Festival Mediterranea 2009 launched

The Astra Theatre has launched the eighth edition of Festival Mediterranea, an annual festival of culture, featuring opera, music, dance, history and archaeology, local crafts, food and wine, and art.

This year's edition runs from October 23to November 21. It is being supported by Bank of Valletta.

Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto in fact takes pride of place in this year's programme of events, with a double representation at the Astra in Victoria - on Thursday 29 and on Saturday 31 October. Both representations start at 7.30pm.

The cast includes international artistes of repute who are once again returning to the Teatru Astra. The National Philharmonic Orchestra will be conducted by Prof Mro Joseph Vella, while the Teatru Astra Opera Chorus is being trained by Dr Maria Frendo. Italian Artistic Director Mario Corradi is once again being engaged for this production, following his successful staging of Macbeth (Astra, 2007) and Turandot (Astra, 2008). Following both opera nights, a late-night Dinner with the Stars is again being held, with opera patrons being invited to a feast of Mediterranean food and wine.

Other events include tours around St George's Basilica in Victoria, home to fine art works including Mattia Preti, as well as on-site lectures by leading UK archaeologist and scholar David Trump to sites of particular historical and archaeological importance in both Malta - the Hypogeum in Ħal Saflieni, the Archaeology Museum in Valletta, and the Mġarr and Skorba temples - and in Gozo - the Ġgantija temples, Għejżu's cave and the Xagħra Stone Circle, and the Archaeology Museum at the Citadel.

Dr Trump is once again leading a half-day conference, 'Conservation: Nature and Archaeology' which will include the participation of primary local experts. He will also be giving a public lecture, entitled 'An Archaeologist seeks Religion', entrance to both is free of charge.

Festival Mediterranea also prominently features other music events: including a Recital on a late 18th century British Pipe Organ, a trio lunchtime concert, an all-female ensemble, an all-male choral lunchtime recital, a vocal recital, a piano recital, band soloists, a full-philharmonic band concert by the La Stella Band, and a choral recital.

Article featured on LIFE | timesofmalta.com