More music, history and culture in Festival Mediterranea

Besides the opera Norma, held at Teatru Astra this week, Festival Mediterranea presents
a whole programme of cultural events that seek to unveil aspects of the islands’ rich
cultural treasures and heritage. Norma opens the tenth edition of the festival, with the first
performance on Thursday and a second performance on Saturday.

The festival continues this week with a number of other events. On Friday 28, highlights
of the history and artistic treasures of St George’s Basilica, in Victoria, will be explained
by Dr Paul G Pisani during a site-visit that starts at 12.30pm. Participation is free of
charge, although those wishing to attend should be in front of St George’s Basilica main
door at 12.15pm.

Another appointment on the day is that of a violin and pianoforte recital, by violinist
Tatyana Chircop and pianist Natascha Chircop, held at Aula Monsignor Giuseppe
Farrugia at the back entrance of St George’s Basilica. Again this event is being held free
of charge, with the recital starting at 8pm. The Chircop sisters are a top notch violinist
and an excellent pianist respectively, who have performed extensively locally and abroad
with both having CD recordings to their credits. In this recital they will be performing a
number of works including Joseph Vella’s Rapsodija Maltija Op. 26 but also works by
Cesar Espejo, Manuel de Falla and Franz Drdla.

The festival also tackles important ingredients from what is our Mediterranean culinary
culture with two events, that of Saturday 29 October with a visit to the vineyards of a
boutique winery in Gharb run by a local family, as well as a site-visit to local salt pans,
a cheeselet production outlet, an agro-farm, an olive pressing plant and a mushroom
growing plant, on Wednesday 2 November.

Another interesting event happening in the coming days is a concert by the brass
ensemble and soloists from the La Stella Philharmonic Band. This recital brings to the
forefront band players who have often distinguished themselves as soloists and who have
become masters, in their own right, of the brass instrument they play. The concert will
be held at the Aula Monsignor Giuseppe Farrugia at St George’s Basilica on Saturday 5
November and starts at 8pm. This is another activity being held free of charge.

Another event running concurrently is an art exhibition by artist Richard Saliba, at art..è
Gallery, until 30 October at 1, Library Street in Victoria. Viewing times are between
Monday and Saturday from 9.30am until 12.15pm.

Festival Mediterranea is entirely organised by volunteers at Teatru Astra. It
continues until 19 November. A full programme of events is available online at
mediterranea.com.mt. More information may be obtained from 21550985, while
booking is available at 79256897 or [email protected] .

25 October 2011