There is the idea that great leaders often emerge to meet the needs of the time, that great leaders are somehow born of the events which surround them – “Cometh the hour cometh the man.”

Ir-Raġel għal Malta (The Man for Malta), being staged at Spazju Kreattiv in St James Cavalier starting on Thursday this week is about one such leader – the first female Prime Minister of Malta – a purely fictional leader pieced together like a fantastical patchwork quilt sewn together from elements of real lives, real events, real issues, as well as conjecture and fantasy.

A contemporary Greek tragedy by John Baraldi and performed in Maltese in a translation by Reuben De Gabriele, it is a play about the unique nature of Malta’s national politics, the pursuit of power and the execution of power once achieved.

In that sense it is also universal.

It is conceived as a modern Greek tragedy, shaped by the 10 movements of Arvo Part’s Lamentate – an orchestral work composed as a homage to Anish Kapoor’s extraordinary sculpture Marsyas, which describes the fate of one who challenged the gods.

The 10 scenes are introduced by Part’s music and images of contemporary relevance.

Karmen Azzopardi, regarded by many as Malta’s greatest living actress, plays the central role, in a performance which bridges the gap between contemporary naturalism and classical theatrical magic.

• Performances will be held at St James Cavalier on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8pm (extra show on Sunday at 3pm) and May 12-15 at 8pm (extra show May 15 at 3pm)

Tickets at €12.50 to €20 may be obtained online at 2mozarts.com, by e-mail on 2mozarts@gmail.com or by calling 9970 5336.