DANCE
The Nutcracker
Moveo Dance Company is presenting its take on the classical ballet composed by Tchaikovsky for a second weekend from December 8 to 10 at the Valletta Campus Theatre.
The plot, set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child’s imagination, is an adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s 1816 short story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.
Tickets are available from showshappening.com.
MUSIC
MSA 10th anniversary final concert
The 10th and last concert in the series celebrating the Malta Society of Arts’ 100 years at Palazzo de La Salle will consist of a promenade performance all over Palazzo de La Salle on December 7 from 8 to 9pm.
The programme will see KorMalta performing Carmelo Pace’s The Beatitudes & Sister Awake; għana singing by Mariele Zammit; Opening Doors playing Batucada (Latin American percussion); Marie-Anne Scerri presenting Gabriel Fauré’s Theme & Variations op. 73; Alessia Bonnici and Kellyann Spiteri performing The Carnival of the Animals; and SOM Little Big Band showcasing a selection of big band standards.
The series of music events which took place all along 2023 was curated by Karl Fiorini.
Entrance to this event is free of charge.
Tota Pulchra
The Chorus Urbanus Junior Choir will perform various Marian and Christmas hymns at St Augustine church in Victoria on December 8 at 11.30am.
Entrance is free. The event is organised by the Gozo Culture Council.
Carols at St John’s
The St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation Children’s Choir is presenting its annual Christmas concert on December 6 at 7.30pm.
The choir, under the direction of Gillian Zammit, will be performing with the Malta Youth Orchestra under the baton of British conductor Philip Walsh.
The programme features traditional Christmas carols and pieces by Vella, Rutter, Bach and Haydn.
The event is sold out.
Magical Christmas Concert
From December 7 to 9, the Malta’s National Children’s Choir together with special guests will take the audience on a musical journey through 100 years of Disney’s most beloved films.
The concert, being held at Sir Temi Zammit Hall at the University of Malta, will also include games, on-stage competitions and a karaoke.
Tickets from showshappening.com.
La Magia del Natale in Musica
The church of St Catherine of Italy in Valletta is hosting a Christmas concert on December 9 at 7.30pm.
The programme includes well-known Christmas repertoire with a focus on Italian music for the festive season.
Taking part are soprano Zara Donaldson, mezzo soprano Francesca Bartolo and tenor Brian Cefai. They will be accompanied by the Venus Harp Trio.
To reserve tickets, contact the organisers via WhatsApp at +447760657785.
Malta International Organ Festival
The 10th edition of the Malta International Organ Festival comes to an end this week with an organ and bass concert on December 5 at St Sebastian chapel, Qormi, at 7pm (free entrance); a lunchtime concert featuring new talent at St Mary’s Basilica, Mosta, on December 8 at noon (free entrance); and the closing concert, titled A Prelude to Christmas, at St Augustine’s parish church, Valletta, starring Italian soprano Silvia di Falco, baritone Joseph Lia, trumpeter Brendan Ball (UK) and organist Andreas Meisner (Germany) on December 9 at 8.30pm. Tickets for the latter concert are available from ticketline.com.mt.
For all the details, visit maltainternationalorganfestival.com.
Read more about the festival in this Times of Malta preview.
THEATRE
Mitt ruħ
Inspired by Ġorġ Mallia’s collection of micro-stories, Victor Jacono has written and is directing a new play at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta from December 8 to 10 at 8pm.
The production, a collaboration between Jacono and Theatre Lab Malta, entwines the stories of various characters in imaginary situations that sometimes bear an uncanny resemblance to reality.
The cast is made up of Peter Galea, Theresa Gauci, Clint Chircop, Alison Abela, Kyle Mangani and Alexia Micallef.
For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.
The Great Little Panto Show
TOI TOI, the Manoel Theatre’s Learning and Participation Programme, is holding a pantomime for children aged 4+ from December 6 to 17.
The panto features all the favourite nursery rhyme characters, including Cinderella, Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, Aladdin, Puss in Boots and the Big Bad Wolf from the Little Red Riding Hood, in an original story written by Malcolm Galea.
The show is directed by Dorothy Bezzina, with music composed by Matteo Depares.
The panto will be staged at the Manoel’s Studio Theatre on December 8, 9, 10, 13, 16 and 17. For tickets, visit teatrumanoel.mt.
Żeża tal-Flagship
An adaptation of the local classic comedy, written by Mikielang Borg early in the last century, is being staged at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta on December 8, 9, 10 and 13.
Adapted by Joe Gatt and directed by Hermann Bonaci, the show includes a list of new songs which will be played live by the orchestra and sung by the cast that include Laura Bruno, Simon Curmi, Christian Arding, Michela Galea, Dario Bezzina and Ina Robinich, among others.
