• Internet sensation 2Cellos to open festival
• Film and literature introduced for the first time
• Visual arts not part of festival life-time
Following the resignation of former Malta Arts Festival (MAF) artistic director Mario Frendo and pending the appointment of a new one, for a while it seemed like the future of the annual festival was shrouded in doubt.
But preparations for MAF 2014 are well under way, with a full programme of events that will bring together a contingent of Maltese and international artists for a three-week- long festival.
The programme this year is particularly eclectic. The traditional divide between so-called high culture and more accessible, mainstream events has been bridged by a series of activities that run the spectrum of all genres.
Of particular note is the opening act, featuring 2Cellos, a Croatian duo that has opened for Elton John’s concerts and is part of his band.
The two musicians’ renditions of rock and pop classics on the cello has taken the online world by storm. At the time of going to print, their recording of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck has racked up over 16 million views on YouTube. Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal and Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit are nudging the four million.
We recognise that some of the more fringe acts remain an important part of the programme
And that’s just the starter. This year’s festival is also noteworthy for strengthening dance and for introducing film and literature to the equation, albeit both making their way in through the back door of music.
Film is present through Upclose, a contemporary video opera by Michel Van der Aa, featuring a string orchestra set against a backdrop of experimental cinema. What makes the piece stand out is the fact that the music was composed in order to complement the film, rather than vice-versa.
Moreover, this year’s edition of the MAF will also see the introduction of a film festival curated by Simshar film-maker Rebecca Cremona.
Literature also makes it on the programme for the first time, through this year’s Big Band Brothers performance.
The band, a staple on the MAF programme, will collaborate with Kelma Kelma, a Facebook community dedicated to rekindling a love of the Maltese language.
The event will present a series of traditional Maltese prose, poetry and songs to expose and highlight aspects of traditional Maltese culture in a contemporary approach. The project aims to create awareness of Maltese literature while paying tribute to some of Malta’s authors.
But despite a wider approach to the arts, this year’s MAF programme contains one glaring lack that is likely to raise many an eyebrow within the artistic community. Visual arts have been ostensibly omitted from the list of events that are taking place within the MAF’s lifespan.
Asked for the reason behind this omission, Malta Council for Culture and the Arts (MCCA) public relations officer Sandra Aquilina explained that the budget that is usually allocated towards the visual arts was in fact still used for this purpose. The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts is the organising body of the Malta Arts Festival.
“We used the money to offer support to the Valletta International Visual Arts Festival (VIVA), where we felt that we could offer a stronger platform and more long-lasting support to the visual arts,” Aquilina said.
VIVA kicks off a few weeks after the MAF closing concert and is being co-produced by St James Cavalier and V.18 Foundation with the support of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.
The festival will involve a Summer Curatorial School at St James Cavalier, with the participation of academics from various European countries and institutions; a series of exhibitions featuring local and foreign artists; film screenings by international artists; public talks and round table discussions by artists and curators; and educational activities for children.
The MCCA defended its decision to ally itself to an outside festival instead of hosting its own in-house projects.
“Rather than attempting to create a visual arts platform on its own which would anyway run back-to-back with VIVA, the MCCA chose to join forces with a number of other public entities. We believe this will have more impact and will leave a lasting legacy,” Aquilina said.
“The MCCA’s fundamental interest is the strengthening of the country’s visual arts programme, whether or not this is done through the apparent catchment of the MAF. Although we are supporting VIVA financially, this visual arts festival is deliberately not being incorporated within the Malta Arts Festival in a bid to allow it to celebrate its separate identity.”
Traditionally, visual arts is the genre that has always been least represented in the festival. In 2011, they were not present at all and in 2012 and 2013, presence was limited to one collective exhibition in each respective year.
This, together with the then lack of film and literature, had sparked accusations that the ‘arts’ festival was being turned into a ‘performing arts’ festival.
Another factor that is likely to attract a measure of criticism within the artistic community is the return of the Globe Shakespeare Theatre. The theatre company has also become a staple on the programme, with some critics questioning the reasoning behind the repetition of certain acts.
“In this industry, crowd-pullers who register huge successes are automatically considered for repeat visits on the basis that they are success stories. Some companies are repeatedly invited over simply because of their valid and guaranteed contribution in an artistic sense,” Aquilina said.
But the most obvious question that is likely to be asked relates to the actual artistic direction of the festival. With the MCCA deciding to postpone the call for a new incumbent to 2015, who is responsible for giving direction to this year’s festival?
