Festival Mediterranea and Teatru Astra’s 2010 opera, La Traviata, feature prominently in the The Maltese Islands Events Calendar Highlights 2010 a publication by the Malta Tourism Authority intended to serve as a guide to the main events happening during 2010 in Malta and Gozo. This glossy and attractive publica... read more |
Teatru Astra just published an information booklet which is a comprehensive guide to all the events of the forthcoming Festival Mediterranea. The ninth edition of the festival which will kicks off on Thursday 28 October will run until Saturday 27 November. The attractive handy publication includes the full programme o... read more |
Kenneth Zammit Tabona speaks to opera director Marco Gandini whose CV reads like an operatic Almanach de Gotha and whom the Astra Theatre in Victoria have entrusted with their October production of Verdi's La Traviata. I simply love speaking with artists who are passionate about their work. When the genre they work in ... read more |
Centre Stage Dance Academy is back!! This time with a new dance show entitled 'Truly Unforgettable' which will celebrate both the timeless songs of the past as well as the great renowned songs of the present. 'Truly Unforgettable' which will yet again be under the artistic direction of Natalie Sciortino will be sta... read more |
The ninth edition of Festival Mediterranea, an annual festival of culture, featuring opera, music, dance, history and archaeology, local crafts, food and wine, and art, will be launched in the coming weeks. Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata takes pride of place in this year's programme of events, with a double representatio... read more |
The Opera Studio Teatru Astra (OSTA), being launched today, is the first professional opera studio to be opened in Malta. It will be providing a unique opportunity for 20 to 35 year olds (certain conditions apply) wishing to pursue a career in opera singing, with a specialised tailor-made course being offered locally. ... read more |
We wish all our patrons, volunteers, members, and all those who are in any way associated to the La Stella Philharmonic Society and Teatru Astra, a wonderful, and happy Christmas and an exciting and successful new year. read more |
Chrysander Agius, Claire Aguis Ordway, Daniel Chircop and Owen Bonnici are taking their next Zoo Show to the Teatru Astra in Victoria, Gozo. The two hour show named Jingle Balls will see a different atmosphere and different setup, this time related to Christmas, but definitely the same fun of the Zoo shows, with new po... read more |
The eighth edition of Festival Mediterranea, organized by the La Stella Philharmonic Society, came to an end on Saturday, November 21, 2009, with the twenty-fifth evening featuring the La Stella band in its annual symphonic concert, in the Teatru Astra, Gozo. This year's edition included concerts and recitals, performe... read more |
The Teatru Astra was once again the spot to be in last Saturday evening. It was the evening of the La Stella philharmonic band's annual symphonic concert, or, as it is popularly known "Il-Programm ta' Novembru". The evening, that was compered by Mrs Orietta Gatt, started with a splendid interpretation of Emile Waldte... read more |
Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture together with the composer's Marcia Slava will definitely be the highlight of the annual band concert of the La Stella Philharmonic (established in 1863), held at the Teatru Astra this Saturday 21 November. The concert features a wide selection of music, from the most popular to ... read more |
On Saturday 14 November, a full house at the Teatru Astra acclaimed the strong cast made up of one hundred and fifty wonderful, enthusiastic and dedicated dancers, all in sky-high spirits, when they took the curtain call right at the end of a spectacular show which will truly remain Unforgettable, as its name illustrat... read more |
The 2009 edition of Festival Mediterranea, yet again this year, dug for musical treasure into its own cultural soil and, without the need to go very deep, came up with riches that delighted the audience that gathered in the Aula Mgr. G. Farrugia of St George's basilica to listen to Mario Galea (clarinet), George Camill... read more |
Final rehearsals are underway for the "UNFORGETTABLE" dance show being staged by Centre Stage Dance Academy at the Teatru Astra, on Saturday 14 November at 7:30pm. Under the artistic direction of Miss Natalie Sciortino, Unforgettable has a cast of 150 dancers together with a choir of over 40 children. This show will ... read more |
