All about beautiful singing |
The Malta Independent on Sunday's second issue of 'Encore', an arts and culture magazine published on Sunday 30 August 2015, featured prominently the opera at Teatru Astra, in an interview carried with Mr Michael Formosa, Festival Mediterranea's Chairman. The piece is being reproduced in full below. La Bohѐme is all about beautiful singing. Puccini is well known for his creative powers when it comes to composing endearing melodies which sets him firmly in the finest Italian tradition. An interesting directorial approach will be taken: while director Enrico Stinchelli will present a traditional opera, he will use modern means. That is to say that real scenery will be used, but modern technology and special effects will be employed. “For the Maltese public it is a very interesting balance,” notes Formosa. Opera will open the Festival Mediterranea season on October 29 and which will run through to December 5 with Arthur Miller’s A View From the Bridge by Astra’s own theatre company. Formosa speaks of the success the opera brings to the festival, proudly underlining how Teatru Astra has had a full house for the past three years, with performances sold out three days before opening night last year. The aim of Festival Mediterranea, now in its 14th edition is to have a vast programme that showcases Malta, both locally and abroad. “The festival is being marketed abroad and people travel to our island specifically for these events,” Formosa is keen to point out. The festival branches out into a variety of events; chambering music concerts and recitals, a lecture on La Bohѐme, a grand concert featuring music by Maestro Joseph Vella [who will also conduct the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra during the opera], an opera studio for students, events related to visual arts and guided tours of museums and churches in Gozo. La Bohѐme will be performed at the Teatru Astra in Victoria on October 29 and 31. Tickets sell at €70 and €50. Student rate: €15 on October 29. More information found on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and 21550985. Photo: Silvia dalla Benetta and Piero Terranova in Nabucco, Teatru Astra - October 2014. Joe Attard 8 September 2015 |