The Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici announced details for the 12th edition of the Valletta Baroque Festival, which will take place between 11 and 28 January 2024.
Minister Bonnici stated that this year is a special edition with an exceptional line-up and dynamic performances. “Extending across three weeks, the festival provides an essential Baroque experience in splendid venues like St John’s Co-Cathedral, The Verdala Palace, Palazzo Parisio, and Teatru Manoel. These locations boast genuine Baroque settings adorned with opulent decor, sculptures, and paintings characteristic of the period,” Minister Bonnici said.
The Valletta Baroque Festival is an important attraction for cultural tourism. “This festival is a crucial one for this agency because apart from opening our calendar year, it is a festival that is closely linked to our country. I am saying this since it is a festival that continues to strengthen our identity, as represented through our heritage, festive celebrations, architecture and art,” stated Aaron Zahra, Festivals Malta Chairman.
This is the 3rd edition that Festivals Malta is producing since the festival was added to the agency’s portfolio of events in 2021. Frans Agius, Festivals Malta CEO, remarked that the varied programme contains more than 30 concerts spread over 3 weeks, which are being held in more than 15 different places around the island. This year’s programme includes an exceptional list of international musicians and local artists.
The festival’s Artistic Director, Kenneth Zammit Tabona, on his part, said that “from its very inception this festival enjoyed a strong international reputation and has established itself among the top ten festivals of its kind in Europe”.
The opening concert ‘St John Passion BWV 245 by Johann Sebestian Bach’, which will be performed by the Valletta Baroque Ensemble and Kor Malta under the musical direction of Riccardo Bianchi at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, will open the festival with grandiosity. The festival will wrap up with an opera for children with the name of La Serva Padrona by Pergolesi under the musical direction of Sarah Spiteri, and scenic direction of Jacob Piccinino. The festival has a stellar line-up including artists Robin Pharo, Zefiro Ensemble, Alon Sariel, Holland Baroque with Wu Wei, Lucile Boulanger, Vox Luminis, and Les Contre-Sujets.
Following last year’s success, this year’s edition will also see the return of The Rock Troupers & the Valletta Baroque Ensemble with their project BaRock at the Manoel Theatre. The festival will also feature a collaboration with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring a diverse line-up of Malta’s finest concert pianists playing the Bach Keyboard concertos.
The Valletta Baroque Festival is produced by Festivals Malta in collaboration with Teatru Manoel and Visit Malta. Tickets and more information are available on www.festivals.mt/vbf.
Jitħabbru d-dettalji tal-Valletta Baroque Festival 2024
Il-Ministru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern lokali Owen ħabbar id-dettalji tat-12-il edizzjoni tal-Valletta Baroque Festival li ser isir bejn il-11 u t-28 ta’ Jannar 2024.
Il-Ministru Bonnici stqarr li din l-edizzjoni se tkun waħda speċjali b’formazzjoni eċċezzjonali u wirjiet dinamiċi. “Fuq perjodu ta’ tliet ġimgħat, il-festival se jipprovdi esperjenza Barokka indimentikabli f’postijiet mill-isbaħ bħall-Kon-Katidral ta’ San Ġwann, il-Palazz Verdala, Palazzo Parisio, u Teatru Manoel. Dawn il-postijiet storiċi kollha għandhom stil Barokk, u huma imżejna b’dekorazzjonijiet mill-isbaħ, skulturi u pitturi karatteristiċi minn dan il-perjodu tant sabiħ,” qal il-Ministru Bonnici.
Il-Valletta Baroque Festival huwa meqjus bħala attrazzjoni għat-turiżmu kulturali. “Dan il-festival huwa wieħed importanti għal din l-aġenzija, għax apparti li jiftaħ is-sena kalendarja tagħna, huwa festival li huwa marbut sew ma’ pajjiżna. Qed ngħid dan għax huwa festival li jkompli jsaħħaħ l-identità tagħna li hija distintivament barokka, kif rappreżentata permezz tal-wirt, ċelebrazzjonijiet festivi, arkitettura u arti”, qal Aaron Zahra, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Festivals Malta.
Din hija t-tielet edizzjoni li Festivals Malta qiegħed jipproduċi minn mindu l-festival żdied mal-portafoll tal-aġenzija lura fl-2021. Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Festivals Malta Frans Agius sostna li l-programm fih aktar minn 30 kunċert mifruxin fuq 3 ġimgħat, li qed isiru f’aktar minn 15-il post differenti madwar Malta. Kompla li l-programm jinkludi lista eċċezzjonali ta’ mużiċisti internazzjonali u artisti lokali.
Min-naħa tiegħu, id-Direttur Artistiku tal-festival Kenneth Zammit Tabona qal “Sa mill-bidu tiegħu, dan il-festival gawda minn reputazzjoni internazzjonali qawwija u stabbilixxa ruħu fost l-aqwa għaxar festivals tax-xorta tiegħu fl-Ewropa.” Huwa kompla billi ta spjega tal-programm ta’ din it-12-il edizzjoni.
Il-Festival ser jibda bl-oratorju ta’ San Ġwann ta’ Johann Sebastian Bach fil-Kon-Katidral ta’ San Ġwann, mill-Valletta Baroque Ensemble u Kor Malta, taħt id-direzzjoni mużikali ta’ Riccardo Bianchi. Il-festival ser jikkonkludi b’opra għat-tfal ta’ Pergolesi bl-isem ta’ La Serva Padrona bid-direzzjoni mużikali ta’ Sarah Spiteri, u direzzjoni tal-palk ta’ Jacob Piccinino. Il-festival għandu diversi stillel mużikali bħal Robin Pharo, Zefiro Ensemble, Alon Sariel, Holland Baroque with Wu Wei, Lucile Boulanger, Vox Luminis, u Les Contre-Sujets.
Wara s-suċċess tas-sena li għaddiet, ser jerġgħu jirritornaw The Rock Troupers flimkien mal-ProMużika Ensemble bil-proġett tagħhom BaRock li ser isir fit-Teatru Manoel. Il-festival ser jaħdem ukoll mal-Orkestra Filarmonika ta’ Malta u uħud mill-ifjen pjanisti f’Malta li flimkien ser idoqqu il-Bach Keyboard Concertos.
Il-Valletta Baroque Festival qed jiġi organizzat minn Festivals Malta, b’kollaborazzjoni mat-Teatru Manoel u Visit Malta. Biljetti u iktar informazzjoni huma disponibbli fuq www.festivals.mt/vbf.