After an 11-year absence, the tragic, woebegone Rigoletto trod again upon the stage of the Astra in Gozo, in two performances last Thursday and Saturday, the former of which is under review here. Rigoletto remains one of Verdi's most popular and widely performed operas. Its tale of human tragedy retains a magnetic pull... read more |
Every opera buff and his dog knows that when it comes to opera, head north, i.e. Gozo and specifically, Teatru Astra in Victoria. Two packed houses enjoyed Verdi's masterpiece on Thursday 29 and Saturday 31 October: a highly entertaining, exciting and novel production, inspired by an in depth reading of Enrico Maria ... read more |
Tonight is another big night for Teatru Astra, and Festival Mediterranea. Following last Thursday's huge success in the first performance of Rigoletto, tonight a full house awaits the second and last performance of Verdi's three act opera. Unfortunately during the last days Teatru Astra had to turn away late bookings w... read more |
This year's edition of Festival Mediterranea returns with the popular Heritage Events series led by Dr David Trump, including the exclusive Hypogeum tours. Four visits are scheduled in all; on Wednesday, 4 November 2009, at 9.00am and 10.00am and on Friday, 6 November 2009, at 10.00 and 11.00am. Places for these tours ... read more |
The lunchtime concert presented to the Gozitan public by the Italian Embassy on Saturday, October 24, 2009, widened the breath of this year's Festival Mediterranea with music that, to my knowledge, features only rarely on the local scene. It ranged from Garcia Lorca's painful pathos to the later Gioacchino Rossini... read more |
A fascinating evening of organ music played on the late 18th century pipe organ located in St Michael's Hall, St George's basilica, opened this year's edition of Festival Mediterranea. Richard Vendome, an organist and musicologist based in Oxford, performed works by composers spanning five centuries. Starting with ... read more |
Set construction is piecing together. The costumes are all name-tagged and in the process of being given their final adjustment. Props are all put aside. Rehearsals are in full swing - mornings, afternoons and evenings, on stage and in the concert rooms. The usual tension is all there but the many protagonists, of vary... read more |
Festival Mediterranea is now in its 8th edition. The first edition was held in 2002 and has continued annually ever since. This year's edition runs from 23 October to 21 November. Most of the events are held in Gozo although site visits to heritage sites in Malta are included. The annual festival seeks to promote the l... read more |
Mediterranea '09, the Festival is off to a high-flying start this weekend with an exciting blend of music ranging from the Renaissance to the contemporary. The venue is the splendid environs of the Basilica of St George in the heart of the Gozo capital. On Friday 23 established Oxford-based musicologist and musician,... read more |
Students 25 years old or under may benefit from heavily special discounted tickets offered by the Teatru Astra of Gozo for the upcoming opera production Rigoletto, held at the Teatru Astra on Thursday 29th and Saturday 31st October 2009. The Teatru Astra is once again repeating this scheme to enable students to familia... read more |
Bulgarian baritone Peter Danailov will be making his Malta debut as the lovable 'villain' of the piece, Rigoletto, in Verdi's opera at the Astra. Possessing a big voice, laced with the dark and menacing undertones, Danailov has hit the opera world as the quintessential Verdi baritone. "A typical belcanto singer possess... read more |
The Astra Theatre has launched the eighth edition of Festival Mediterranea, an annual festival of culture, featuring opera, music, dance, history and archaeology, local crafts, food and wine, and art. This year's edition runs from October 23 to November 21. It is being supported by Bank of Valletta. Giuseppe Verdi's Ri... read more |
Bħala parti minn Festival Mediterranea li sejjer jittella' ġewwa Għawdex bejn it-23 ta' Ottubru u l-21 ta' Novembru, is-Soċjetà Filarmonika La Stella tal-belt Victoria Għawdex ser ittella' l-opra lirika ta' Giuseppe Verdi Rigoletto fit-Teatru Astra f'żewġ okkażjonijiet: nhar il-Ħamis 29 ta' Ottubru u s-Sibt 3... read more |
Gozo opera producers are facing "serious financial difficulties" and are calling for more sponsorship from the private sector in order for their productions and cultural festivals to be sustainable, The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt. Meanwhile, the Astra is presenting its eighth Mediterranea Festival between 2... read more |