For tickets, visit teatrumanoel.mt.
FILM
La Combattante (The Fighter)
A documentary by Camille Ponsin is being screened at Campus Hub/Room CHBO-316 – University of Malta, Msida, on December 5 at 5pm.
The documentary, showing in French with English subtitles, is about the poignant story of Marie-José Tubiana, a 90-year-old retired ethnologist who takes in and helps refugees from Darfur. As an activist, she contributed to the much more frequent presence of East African languages translators (Zaghawa, For, Massalit languages…) during asylum interviews before the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons.
The screening will be followed by a French/English debate.
The event is open to all, students and general public, free of charge. It is organised by the Alliance Française and the French Department at the University of Malta.
European Cinema Night
As part of European Cinema Night 2023, Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta is screening On the Adamant, a documentary directed by French veteran film-maker Nicolas Philibert, on December 8 at 5pm.
Winner of the Golden Bear (best film) at the Berlin Film Festival 2023, On the Adamant is about a floating day care centre located on the Seine in the heart of Paris. It welcomes adults suffering from mental disorders, offering them care that grounds them in time and space, and helps them to recover or keep up their spirits.
Entrance is free but one has to reserve a seat via kreattivita.org.
Florencia en el Amazonas
On December 9, Spazju Kreattiv is screening the Met Opera Live premiere of Florencia en el Amazonas.
Sung in Spanish and inspired by the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez, Mexican composer Daniel Catán’s 1996 opera focuses on an opera diva, Florencia Grimaldi, who returns to her native Brazil to perform and to search for her lost lover, who has vanished into the jungle.
The Met premiere stars soprano Ailyn Pérez as Florencia in a new production by Mary Zimmerman.
The screening starts at 7pm. For tickets, visit kreattivita.org.
MISCELLANEOUS
Valletta Christmas programme
The Valletta Cultural Agency is hosting its Christmas programme until December 31 in Valletta’s main squares and streets, while the Christmas lights and decorations will continue into January.
There are also a Christmas Tree near Parliament, a crib and various family activities. For all the details, visit the Valletta Cultural Agency Facebook page.
Fairyland
From December 8 to January 7, Triton Square in Valletta will be once again transformed into Santa’s City.
Attractions include Rudolph’s Wheel, the ice-skating rink and the artisan market, besides daily live entertainment.
For all the details, visit https://fairylandmalta.com/.
Christmas Bonsai exhibition
The Bonsai Culture Group Malta is once again holding its annual Christmas Bonsai Exhibition in aid of Puttinu Cares at its clubhouse at Notre Dame Arch Street, Floriana
It will be open on December 8 and 9 from 9am to 6pm and on December 10 from 9am to 1pm.
For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.
Malta Café Scientifique: Eating Well Without Eating the Planet
The next Malta Café Scientifique event is taking place at Studio B, Spazju Kreattiv, in Valletta on December 5 at 7pm.
Professor Byron Baron from the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking of the University of Malta will discuss the bond between agricultural practices, health (particularly colorectal cancer) and Malta’s natural environment.
The event is free but seats need to be booked via kreattivita.org.
Malta Artisan Markets Christmas Market
The Christmas edition of the Malta Artisan Markets is taking place at Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar on December 10 from 10am to 6pm.
There will be a curated selection of local artisans and vendors offering handcrafted gifts, artisanal treats, and one-of-a-kind treasures, together with live entertainment and various food and drink options.
Admission is free. Visit the Malta Artisan Markets Facebook page for more information.
Esplora Christmas Wonderland
The Esplora Interactive Science Centre in Kalkara is hosting a Christmas market between December 8 and January 7 from 6 to 10.30pm. Doors will close at 8.30pm.
For more information, click here.
Christmas at the Aquarium
The Malta National Aquarium is holding various Christmas events from December 8 to January 7. These include Breakfast with Santa, a craft station, Santa’s Coral Cove, Jumper Day, Christmas VR, Fishes and Wishes, and special aquarium tours featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
For all the details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Christmas markets
The following localities are hosting their own Christmas markets and activities in the coming days:
Mdina: Il-Memorji tal-Milied fl-Imdina (December 9)
Rabat: Natalis Notabilis (December 7 to 13)
Qormi: Mill-ġulbiena sal-Milied (December 8)
Mqabba: Count Down to Christmas 2023 (December 9)
Żabbar: The Żabbar Santa’s Market (December 9)
Kerċem: Christmas Magic (until January 7)
Xewkija: Christmas in the Square (December 8 to 10)
Xagħra: Casal Caccia Christmas Market (December 9-10)
Fontana: Santa’s North Pole − The Walk-Through (December 10)
Żebbuġ, Gozo: Natale sulle Colle (December 10)
Victoria: Villa Rundle Illuminated Gardens (until December 23)
For more information, visit the Facebook pages of these events or of the respective local councils.
