both exhibitions.

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whatson@timesofmalta.com