Extensive coverage for Teatru Astra's press conference

The local media has reported extensively the press conference organised by Teatru Astra at the Bank of Valletta Operations Centre in Santa Venera in Malta last Monday. Bank of Valletta is a major partner of Festival Mediterranea.  The press present were addressed by Mr Tonio Depasquale CEO of Bank of Valletta, Prof Mro Joseph Vella Musical Director of La Traviata and Mr Michael Formosa on behalf of the Teatru Astra and the festival organising committee.

The evening news bulletins on a number of television stations aired features relating to this official launch, which included details of the festival events, especially the opera La Traviata happening on 28 and 30 October 2010 .  The print media, on Tuesday, and the respective internet based news portals, also reported widely the information released by Teatru Astra with respect to the ninth edition of Festival Mediterranea.

We are reproducing below the report which was accompanied by a full colour photo on the print edition of The Times of Malta of 28 September 2010.  The feature was also uploaded on timesofmalta.com.

29-09-2010

Opera and more at Gozo’s Mediterranea festival - The Times of Malta, 28 September 2010

Verdi’s La Traviata is set to be the star of the ninth edition of the Gozitan Festival Mediterranea running from October 28 to November 27.

Literally meaning “the woman who strayed”, the opera is a heart-rending story of Violetta, a Parisian courtesan who falls in love with Alfredo, much to the shame of his father, Giorgio Germont.

Violetta will be played by Gozitan soprano Miriam Cauchi, while Italian tenor Alessandro Libertone sings the role of Alfredo and Marco Chingari in the role of his father.

The festival will have two representations of the world renowned opera in Gozo’s Astra Theatre, on the opening night and the Saturday after.

The annual festival features not only opera but music, dance, history, food and wine, art and archaeology.

In the case of the latter, leading British scholar David Trump will be revisiting the festival to conduct onsite lectures in prehistoric heritage sites, including the Ħal Saflieni hypogeum and Ġgantija.

Other events include a site visit of the Hili family fields in Għarb renowned for their organic vines and wine produce, an English translation of Europides’ Trojan Women and two evenings by the Opera Studio Teatru Astra, among many others.

During the festival launch yesterday, festival music director and Teatru Astra’s resident conductor Joseph Vella spoke about how the theatre sought to make the best use of local talent while engaging foreign artist. The festival is organised by volunteers and sponsored by Bank of Valletta. For further information visit mediterranea.com.mt.