The Magical Illuminated Trail and Village
The Magical Illuminated Trail at Verdala Palace will run from December 1 to January 7, with proceeds going once again to the Malta Community Chest Fund.
Among others, one will find a captivating Mythical Tree, the ethereal Flower Land, the enchanting Fantasy Garden and the cosmic Space Explorer World.
One can also witness the beauty of the first ever life-size Illuminated Crib in Malta, be surrounded by the magical glow of thousands of twinkling fairy lights and encounter countless cartoon creatures.
Opening hours: 5 to 9pm. For tickets, visit illuminatedtrailmalta.com or showshappening.com.
VISUAL ARTS
ĠUF
Rebecca Bonaci is holding her first solo exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta.
Referencing the Maltese word for ‘womb’, ĠUF explores the theme of contemporary motherhood, informed by the rich prehistoric remains and rituals found in the Maltese archipelago. The iconography and imagery from the primordial period are reinterpreted by Bonaci and her curatorial team, with the artworks in dialogue with artefacts from the period as well as other contemporary objects.
Bonaci also draws from her personal experience of family bonding, femininity, recent social history, child bearing and motherhood presenting a dialogue between past and present.
The exhibition, curated by Sarah Chircop and supported by Arts Council Malta, runs until December 2.
Read more about it in this Times of Malta interview with the artist.
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 preview.
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 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.
Collectively Solo III
Gallery 23 in Balzan is hosting the third in a series of collective exhibitions until December 15.
The idea behind the Collectively Solo exhibitions started in 2020 when the solo exhibitions booked at the gallery had to be postponed due to the pandemic. In December that year, the artists were invited to exhibit together.
This year, the gallery is giving the opportunity to emerging artists to exhibit alongside more established artists. The collection offers a wide range of artworks and includes paintings and ceramics, from figurative to landscapes together with a selection of abstracts, all in a variety of mediums and tones.
Opening hours: Wednesdays 6.30 to 8pm and Sundays from 10.30am to 12.30pm. One can also visit by appointment by calling 9942 8272 or e-mailing info@gallery23malta.com.
Saffi – Layers of Joy
Fabiola Agius Anastasi is holding her second solo exhibition this year at the Wignacourt Museum in Rabat, with a percentage of the proceeds going to Hospice Malta.
In Saffi – Layers of Joy, the artist explores an array of mediums: from acrylic to plaster, delicate gold leaf, and translucent glassine to create a symphony of colours and textures that celebrate the myriad facets of joy.
Large surfaces are used to paint scenes and details taken from unusual angles, with creative interpretations and expressive bursts of colour.
The exhibition is open until December 19. The museum is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm, last entry at 4.15pm.
Malta Photographic Society Exhibition
The 58th National Competition & Exhibition of Photography 2023, organised by the Malta Photographic Society, is being held at the Malta Society of Arts’ seat Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta until December 21.
Over 900 submissions were received by the Malta Photographic Society, resulting in the selection of 107 prints and 150 digital projected images for the exhibition, which span a diverse spectrum: from emotionally charged compositions to highly artistic masterpieces and timeless classics.
Entrance is free. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. The palazzo is closed and Sundays and public holidays.
A House of Glass
Jon Grech’s third solo exhibition in a career spanning over three decades is taking place at Camilleri Paris Mode in Rabat.
Rather reclusive and reluctant to exhibit, this exhibition finds the artist, who is in his late 40s, at the height of his creative power, showing a technical bravura that those familiar with his work have grown accustomed to.
The title of the exhibition points towards transparency, towards the viewer as a voyeur. It refers also to fragmentation relating to visual perspective and a juxtaposition of narratives into disconcerting scenarios.
The exhibition is on until mid-December.
APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale
The APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale is holding its fourth edition under the artistic direction of Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci.
This year’s edition is re-igniting the significance of the Mediterranean as a geographical and cultural region, this time harking back to the multi-forms of mythological, religious, and spiritual deities. Hence the theme title of Mediterranean Goddesses.
The theme of spiritual and species fertility, rich within the concentrated Mediterranean soil and sea, can, albeit its utopian sub-text, offer an alternative to the political reality plaguing our world today. This notion develops upon the theme of the 2020 Mdina Biennale: Regaining a Paradise Lost: The Role of the Arts, and that of the 2017 edition: The Mediterranean: A Sea of Conflicting Spiritualities.
The biennale runs until December 15. For more information, visit mdinabiennale.com/.
Narratives for Post-Modern Love
Gabriel Buttigieg is presenting an intimate, visual essay portraying the way we love and perceive love − confusing, multi-layered, raw, uncertain, lonely, painful and fearsome − at The Splendid in Strait Street, Valletta.
