SPOILT FOR CHOICE IN GOZO
Marion Zammit takes a close look at what is on offer during next weekend's Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana
It starts off with music and wine, with theatre, dance, art, re-enactments, food, crafts, history and tradition rumbling in, in pursuit of a cultural experience that is untried in Gozo. Gozo's Citadel and the heart of the island's capital will, next weekend, host more than 450 artistes in a true celebration of the arts and our very own Mediterranean lifestyle.
The curtain rises on this first edition of Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana with a wine festival by Delicata Wines that includes the participation of several local artistes. Music, food and wine will also be the main ingredients of the night's main attraction - a concert by legendary Italian singer Bobby Solo, best remembered for his everlasting Una lacrima sul viso, with proceeds from this concert being forwarded to the Arka Foundation to assist it in its priceless social role. Both events will be taking full advantage of the beauty afforded by the promontories of the Citadel, with all of Gozo and fairly distant Malta complementing the backdrop of the setting sun to the West.
20070512-lifestyle--gozo2.jpgTwo simultaneous chamber music concerts will also enrich the first night's programme with Jean-Marc Apap on sax alto and Richard Galliano on piano accordion at St George's Basilica, while up at the Citadel, the Victoria Clarinet Quartet brings to life the intimate surroundings of the Sentinella Hall. At the same time, the Citadel bastions will provide a unique setting to the Sbandieratori Ducato Caetani, flown in directly from Italy to parade along the quaint streets and squares with their remarkable flags, trumpets and drums.
From Friday to Sunday, the public can enjoy an architectural lighting display that enhances the characteristic settings of the Citadel and Victoria. A particular highlight to the exhaustive programme of events is the prestigious exhibition of drawings, from the National Collection, by Mattia Preti.
Other exhibitions include those by artists Victor Spiteri and George Scicluna, sketches of paintings and works of art found in places of worship across the island, an exhibition about Madre Margherita, two separate exhibitions tied to the celebration of the feasts of St George and Santa Marija, a traditional cribs exhibition and another exhibition of processional statuettes related to the Passion of Christ, an exhibition of old photographs depicting long-forgotten Gozo, a collective exhibition of young local artists and a separate collective exhibition of Gozitan artists.
Saturday brings the culmination of the weekend's events, reaching a climax further in the night hours. Morning wakes up to a parade by the San Gwann Scouts Band, complemented by a plant and flower exhibition at the Villa Rundle Gardens, a plant and flower market at Castle Hill, a crafts market at Republic Street, artists painting and working on site, a re-enactment of Grand Master Wignacourt's entry to Victoria and the Citadel, another parade by the Sbandieratori Ducato Caetani followed by a lunchtime concert of young local musicians at the Ministry for Gozo. All this, while four different tours - from the Citadel and the cathedral, to shelters, the narrow streets and architecture, and local crafts and gastronomy - take the inquisitive to explore the different sights and sounds of the island's capital.
Football enthusiasts will have the opportunity to watch a live screening of the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United, followed immediately by the screening of the film Goal 2 - Living the Dream, at the Oratory Don Bosco. The audio-visual Gozo 360° will be showed repeatedly at Citadel Cinema while Charlotte's Web follows the football frenzy at the Oratory Don Bosco.
Young actors and singers will also be contributing their little bit of cultural stunt with a performance at the Victoria Primary School, showing highlights from Disney's more favourite musically animated cartoons. Theatre will also abound with Lacuna by contemporary theatre group Dù, one-man L-Imfietah by Mario Micallef, and the ever popular Zoo Media and Entertainment with Lejl bit-Torc ma' Zoo, held at the Sentinella Hall, Oratory Don Bosco and Teatru Astra respectively.
Another much-awaited highlight of the weekend's programme is Tenori, a concert featuring the UK's most successful three tenors, accompanied by Mro John Galea, at the Aurora Opera House. Although of a relatively young age, tenors Alexander Grove, Mark Chaundy and James Edwards will be tackling most notable tenor arias in the operatic repertoire with an ease that betrays their age. The public will definitely be looking forward to a programme that includes Nessun dorma, La donna è mobile, Che gelida manina, O sole mio, Caruso and other favourites.
Classical music will also abound during Saturday night's programme with an organ recital at St Michael's Hall (St George's Basilica) and choral and other classical music recitals happening almost simultaneously at churches and chapels in Victoria and the Citadel, including the Gozo Cathedral and the Gozo Courts of Justice. St George's basilica will also provide guided tours of "the golden basilica", while it opens the doors to the new parish centre for a special rooftop viewing of the Citadel.
At different times of Saturday evening, street theatre will animate the already colourful streets and alleys with a parade in pageantry costumes, a knights' entourage, and a narrow streets alive initiative that sees the re-enactment of traditions and folklore inherent in Gozo's history, as well as narrations and folk singing accompanied by traditional instruments.