Programming for 2014, Aquilina explained, saw a team effort that brought together the expertise of a number of arts practitioners, namely: theatre practitioner Toni Attard; British-Malaysian choreographer and dancer Mavin Khoo; chair of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra Sigmund Mifsud; and composer Ruben Zahra, each contributing their individual expertise to a collective effort.The four artists are all working under the direction of Malta Council for Culture & the Arts (MCCA) chair Albert Marshall. Why wasn’t an artistic director appointed in time for this year’s edition?
“When faced with the sudden departure of the previous artistic director, a decision had to be taken as to whether to appoint a new artistic director hurriedly, shortening the available time for this year’s festival further, and pressuring him/her to create a programme in the space of a few weeks – or allow the process to run its full course while appointing a solid artistic committee in the interim. The latter course was taken in the best interests of artists and audiences,” Aquilina said.
Family events introduced
The new team’s approach was to continue consolidating the previous years’ offerings while introducing new elements. Thus, the tradition of including workshops, which are valued for encouraging collaborations between local and international artists, has been maintained this year.
So has the Emerging Artists series of events, which offers a platform for up-and-coming names. This year’s direction has also attempted to reach more families, with two specific acts that have children as their core audience.
Fecha de Caducidad is a circus act about journey and discovery, while Teatru Anon’s Ir-Ritorn is a production based on Homer’s Odyssey.
The latter was originally a Żigużajg International Children’s Festival commission.
Far from the highbrow offering that some might think it is, the production is interactive and starts off with a boat ride that will go down well with the little ones. Both productions are being kept free of charge for under-12s, in a bid to encourage attendance.
Another puller is expected to be a theatrical adaptation of Nicholas Monsarrat’s best-selling novel, The Kappillan of Malta. The production will be presented by L-Istaġun tat-Teatru Malti and will feature Italo-Maltese actor Pino Scicluna.
Once again, the festival will make the most of Malta’s balmy summer nights by using a number of outdoor venues. These include Pjazza Teatru Rjal and, for the first time, the newly-restored Fort St Elmo, which will be used by the Malta Arts Festival for the first time.
As for those who worry that the festival may be getting too populistic, the MCCA assures that this is not the case.
“The festival has always prided itself on remaining accessible to audiences, but we recognise that some of the more fringe acts remain an important part of the programme. It is this mix which makes the festival such a fertile breeding ground for ideas, collaborations and possibilities,” Aquilina said.
The Malta Arts Festival takes place between July 14 and August 2.
www.maltaartsfestival.org
This year’s highlights
2 Cellos, on July 14 at Pjazza Teatru Rjal
Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, best known for re-imagining pop and rock tunes performed on their cellos. The Croatian duo has toured with Elton John, opening up for him, and are also a part of his band.
Niltaqgħu Ma’, on July 15 at Pjazza Teatru Rjal
A collaboration between Kelma Kelma and the Big Band Brothers. The project aims to create awareness of Maltese literature while paying tribute to some of Malta’s distinguished authors.
King Lear, on July 16 and 17 at Pjazza Teatru Rjal
One of the deepest artistic explorations of the human condition as presented by Globe Theatre on Tour.
Hide and Seek, on July 19 at Fort St Elmo
A dance production by Iván Pérez/Korzo Productions. An atmospheric trip where desires, frustrations, madness and tenderness are slowly revealed.
Fecha de Caducidad, on July 20 and 21 at Pjazza Teatru Rjal
A family-oriented circus event by Organización Efímera. A group of individuals confront their personal expiry dates.
Windstreken & Ruben Zahra, on July 22 at Robert Samut Hall
Jazz and improvisation combined with medieval and contemporary classical music, Indian and North African music.
Ir-Ritorn, on July 23 to 25 at Maritime Museum
A production by Teatru Anon based on Homer’s Odyssey.
Phoenix, on July 24 at St James Cavalier
Markus Stockhausen on trumpet and flugelhorn, with electronics.
Il-Kappillan ta’ Malta, on July 26 to 30 at Fort St Elmo
L-Istaġun tat-Teatru Malti presents Nicholas Monsarrat’s bestselling novel, featuring Italo-Maltese Pino Scicluna Text adapted for the stage by Immanuel Mifsud.
Upclose, on July 26, Każin Malti
A contemporary video opera by Michel Van der Aa, featuring a string orchestra with a cello soloist.
Triple Bill, on July 31 to August 1 at Pjazza Teatru Rjal
A triple bill of dance duets featuring emerging Maltese practitioners and established international artists or companies.
MPO Closing Concert on August 2 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre
The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Brian Schembri with the soloist Alexander Kniazev.
Film Festival , on July 16 and 23 and August 2 at Pjazza Teatru Rjal
Three films curated by Rebecca Cremona.