The 2015-2016 Manoel Theatre programme opened on Friday with an orchestral concert by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), conducted by Brian Schembri with world-renowned trumpeter Sergei Nakariakov.
The MPO continues to pepper the calendar with six more concerts. The programme includes an extended Wednesdays at the Manoel series of recitals by local and foreign artists with music ranging from classical to jazz and contemporary; the Leipzig Quartet give their final two recitals of Beethoven’s String Quartets; and violinist Charlie Siem returns in April to perform with Julian Dyson. The return of Vienna in Valletta; a concert by Brikkuni, Ionisation (part of the Modern Music Days); the annual band concert and Teatru Unplugged complete the music programme of more than 25 different events.
The programme also includes, for the first time in years, two operas, starting with Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, which sees the Teatru Manoel Youth Opera and Valletta International Baroque Festival Ensemble collaborating. The theatre’s annual opera production in March this year will be Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice.
A major programme highlight is the Valletta International Baroque Festival in January which includes 21 different concerts and recitals in nine Valletta venues. There are 10 drama productions which include two new Maltese plays: Ħabbilni Ħa Nirbaħ and Marti Martek. English-language productions include the world-premiere of Edward Bond’s new play The Price of One; the revival of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple; It’s All About My Tea; One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest; a Maltese translation of Ray Cooney’s farce Caught in the Net; and FourPlayFour.
Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre end the season with their new production Rubbish. Christmas panto returns with Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood.
The national theatre will, this season, also be presenting two contemporary dance shows, Chancel and Spirall, in the same evening. ŻfinMalta, in April, will perform Home, a reworking of Mavin Khoo’s 2014 production Bla Konfini/Borderless, with music and sound design by Renzo Spiteri.
The Toi Toi Education Programme, devised and run by arts education consultant Rosetta Debattista, also continues to develop with children’s concerts, dance performances and educational plays.
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