Malta Arts Festival starts tonight

The Malta Arts Festival starts tonight at the Old Opera House ruins and Freedom Square, in Valletta.

Architect Adrian Mamo and designer Daniel Mercieca have transformed the two sites for the public to interact with the artists over the next three weeks.

The public will be able to walk around a sculpture garden in Freedom Square, where over 30 works are displayed.

This surrounds a small performance area where various activities, such as short plays, literary readings and mini-concerts, will be held.

Here too, the public will have the chance to participate in modelling sessions in clay which will be held every weekend.

Children can also climb up a four-metre high Magic Tree and catch a festival butterfly from the top.

Patrons attending the main events of the festival at the Opera House ruins will re-trace the steps made by patrons of the Royal Opera House in the first half of last century.

Entrance will involve a climb up the re-modelled original staircase on Republic Street leading to the elevated outside foyer of the once majestic theatre.

From here one will enter the open air theatre through the doors of a "reconstructed" image of part of the Opera House façade and walk down the central axis, looking down at the performance area sited where the original stage once stood.

The festival will run till August 20 with daily performances. Tickets are available from the festival stand in Freedom Square, Valletta.

The opening hours are weekdays 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 9.30 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 9.30 p.m.