Ticket admission includes access to view the Oratory of St John’s Co-Cathedral, which exhibits Caravaggio’s The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, as well as access to the Caravaggio Wing. Ticket admissions open an hour prior to the start of the concert at 19:00hrs. Death, Transcendence, Resurrection

                Mozart's Requiem ...& other works

In a world where there is so much darkness, a moment of reflection.  But, also, a moment of celebration and hope.  Celebration of the joy and the beauty that making music together, with voices and instruments all conversing with each other – all different, and yet all “one voice”, brings.  A celebration of the importance of arts being for all.  A celebration of determination coupled with fun, with one of Malta’s oldest amateur choirs reaching their 35^th anniversary – a choir which I am personally indebted to, as it was the first quasi-professional choir who trusted a young me (through its then, and still current, director, Brian Cefai) to become its repetiteur, its co-conductor, its orchestrator, one of its soloists.  It is a choir that punches well above its weight, representing our country abroad, and some years even placing in the final three in international choir competitions.  A celebration of our wonderful Maltese language.  Tonight, for the first time, the much-loved Mozart Requiem will be sung with excerpts in Maltese in a new translation by Anita Frendo.  

…for many years, I’ve carried a sense of sadness because I couldn’t understand the Latin text. There was always a kind of emptiness—the powerful music was speaking, but the words remained unclear to me. You can feel the emotional message through the melodies, but when you don’t fully understand what is being said, the experience lacks its depth and clarity. It’s as if a soul is crying out to you, pleading for mercy, praising God... but you can’t fully grasp the words. And that has always been a heartache for me, every time I sang it. That is why having this work translated into Maltese has been so meaningful for me… [Anita Frendo]

It is also a message of hope, linked to the Tallis we heard yesterday evening (Spem in Alium: in no other is my hope).  Throughout the festival there is one strand which has tinge of darkness, reflecting a reality that cannot be ignored – be that through the Caligari silent film and its characterisation of authoritarianism and war, the artistic movement towards tenebrism, Harvey’s I Mourn the Dead, I Call the Living, Edlin’s Purgatorio, Goya’s universe, the characters in Petrushka...

Samuel Barber                                                 Adagio for Strings

Arvo Pärt                                                          Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten

Gioacchino Rossini                                         In sempiternal saecula, Amen [from ‘Stabat Mater’]

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart                             Requiem in D minor, K. 626

Tonight, we have works that acknowledge that, but which also allow a sense of hope and retrospection, with Barber’s Adagio for Strings  where the music plays like a relay race between one section and the other, passing the long, yearning melodic line from one instrument to the next, ‘…and then the music reappears for one last time and we hear, at the very end, two chords that might as well be saying 'Amen' [Leonard Slatkin], and we feel like we can cling on to hope through togetherness.  

With Arvo Pärt’s Cantus (this year his milestone 90^th birthday – a composer who cried as soon as he entered into the splendour of St John’s Co-Cathedral, when I brought him to Malta a few years back), we understand his reverence of silence and how every blade of grass is as important as the flower.  It begins with three bell tolls followed by violins, and each subsequent string group beginning their descending scale in prolation canon creating layers of melody in different registers and tempos, accompanied by tintinnabuli voices – Pärt’s signature style. Again – togetherness. The slowly descending scales create an effect of endless slow-motion falling, and of peace. By the end, everything converges on the same point:  one by one, the voices arrive at the low A minor chord.  I have asked my colleague and friend Francesca Tranter whose work I admire, and who I know will respect and imbue sound into movement, to choreograph the choir’s entry to this with candles – an international symbol of hope.  

Rossini’s In sempiterna, on the other hand, will allow the chorus to erupt!  Here we are crying out ‘Forever and ever, Amen’.  Voices collide, never-ending fugal passages in imitation pass on from one voice to another and from one instrument to another.  This last movement is not part of the Stabat Mater canon text.  It is an addition – and one of explosive positivity!

With Mozart’s Requiem comes a baggage of pre-conceptions.  It is arguable one of the most famous choral works, also due to the state in which it was left at the time of Mozart’s death, the various attempts at completion, and the orchestrations, not to mention the fantastical stories and the “unknown stranger” knocking on Mozart’s door to commission the work. 

