Charity concert to bid farewell to President

Elegant, sacred music will waft through St John's Co-Cathedral during a concert on January 16 to bid farewell to President Eddie Fenech Adami while raising money for the Malta Community Chest Fund.

Soprano Miriam Gauci will be participating in the concert by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of her husband Michael Laus. The event will also feature bass Noel Galea and the Collegium Musicum Choir led by the choir master Dion Buhagiar.

Contacted yesterday, Ms Gauci said that apart from the fact that the concert was being staged for a good cause, it would pay tribute to the President and his First Lady.

She also underlined the admiration she had towards Mary Fenech Adami for her "humble and sensitive" nature.

Dr Fenech Adami's long career in public life comes to an end on April 4 when he steps down as President.

Ms Gauci is thrilled and honoured to be performing again at the Cathedral.

"Singing there is not the same feeling as singing in an opera house. There's something solemn and special about the place that is a monument to Malta," she said.

St John's Co Cathedral holds an important place in her heart since that was the place where she was discovered. She was singing Schubert's Mass in G, about 30 years ago when she was still in her teens, when she was noticed and awarded the scholarship to Milan that launched her international carrier.

She became the only Maltese artist who premiered at the La Scala Theatre in Milan and, throughout her career, travelled the world singing in theatres that included the state opera theatres in Vienna and Munich and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. She also worked with great names like Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti, Georges Pretre, and Franco Zeffirelli.

The concert, to be held on January 16 at 8 p.m., is being held courtesy of the Cathedral Foundation and the Metropolitan Chapter.

After the concert, a champagne reception will be held at the Palace, Valletta. A donation of €50 per person to the MCCF will ensure the invitation to the reception as well as a seat at the concert.

All proceeds will go towards helping the MCCF reach out to the hundreds of families and individuals seeking different forms of assistance including financial aid for expensive medicines and also those who require medical treatment abroad.

Bookings can be made from the MCCF office at the Palace from Monday to Friday between 8.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. For more information call 2124 0784 or 9949 3110.