Friday: Passionate Pianism
Michael Laus, piano (Malta)
Ministry for Gozo Hall, Victoria
Michael Laus kicks off the weekend in style with a recital that features two of Beethoven’s most-loved works: the Moonlight Sonata and the Appassionata Sonata.
Saturday: Wine & Music
Gaudos Duo, violin duo (Hungary)
Vini e Capricci, Xewkija
The Hungarian duo will feature in an atypical event merging music with wine. Free-flowing music will complement the wine tasting at Gozo’’ premier wine cellar.
Saturday: Il BarbiereDi Siviglia
Two-act opera by Gioachino Rossini
Aurora Theatre, Victoria
(Pre-opera talk by Albert Storace at 6.45pm)
The highlight of the festival, Il Barbiere will feature Nicholas Agius Darmanin in the lead role of Il Conte together with Davide Luciano, Marina Comparato and Bruno Praticò. The full-scale production will be directed by Enrico Castiglione while Sonia Cammarata is in charge of costumes.
The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be under the baton of Colin Attard.
Sunday: Antipasto Musicale
Gran Duo Italiano, violin/piano (Italy)
Ministry for Gozo Hall, Victoria
Sunday morning’s recital will feature Mauro Tortorelli and Angela Meluso in an energetic programme featuring Brahms’s Hungarian Dances 2 and 5 in between Beethoven’s Spring Sonata and Grieg’s 3rd Sonata.
Sunday: Finale – Con Brio
Miriam Cauchi and Friends
Soprano/instrumental ensemble (Malta)
Palazzo Palina, Ta’ Ċenċ Hotel, Sannat
The final concert of Gaulitana will present Maltese soprano Miriam Cauchi together with some of the top musicians in Malta: Marcelline Agius, Maria Conrad (violin), Nadia Debono (viola), Simon Abdilla Joslin (cello), Gjorgji Cincievski (d’bass), Caroline Calleja (harp), Paul Sultana (guitar), and Yuri Charyguine (accordion).
The repertoire will range from Italian vocal masters Puccini, Mascagni and Leoncavallo to the more exotic Piazzolla and Villa Lobos.
• Concerts (except for opera) are free of charge.
Concerts starts at 8pm, opera at 7.30pm, Wine&Music at 12pm, Antipasto Musicale at 11am.
Opera bookings on 7904 5779.
More information may be obtained by sending an e-mail to gaulitanafestival@gmail.com or online at www.gaulitanus.com.