It follows the standard liturgical format of Introit, Kyrie, a Sequentia in six sections, the Offertorium, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, and Communio. It has “unfinished business”, with the final movements not being Mozart’s.  Tonight we hear it in the completion by one of Mozart’s pupils, Franz Xaver Süssmayr; who, apart from carrying on the orchestration, finished the Benedictus, and the Communio, which leaves us with the heavenly Lux Aeterna and the jubilant Cum Sanctis – using Mozart’s same music for the Introit.  A work that has both drama and humanity, contemplating, death and afterlife, and grappling with the mystery of the journey from uncertainty to hope.

Conductors

Brian Cefai

Michelle Castelletti

Soloists

Soprano: Nikki Vella

Mezzo-soprano: Francesca Bartolo

Tenor: Giosue’ Agius

Baritone: Joseph Lia Amadeus Chamber Orchestra

Leader: James Zammit 1st & 2nd Violins 

James Zammit, Alexandra Stamatopoulou  Bonnici, Mattea Sammut, Maria Paola Cocker, 

Jurgen Abela, Marika Abela, Chantelle Borg, Sarah Tanti, Anthea Pisani, Angelo Spadafora, Daniel Zammit, Marie-Claire Zammit, Edwina Cini, Berenice Beverley Zammit, Cristian Romero Vargas

Violas

Michelle Borg, Myriam Haidon, Mikaela Guzman de Baluyot, Savio Debono

Cellos

Mario Psaila, Kevin Psaila, Kristina Dimic,  Ryan-Paul Camilleri.

Double Basses 

Joachim Debono Sultana, Roberta Young, Abbey Grech

Clarinets 

Jessica Scerri Ellul, Domnic Scerri Ellul

Bassoons 

Lampros Ioannis Lapin, Maria Spiteri Zahra

Trumpets 

Joseph Chircop, Michael Pulis

Trombones 

Michael Bugelli, Matthew Chappell, Christian Fenech

Timpani 

Emmanuel Busuttil 

Amadeus Chamber Choir Sopranos

Angela Marinelli

Anita Frendo

Anne Marie Cicilini Mesquita

Chantelle Cachia Castelletti

Debora Comper

Francesca Tomasini

Hamal Baroni

Josianne Galea

Kristabel Spiteri

Maria Baroni

Nicole Spiteri Staines

Prascovia Deidun

Rosemarie Falzon

Ruth Grima

Sarune Bagdonaite-Akrangle

Suzanne Azzopardi Cachia Castelletti

Zoe Viesi

Ulrike Meissner Templin

Altos

Ana Gezer

Christine Gauci

Emma XerriJoeanna Xerri

Louise Zerafa Cachia Castelletti

Marilyn Mangion

Nicole Vassallo

Paula Calleja

Rachel Anne Farrell

Samira Scerri

Susan Duca

Teresa Spagnolli

Yana Muscat

Tenors

Anthony Fenech

Christian Tanti

Clyde Vella

Jalen Manicolo

Eddie Debono

Marina Lowell

Mark Camilleri

Silvio Xerri

Sunny Pace

Vincent Farrugia

Basses

Emanuele Reti

Carmel Mifsud

Ivan Vella

Johan Mifsud

Jurgen Debono

Ludwig Camilleri

Neil Zammit

Raymond Camilleri

Rennie Scicluna

Stephen Pace

Tonio Vella

Choreographer: Francesca Tranter

Artist profile Conductors

Tenor & Maestro Brian Cefai

Brian Cefai is one of the few Maltese leading soloists who gained recognition for his talents not only on our island, but also overseas where he performed most of his major works. At 22 he started his vocal training with soprano Antoinette Miggiani and after being presented with the Accademia del Mediterraneo Award, he completed a three-year course for perfection in voice with Bulgarian tutor Dame Blagovesta Karnobutlova Dobreva and in England with world-famous baritone Derek Hammond Straud. Brian studied music theory of music and harmony with Mro. Carmelo Pace and orchestration and conducting with Mro. Anthony Chircop. Brian studied intense breathing of both physical and psychological techniques with Mro. Paolo Nani and continued his studies in voice coaching pedagogy and singing in London & Warwick as well as conducting at Warwick University with Colin Touchin.

In 1986 Brian made his debut in London at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and has since been a regular performer in England which include venues such as Wigmore Hall, Leamington Spa, Barbican Centre, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the English National Opera (ENO). Apart from England, Brian performed in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Hungary, France, Sicily, Sweden, Scotland and Wales.

Brian’s operatic repertoire includes major roles in ‘La Boheme’, ‘La Traviata’, ‘Tosca’, ‘Lucia di Lamermoor’, ‘I Pagliacci’ and ‘Faust’. He has sung with various personalities including the acclaimed Italian Soprano Katia Riccarelli.

