Final event for Festival Mediterranea 2011

The tenth edition of Festival Mediterranea comes to a close on Saturday 19 November with the annual Grand Symphonic Concert by La Stella Philharmonic Band (AD 1863). The concert, which starts at 7.30pm, will be held at Teatru Astra. Entrance to the event is free of charge.

The symphonic concert brings together a strong 70-member band, under the direction of Prof. Mro. Joseph Vella, in what is considered one of its main events throughout the winter season. The band is involved almost every weekend from May until September, playing in feasts in Gozo as well as in Malta. Saturday’s concert however sees the band interpret a selection of classical, pop and symphonic music in what is increasingly becoming a much-awaited event for music lovers on Gozo.

The programme includes a variety of music from popular to soundtracks to classic music and opera, with all pieces giving the opportunity for the audience to enjoy the highly skilful music playing of the La Stella Band and a number of its soloists. The programme includes a Fantasia from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Il Trovatore, Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky’s popular Carnival-inspired fantasy of the Capriccio Italien, the modern and upbeat Overture for Band from Ross Roy composed by Jacob de Haan, and The Legend of the Glass Mountain from the soundtrack, composed by Nino Rota, of the 1948 Number 1 box office film The Glass Mountain as well as the March from Miklós Rózsa’s soundtrack of El Cid, as arranged by Robert Hawkins. The programme also includes an Introduction Theme and Variations for Bb Clarinet by Giacomo Rossini, as arranged by Mario Galea.

While the concert starts at 7.30pm, the public is being invited to be seated by 7.15pm. Donations for “Dar l-Arka” in Ghajnsielem will be accepted on the evening. Seating is on a first-come first-served basis. More information is available on mediterranea.com.mt or 9988 3007 or 7925 6897.

The concert brings to a close the tenth edition of the almost month-long annual festival, organised by volunteers at Teatru Astra. Festival Mediterranea started on the 27th October with the first of two nights of Vincenzo Bellini’s highly-demanding opera Norma which introduced large 3D projections to the world of opera for the first time in Malta.

Festival Mediterranea is organised with the support of Bank of Valletta, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Vodafone Malta Foundation, the Malta International Airport, the Ministry for Gozo, the Ministry for Finance, the Economy and Investment, the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and Victoria Local Council.

13 November 2011