Etienne Cutajar and friends to perform at the Manoel this evening

This season the Manoel Theatre is launching a series of chamber music recitals, starting off with UK-based Maltese horn player Etienne Cutajar and a number of other young performers this evening at 8 p.m.

Mr Cutajar started studying the horn at the age of 10 with Paul Borg. Later he was third horn with the then National Orchestra of Malta, after which he pursued a postgraduate course at London's Royal Academy of Music with Richard Watkins and Michael Thompson between 2003 and 2005.

For two years he was first horn with the European Union Youth Orchestra under Bernard Haitink. He has also appeared as principal guest horn with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the London Sinfonietta and London Brass. Since 2006 he has been third horn with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Gozitan-born soprano Georgina Gauci, British pianist John Reid and Anne-Marie Camilleri-Podestà will perform alongside Mr Cutajar.

The recital consists of Bozza's En forêt, Opus 40 for horn and piano; Aspects for piano and harp by Damase; Sea Eagle for solo horn by Peter Maxwell Davies; Romance in F for horn and harp, Opus 36 by Saint-Saëns; Kirchner's Lamento d'Orfeo for horn and piano; Cooke's Nocturne for soprano, horn and piano; an arrangement for solo horn of J. S. Bach's Prelude to the Cello Suite N.1 and Charles Camilleri's Sonata for horn and piano.

For bookings and further information drop an e-mail to bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt or visit www.teatrumanoel.com.mt.