The Big Band Brothers in Ftakar 3. Photo: Matthew MirabelliA fusion of theatre, music, dance and visual arts is returning this summer at the eighth edition of the Malta Arts Festival.
Intimate dance-theatre, passionate flamenco, orchestral concerts and a performer-based circus show are a few of the acts spread over the two-week festival this summer.
The Shakespeare’s Globe is returning with The Taming of the Shrew, staged tomorrow and Thursday, while the Kronos Quartet, celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, will perform today.
The festival, supported by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, will also host workshops and residencies. One, by Kronos Quartet, which is open to string quartets, will come to a close today, while another for dancers, with members of Wayne McGregor/Random Dance will be held on July 10 and 11.
A third workshop – with members from Shakespeare’s Globe – will be held between today and Thursday.
The Kronos Quartet. Photo: Jay BlakesbergOne of this year’s two festival commissions will feature the return of the Big Band Brothers in Ftakar 3, based on the lyrics of poet Joe Friggieri on Sunday.
The other commission, Darirari, featuring professional international circus performers, local artists and craftsmen, produced by Ċirku Malta, will bring together circus, theatre, fireworks, water, carnival, digital arts, magic and music on July 9, 11 and 12.
Gwerra, Familti… u Ommi, a monologue written and performed by Pino Scicluna will be held between Saturday and Monday. This is an intimate recounting of the war based on stories of people who had to face difficult choices between 1940 and 1945.
And Two Room Apartment, a duet performance by Israeli dancers Niv Sheinfeld and Oren Laor, reflecting on the two dancers’ relationship be held on July 10 and 11.
The festival also supports emerging artists and will this year feature among others the Camilleri-Lucini Duo in a flute and guitar recital on Saturday and a piano recital by Christine Zerafa a week later.
The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will also perform in grand style on July 14 in a concert featuring the popular Rhapsody in Blue, conducted and performed by Wayne Marshall.
The festival will also feature the first-ever concert by the European Union Youth Orchestra in Malta, held in collaboration with V18, supported by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and the European Commission Representation in Malta in partnership with MEUSAC, on August 8 at Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Valletta. While Swim: fragile interventions is a visual arts exhibition curated by Austin Camilleri, which explores the sea both as a vastness beyond reach and a fierce border.
More information may be obtained at http://maltaartsfestival.org .