Bank of Valletta is supporting the 8th Edition of Festival Mediterranea. The Festival was launched by Teatru Astra in Gozo during a press conference held at Bank of Valletta's Head Office in Santa Venera and addressed by Bank of Valletta Chief Officer Operations Igino Xuereb, Dr Joseph Grech LLD, President of the Soċj... read more |
Another return to Teatru Astra's Festival Mediterranea opera production is young Italian tenor Antonino Interisano. After his successful interpretation of Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana, Canio in Pagliacci and Calaf in Puccini's Turandot, he will now interpret Duke of Mantua in Verdi's opera Rigoletto on the 29 and 31... read more |
The Centre Stage Dance Academy, under the artistic direction of Natalie Sciortino will stage a dance show entitled Unforgettable at the Teatru Astra on November 14, as part of the eighth edition of Festival Mediterranea. With a cast of over 150 dancers, Unforgettable will feature an array of dance routines in jazz, bal... read more |
Following last year's huge success interpreting Liu' in Puccini's Turandot at the Astra, Gozitan soprano Miriam Cauchi, was once again engaged by Teatru Astra for this year's production Rigoletto. In Verdi's Rigoletto, Cauchi will be interpreting Rigoletto's daughter, Gilda, one of the major roles in the three act oper... read more |
The eighth edition of Festival Mediterranea kicks off on the 23 October with a recital by organist Richard Vendome on the late 18th century British pipe organ at the Aula Mgr. G. Farrugia, St George’s Basilica. The biggest event, is undoubtly Verdi's opera Rigoletto, which will be staged at the Astra twice: Thursday ... read more |
In a press release issued on Friday, August 31, the Hon. Dolores Cristina, Minister for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports appointed the new board of directors for the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Malta. Thirty year-old lawyer Dr James Scerri Worley is the new chairman, and Dr Maria Frendo was appointed Deputy ... read more |
In an article entitled “Schöne Schwester” (beautiful sister), journalist Johanna Rüdiger writes about the island region of Gozo. The article focuses mainly on the natural beauty of the island and how much the island has to offer vis-à-vis culture and heritage. Regarding culture and cultural activities the journa... read more |
Il-kumment ta’ Gabriele D’Annunzio fuq Verdi, “colui che pianse ed amò per tutti” (hu beka u ħabb għal kulħadd), jiġbor f’kelmtejn il-ġenju u t-talent tal-Maestro. Din il-frażi famuża ta’ D’Annunzio, li lanqas għalih l-imħabba u d-dmugħ ma kienu ġodda, tgħid kull ma jista’ jingħad u għand... read more |
Kenneth Zammit Tabona has a chat with Sicilian tenor Antonino Interisano about operatic life and his Gozo experiences while in Malta singing Rossini’s Stabat Mater at St John’s Co-Cathedral, last month. Could not help it. After having chatted for hours with Antonino Interisano over a protracted lunch, when I saw hi... read more |
The new website of Festival Mediterranea was launched last Saturday, during the Prime Minister's visit to the La Stella Philharmonic Society premises and the Astra Theatre. The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by Giovanna Debono, Minister for Gozo, Parliamentary Secretary Dr Chris Said, and Frederick Azzopardi MP, w... read more |
A new website catering specifically for the Festival Mediterranea will be launched today by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. Brandishing an attractive layout, this website will provide a thorough insight of the festival’s history and the upcoming programme for this year’s edition. The key feature of this website is t... read more |
Gabriele D'Annunzio's telegraphic phrase about Verdi, "colui che pianse ed amo' per tutti" (he wept and loved for all), sums up in a nutshell the Maestro's genius and flair. D'Annunzio's telling phrase, himself no new comer to love and tears, says it all about Rigoletto. Perhaps in no other of his operas did Verdi conc... read more |
Eighth Edition | 23 October - 6 November 2009Friday 23 October: Recital on late 18th century British Pipe Organ: Richard Vendome | Aula Mgr G. Farrugia | 20.00hrs | Free Entrance (Booking essential).Saturday 24 October: Concert by Schola Pietatis Antonio Vivaldi (Period original instruments and costumes) Artistic Direc... read more |
Hekk kif bħalissa jinsabu għaddejjin l-aħħar tħejjijiet qabel jitħabbar uffiċjalment il-programm tat-tmien edizzjoni ta' Festival Mediterranea, is-suċċess grandjuż li ntlaħaq is-sena li għaddiet bil-produzzjoni tal-opra Turandot, għadu fuq fomm kulħadd. Il-magazine Taljan Corriere Del Teatro fl-ewwel ħar... read more |
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