In 1990 Brian founded The Amadeus Chamber Choir and has been its director ever since. Amongst the most important works under his baton, he has conducted thirty-three editions of the concert ‘A Prelude to Christmas’. To this day, Brian sings, directs and works on his music compositions. Dr Michelle Castelletti

Dr Michelle Castelletti identifies as an interdisciplinarian.  Following a Doctorate in Music, she extended her studies into the Liberal Arts, as well as in architectural history, literature, the visual arts, and medieval history.  She is currently engaged in doctoral research at the University of Oxford.   Conducting favourites include Poulenc at Birmingham Symphony Hall, Richard Strauss, Respighi and Mahler in Canterbury Cathedral, working with Carmine Lauri as soloist for the Valletta International Baroque Festival, conducting Arvo Pärt’s music for Arvo Pärt himself, Proms in the Park style concerts with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, a run of Mozart’s L’ Impresario at the Manoel Theatre, Stravinsky’s Firebird and Orff's Carmina Burana in London, conducting her own classical contemporary music ensemble, and even a production of Sweeney Todd!  She was also the Director of Music for university ceremonies at Canterbury Cathedral, with the privilege of even conducting the Canterbury Cathedral choristers, and is currently the director of Gaudete Choir at Blackfriars, Oxford. She is many times called on for international award panels. Michelle has curated Study Days at Wigmore Hall, taken performances to the Southbank Centre, and collaborated with the BBC on many projects receiving 5* reviews. She has worked with exceptional artists in her life, including Krzysztof Penderecki.  Her curations have won The Times Higher Education Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts. Her work has been performed in Berlin, Cardiff, Canterbury, Cork, Dublin, Hangzhou, Helsinki, Limerick, London, Manchester, Montréal (Québec), Munich, Nürnberg, Porto, Rovaniemi, Tokyo, Valletta – by many ensembles and orchestras, including: the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Dalia Stasevska, Helsinki Philharmonic with Susanna Mälkki, BBC National Orchestra of Wales with Jac van Steen, Lapland Chamber Orchestra with John Storgårds, and Sir Andrew Davis. Michelle is published by Universal Edition Vienna. Her completion of Mahler 10 has been recorded by BIS Records and ARS Produktion, winning the Pizzicato Magazine Supersonic Award, the Opus Klassik Award, and the No 1 Orchestral Choice of the Month on BBC Music Magazine, The Proms Edition.  It has also been choreographed as a full ballet and has been getting two full runs every year at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, in Munich since 2020.  She is a Trustee of ORA Singers, the Chair of Oxford Music Network, a tutor for the University of Oxford, and the Director of the Oxford Festival of the Arts.  Soloists Nikki Vella Coming from a family of singers and musicians, Nikki followed suit and has been on the stage since she was 5 years old taking part in various school productions. When she was 9, she was taken under the wing of Soprano Rose Ciantar, who guided her in her first solo at her local church hall. After the parish choir she eventually joined the Amadeus Chamber Choir under the direction of MRO Brian Cefai and still studies under his direction and performs both as a soloist and a chorister. Over the years, Nikki has joined in numerous prestigious choral events under the batons of MROs Dion Buhagiar and Michael Laus. She has performed as a soloist in Poland, Cyprus, Italy, the US and the UK.

Over the years, she has played various leading roles including Lily in The Secret Garden, Miss Belle in Fame, Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense 1 and 2, Elsa in The Sound of Music, Madame Giri in The Phantom of The Opera and Morticia in The Addams Family musical. Apart from performing as a classical singer and a musical theatre artist, she is frequently invited to join acts at local hotels and venues as well as singing during wedding and funeral masses.

Francesca Bartolo Francesca is a Maltese mezzo-soprano whose instrument boasts an expansive range with a rich timbre and an effortless reach into the high range. Her vocal agility makes her a natural fit for the coloratura mezzo-soprano repertoire. Alongside her agility, her rich timbre allows her to embrace the lyric mezzo-soprano and Zwischenfach repertoire with ease. The combination of tonal richness and extended range makes her a versatile performer.