All this while six different stages, scattered around the town, will entertain a wide spectrum of the audience ranging from tiny tots at Sabina Square thanks to Curtain Raiser Theatre Troupe, to pop music and village band lovers at St Francis Square and Republic Street respectively, to rock band followers at Independence Square. A spectacle of dance followed by hours of deejay music raises funds for the Arka and Oasi foundations at St Augustine Square, while intimate St George's Square provides an ideal platform for the more tranquil chill out music. Participating bands and artistes in the six venues include among others the Versatile Brass Ensemble, the Big Band Brothers, the Gozo Youth Wind Band and Orchestra, Claire Baluci, Frenzy Mono, Corkskrew, Klinsmann and band, and Etnika. All this runs until the early hours of the morning, with a short break at the very strokes of midnight for a 10-minute fireworks spectacular display that will take off from two parallel sites outside Victoria. The twin simultaneous spectacle can be viewed from both the Citadel bastions and Republic Street.
All this gives way to Sunday morning and afternoon that see a much more tranquil programme that slowly brings back Victoria and the Citadel to a more regular pace, repeating the calmer elements of Saturday morning to close off this extensive marathon of culture and entertainment in its wider sense.
Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana also provides for extended shopping hours while food will not go amiss with a take-away area specifically set in an area of Victoria, close to a separate restaurant area where Victoria's bus terminus is being transformed into a typical Mediterranean square.
Parking is being reserved in designated areas around Victoria while two temporary bus termini are being set up at the very lower and very upper end of Victoria, providing special transport for the elderly and persons with special needs to the very heart of the activities.
Those travelling to Gozo for Saturday night are being encouraged to make use of public transport arrangements that leave designated towns and villages in Malta for Cirkewwa and back according to an established time-table that runs into the early hours of Sunday morning. Shuttle transport services from Mgarr harbour and from almost all Gozitan villages to Victoria and back are being organised to help alleviate the need for people to travel with their own car to the main town. Gozo Channel Co. Ltd is also offering a reduced fare during specific hours on Friday and Saturday, with the weekend expected to generate an interest that is abnormal for this time of year.
This first edition of Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana brings with it an impressively exhaustive list of events with the public having to choose where to go and what to do. There will be so many things to see in a relatively short time span that one cannot but shortlist the more favourite attractions, hoping to move fast from one venue to another to be able to get the best out of it all. We will definitely be spoilt for choice in an already culturally active island, defying in the true sense of the word, the geographical smallness of tiny Calypso's isle.
• More information on Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana may be obtained by phone on 2155 9832 or online at www.gozoculture.com.
The curtain rises on this first edition of Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana with a wine festival by Delicata Wines that includes the participation of several local artistes. Music, food and wine will also be the main ingredients of the night's main attraction - a concert by legendary Italian singer Bobby Solo, best remembered for his everlasting Una lacrima sul viso, with proceeds from this concert being forwarded to the Arka Foundation to assist it in its priceless social role. Both events will be taking full advantage of the beauty afforded by the promontories of the Citadel, with all of Gozo and fairly distant Malta complementing the backdrop of the setting sun to the West.
20070512-lifestyle--gozo2.jpgTwo simultaneous chamber music concerts will also enrich the first night's programme with Jean-Marc Apap on sax alto and Richard Galliano on piano accordion at St George's Basilica, while up at the Citadel, the Victoria Clarinet Quartet brings to life the intimate surroundings of the Sentinella Hall. At the same time, the Citadel bastions will provide a unique setting to the Sbandieratori Ducato Caetani, flown in directly from Italy to parade along the quaint streets and squares with their remarkable flags, trumpets and drums.
From Friday to Sunday, the public can enjoy an architectural lighting display that enhances the characteristic settings of the Citadel and Victoria. A particular highlight to the exhaustive programme of events is the prestigious exhibition of drawings, from the National Collection, by Mattia Preti.
Other exhibitions include those by artists Victor Spiteri and George Scicluna, sketches of paintings and works of art found in places of worship across the island, an exhibition about Madre Margherita, two separate exhibitions tied to the celebration of the feasts of St George and Santa Marija, a traditional cribs exhibition and another exhibition of processional statuettes related to the Passion of Christ, an exhibition of old photographs depicting long-forgotten Gozo, a collective exhibition of young local artists and a separate collective exhibition of Gozitan artists.
Saturday brings the culmination of the weekend's events, reaching a climax further in the night hours. Morning wakes up to a parade by the San Gwann Scouts Band, complemented by a plant and flower exhibition at the Villa Rundle Gardens, a plant and flower market at Castle Hill, a crafts market at Republic Street, artists painting and working on site, a re-enactment of Grand Master Wignacourt's entry to Victoria and the Citadel, another parade by the Sbandieratori Ducato Caetani followed by a lunchtime concert of young local musicians at the Ministry for Gozo. All this, while four different tours - from the Citadel and the cathedral, to shelters, the narrow streets and architecture, and local crafts and gastronomy - take the inquisitive to explore the different sights and sounds of the island's capital.
