Great Siege overture stirs pride

On Saturday, April 18, the Sliema Band under the baton of Mro Ronnie Debattista gave a well-attended concert to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the accession of Malta into the European Union.

This concert featured operatic arias which were executed perfectly by the tenor Andrea Cesare Coronella and Soprano Giuseppina Chirizzi which the Sliema Philarmonic Society brought over to Malta for this occasion. The evening reached its climax with the participation of Mro Joseph Sammut when he directed the Sliema Band and conducted his own work L-Assedju l-Kbir ta' Malta (Great Siege of Malta). While hearing this overture I felt very proud to be Maltese having such a musical director incorporate the National Anthem very well in such a musical score. Well done also to soprano Claire Caruana and her group of sopranos who gave a truly good performance.

Well done to the committee of the Sliema Philarmonic Society for holding such concerts yearly and for bringing over to our island such well prepared tenors and sopranos.