Each of these works was made with the specific space, context and history, firmly in mind, and as the narratives unfold, so do the artist’s emotions.
Curated by Lisa Gwen, the exhibition is being launched on December 7 and is open until December 22. One may visit from Monday to Friday from 3 to 8 pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. It is closed on Sundays.
Revelations
A solo exhibition by Isabel Warrington is open for viewing at Gemelli Art Gallery/Framing Studio, Ta’ Qali Crafts Village, Ta’ Qali.
The artworks are an introspective journey by the artist, executed mostly in watercolour, inks and acrylic. However, many of the paintings also include items like buttons and bits and pieces that she collects and then uses to inject opulence into her pieces, giving them a theatrical feel.
The artist’s love for the environment comes into play and she uses recyclables to their optimum effect. There is a recurring character throughout most of the pieces that encourages the viewer to ponder on the meaning behind each narrative and interpret it in their own way.
The exhibition is open until December 23. Opening hours are Monday to Friday: 8am to 2.30pm, Saturday: 8am to noon.
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.
Apotheosis
Following Inaction is a Weapon of Mass Destruction (2022), Darren Tanti is exhibiting his latest collection of works at the Oratory of the Jesuit Church Complex in Archbishop Street, Valletta.
Using a mix of contemporary forms of art and traditional aesthetic languages, the artist presents a hybrid body of work that addresses the current state of humankind and its ultimate call: holiness.
This includes mostly sculptures and objet d’art incorporating less traditional aspects like neon tubes and perspex, which can be perceived as standalone installations making up one coherent exhibition.
The exhibition, curated by Melanie Erixon and organised by the Valletta Cultural Agency, is open every day between 9am and 4pm (excluding Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve) until January 9.
New Forms
In a bold departure from the traditional gallery setting, James Vella Clark will be exhibiting his latest collection of abstract expressionist works at FORM’s home showroom in Valley Road, Msida.
Themed New Forms, the 16 large new paintings on canvas seek to ignite a conversation about the intersection of art and living spaces, inviting viewers to rediscover how art can seamlessly integrate into personal spaces as a daily reminder of the enduring beauty in our lives.
The exhibition runs until January.
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.
The Crib’s Journey with St Francis
A Christmas crib exhibition, a joint collaboration between Heritage Malta and Għaqda Ħbieb tal-Presepji Għawdex Malta, has been launched at the Grand Master’s Palace, under the auspices of President George Vella.
Titled The Crib’s Journey with St Francis, this exhibition forms part of a string of initiatives around the globe, organised by the International Friends of the Crib Federation, celebrating the 800th anniversary since the first crib was created by St Francis in Greccio, Italy.
On display are some 60 cribs by Maltese and foreign artists, crafted out of different materials, including papier-mâché, glass and jablo.
Several workshops will be organised throughout the duration of the exhibition, addressing topics such as crib-making, crib accessories and crib figurines. Lectures on the history of Christmas cribs will also be held.
Heritage Malta will be publishing an informative full-colour catalogue about this exhibition, with a general introduction about Christmas traditions and the Maltese crib, and a limited edition and numbered 15-figure nativity set.
The exhibition runs until January 21. All profits will be directed to the Malta Community Chest Fund. Entrance is through Merchants Street.
Civil Splendour
An exhibition at the Malta Postal Museum & Arts Hub is giving visitors a rare opportunity to view at close quarters the exquisitely tailored and embroidered civil uniforms worn by high-ranking British and colonial officials at state occasions in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Civil uniforms were first adopted by cabinet ministers and quickly became the standard uniform for British civil servants throughout the empire. This exhibition shows all five grades of the uniform worn in the 19th century as well as their evolution into the foreign service uniform in the 1950s which is still current today although only worn by ambassadors and the marshal and vice-marshal of the Diplomatic Corps.
Other uniforms displayed include the Tropical White Uniform worn by the Colonial Services, the Governor-General’s Uniform and the Field Dress and Full Dress Uniforms of the King’s Body Guard for Scotland, The Royal Company of Archers. Also displayed is the Alternative Dress Coronation Robe for a baroness designed and made by the leading British fashion designer Norman Hartnell and worn by Baroness Delamere at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.
The exhibition is on at the Malta Postal Museum, 135, Archbishop Street, Valletta, from December 6 to January 27. Opening hours are from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.
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.
In the Footsteps of the Hospitallers: 900 Years of Chivalry, Faith & Charity
An exhibition about the Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) has opened at the National Library of Malta in Valletta.
This exhibition is curated by Maroma Camilleri and is dedicated to the memory of a prominent Maltese member of the Order of Malta, the Bailiff Fra’ John Edward Critien, Grand Prior of Rome, who passed away on December 3, 2022.
