English subtitles for opera festival

Not understanding the words being sung will no longer be an excuse to skip the opera as English subtitles for the librettos will be projected during the BOV Opera Festival next month.

Taking into consideration the constructive criticism of last year's festival, Manoel Theatre chairman Peter Fenech explained how efforts to attract a new audience to the opera were being made.

In the light of this, popular works by Gioachino Rossini, Sergei Rachmaninoff, George Frideric Handel and Giacomo Puccini will be performed. To make things more interesting, a concert of chamber music by local and foreign opera composers will be held as part of the festival.

The works have been chosen as they fit in with the historic qualities of the Manoel Theatre and can be adapted well to the location.

In connection with this, the theatre wants to create a tailor-made policy to revive works that have been forgotten in Malta. It also wishes to set up a semi-permanent, flexible opera company adapted to local realities. Another important step is to involve local talent as much as possible. The main roles for the first double bill, Rossini's La Cambiale di Matrimonio (1810) and Rachmaninoff's Aleko (1892) are all Maltese, bar two foreign singers.

The performers include Albert Buttigieg, Miriam Cauchi, Charles Vincenti, Claire Massa, Enrico Marabelli, Anthony Montebello, Ali Reger, Joseph Aquilina, Noel Galea, Andriana Yordanova and Clare Ghigo.

The second opera is Alcina by Handel, a foreign production with a very contemporary mise en scène using minimalist props and back projections. Coupled with this innovative approach is the fact that the ensemble will be performing on authentic period Baroque instruments.

This performance will include Italian bass-baritone Enrico Marabelli, a 30-member choir made up of local choristers and professionals from the Varna State Opera Theatre Bulgaria, dancers and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. The stage director is German Angelika Frenzal. Brian Schembri is music director and Sara Spiteri is production manager.

Local ensemble Anon String Quartet will perform chamber music by Gaetano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Ottorino Respighi and composers Paolo Nani and Carmelo Pace. Soprano Gillian Zammit will be singing.

The festival will be held between March 17 and 24.