Football enthusiasts will have the opportunity to watch a live screening of the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United, followed immediately by the screening of the film Goal 2 - Living the Dream, at the Oratory Don Bosco. The audio-visual Gozo 360° will be showed repeatedly at Citadel Cinema while Charlotte's Web follows the football frenzy at the Oratory Don Bosco.
Young actors and singers will also be contributing their little bit of cultural stunt with a performance at the Victoria Primary School, showing highlights from Disney's more favourite musically animated cartoons. Theatre will also abound with Lacuna by contemporary theatre group Dù, one-man L-Imfietah by Mario Micallef, and the ever popular Zoo Media and Entertainment with Lejl bit-Torc ma' Zoo, held at the Sentinella Hall, Oratory Don Bosco and Teatru Astra respectively.
Another much-awaited highlight of the weekend's programme is Tenori, a concert featuring the UK's most successful three tenors, accompanied by Mro John Galea, at the Aurora Opera House. Although of a relatively young age, tenors Alexander Grove, Mark Chaundy and James Edwards will be tackling most notable tenor arias in the operatic repertoire with an ease that betrays their age. The public will definitely be looking forward to a programme that includes Nessun dorma, La donna è mobile, Che gelida manina, O sole mio, Caruso and other favourites.
Classical music will also abound during Saturday night's programme with an organ recital at St Michael's Hall (St George's Basilica) and choral and other classical music recitals happening almost simultaneously at churches and chapels in Victoria and the Citadel, including the Gozo Cathedral and the Gozo Courts of Justice. St George's basilica will also provide guided tours of "the golden basilica", while it opens the doors to the new parish centre for a special rooftop viewing of the Citadel.
At different times of Saturday evening, street theatre will animate the already colourful streets and alleys with a parade in pageantry costumes, a knights' entourage, and a narrow streets alive initiative that sees the re-enactment of traditions and folklore inherent in Gozo's history, as well as narrations and folk singing accompanied by traditional instruments.
All this while six different stages, scattered around the town, will entertain a wide spectrum of the audience ranging from tiny tots at Sabina Square thanks to Curtain Raiser Theatre Troupe, to pop music and village band lovers at St Francis Square and Republic Street respectively, to rock band followers at Independence Square. A spectacle of dance followed by hours of deejay music raises funds for the Arka and Oasi foundations at St Augustine Square, while intimate St George's Square provides an ideal platform for the more tranquil chill out music. Participating bands and artistes in the six venues include among others the Versatile Brass Ensemble, the Big Band Brothers, the Gozo Youth Wind Band and Orchestra, Claire Baluci, Frenzy Mono, Corkskrew, Klinsmann and band, and Etnika. All this runs until the early hours of the morning, with a short break at the very strokes of midnight for a 10-minute fireworks spectacular display that will take off from two parallel sites outside Victoria. The twin simultaneous spectacle can be viewed from both the Citadel bastions and Republic Street.
All this gives way to Sunday morning and afternoon that see a much more tranquil programme that slowly brings back Victoria and the Citadel to a more regular pace, repeating the calmer elements of Saturday morning to close off this extensive marathon of culture and entertainment in its wider sense.
Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana also provides for extended shopping hours while food will not go amiss with a take-away area specifically set in an area of Victoria, close to a separate restaurant area where Victoria's bus terminus is being transformed into a typical Mediterranean square.
Parking is being reserved in designated areas around Victoria while two temporary bus termini are being set up at the very lower and very upper end of Victoria, providing special transport for the elderly and persons with special needs to the very heart of the activities.
Those travelling to Gozo for Saturday night are being encouraged to make use of public transport arrangements that leave designated towns and villages in Malta for Cirkewwa and back according to an established time-table that runs into the early hours of Sunday morning. Shuttle transport services from Mgarr harbour and from almost all Gozitan villages to Victoria and back are being organised to help alleviate the need for people to travel with their own car to the main town. Gozo Channel Co. Ltd is also offering a reduced fare during specific hours on Friday and Saturday, with the weekend expected to generate an interest that is abnormal for this time of year.
This first edition of Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana brings with it an impressively exhaustive list of events with the public having to choose where to go and what to do. There will be so many things to see in a relatively short time span that one cannot but shortlist the more favourite attractions, hoping to move fast from one venue to another to be able to get the best out of it all. We will definitely be spoilt for choice in an already culturally active island, defying in the true sense of the word, the geographical smallness of tiny Calypso's isle.
• More information on Lejlet Lapsi Notte Gozitana may be obtained by phone on 2155 9832 or online at www.gozoculture.com.