Music and drama on first day
Stefan Cassar and the Quator Stringendo will be performing at the Palace Courtyard in Valletta, and the Pardon Beggars will be staged at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity both at 9 p.m. today, the first day of the Malta Arts Festival 2008, which...
Stefan Cassar and the Quator Stringendo will be performing at the Palace Courtyard in Valletta, and the Pardon Beggars will be staged at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity both at 9 p.m. today, the first day of the Malta Arts Festival 2008, which is packed with events until July 17.
Pardon Beggars, written by one of the most prolific Maltese playwrights, Vince Vella, continues until Saturday.
Mr Vella was the regional winner for Europe in the BBC World Service playwriting competition in 1999, 2005 and 2007 with Pardon Beggars, which includes Pia Zammit, Coryse Borg, Manuel Cauchi and John Suda in the major roles.
The Stringendo will be performing Kodaly's Intermezzo for String Trio, Schnittke's Piano Quintet and Chopin's Piano Concerto in E Minor No. 1 Op 11 (in chamber version).
Since 1989, Mr Cassar has been living in France, where he appears regularly on the concert platform and is considered to be an established performer.
He is teaming up with Quator Stringendo and double bassist Martin Bea from France. To reach the widest possible audiences, the festival's ticket prices are being kept as low as possible, €15 (Lm6.44), thanks to the support of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, the Culture Ministry, the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund within the Finance Ministry, HSBC, Bank of Valletta, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Valletta local council.
Tickets are available from maltaticket.com or from Exotique, Agenda, Vodafone, Bookends and Newskiosk.
www.maltaculture.com, www.maltaartsfestival.com