Her operatic roles include Carmen (Carmen, Bizet), Mamushka (Boris Godunov, Mussorgsky), Die Knusperhexe (Hänsel und Gretel, Humperdinck), Baba the Turk (The Rake’s Progress, Stravinsky), La Mere (Les Contes D’Hoffmann, Offenbach), Zweite Dame & Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflöte, Mozart), Dorabella (Cosi Fan Tutte, Mozart), Patrizia (Strozzi!, Barbara Strozzi) and Marcellina (Le Nozze Di Figaro, Mozart). Francesca has performed in concert on stages worldwide, most notably at Carnegie Hall in New York, Royal Albert Hall, Wilton’s Music Hall and Blackheath Halls in London.

Francesca completed a Master of Music degree at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance in London, studying with Sarah Pring and Peter Knapp. Her studies were supported by the Morag Noble Scholarship, the Kathleen Roberts Scholarship, and the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation, Malta. She previously graduated with first-class honours in a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from Trinity Laban. In addition to her academic training, Francesca has pursued operatic training at the Berlin Opera Academy and the Manhattan Opera Studio.

Born into a family of dancers and music lovers, Francesca was introduced to music at the age of three through classical ballet. Giosuè Agius Giosuè Agius, born on April 4th, 2001, is a Maltese tenor active in operatic, concert, and choral performance. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English with Theology from the University of Malta (2019–2024) and has also completed a Master of Arts in English while studying voice with the Maltese soprano Gillian Zammit. He also studied extensively with American tenor Michael Trimble at the Trimble Vocal Institute.

On stage, Giosuè has portrayed roles such as Giuseppe in A Romance of Errors (MCAST Theatre, 2023), Trouser Girl/Lukey in Trouser Girl (Teatru Manoel, 2023), and Coppélius in The Tales of Hoffmann (Casino Maltese Ballroom, 2022). He has also appeared in opera scenes with Opera Nova Project’s Nova Opera Scenes (2025), performing scenes from the roles of Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore and Le Remendado in Carmen.

His concert credits include solo appearances at the Malta Cultural Institute Foundation Concert (2023), Ad Honorem – In Honour of the President of Malta (2024), and Prelude to Christmas with the Amadeus Chamber Choir (2024). As a chorister, he has performed in Manon Lescaut in Sicily, Valerjana in Gozo, and at the Malta International Christmas Choir Festival (2022).

Since 2024, Giosuè has been a member of the Opera Nova Project Malta, receiving coaching from Janis Kelly, James Pearson, and Denise Mulholland. He has appeared in multiple recitals and in The Magic Flute (Teatru Manoel, 2025). Upcoming engagements include Opera Bianca and Mozart’s Requiem (October 2025).

Joseph Lia Joseph graduated in Music from the University of Malta before advancing his vocal studies at the St Petersburg State Conservatoire, supported by the Janatha Stubbs Foundation. There, he earned a Master’s degree in Voice Performance under the guidance of Prof. Sergei Riazantsev. With the support of the MGSS Scholarship, he went on to complete a Doctorate in Voice Performance and Pedagogy, studying under Professors Anatoly Kisilev and Riazantsev.As a performer, Lia has interpreted leading operatic roles such as Germont (La Traviata), Uberto (La Serva Padrona), Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Dottor Malatesta (Don Pasquale), and Ebn-Haki (Iolantha), among others. He is also an accomplished recitalist, widely praised for his expressive interpretations of the lieder and oratorio repertoire.

He has performed at prestigious festivals including the Tallinn BachFest, Bruckner Festival, and Gaulitana, and on notable stages such as the Rachmaninov Hall, St. John’s Co-Cathedral, and St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. As an educator, he has delivered masterclasses across Europe and served as a jury member and vocal coach in Russia, Italy, and the UK.

Lia is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Malta International Organ Festival, a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta, and currently works with Arts Council Malta.

Amadeus Chamber Choir Having established itself as one of Malta’s leading SATB Mixed Choirs, Amadeus Chamber Choir continually seeks to develop musical and cultural talents. Founded in 1990 and directed by leading Maltese Soloist, Mro. Brian Cefai, Amadeus Chamber Choir performs a versatile repertoire of sacred and secular music, embracing various musical genres ranging from 16th century polyphony to contemporary music. ACC successfully rendered Mozart’s Requiem at the Manoel Theatre and at the Basilica of Christ the Redeemer in Senglea. The Choir sang Mozart’s Mass in F major and his Vespri per la Domenica at St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

The 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 2006 brought to the fore the strong rapport between Musique and Amadeus Chamber Choir. The relationship established between the Accademia Lirica Del Mediterraneo (Director, Mro. Pietro Ballo) culminated in an impressive and uplifting audio visual spectacle based on opera and the performance of Mozart’s Requiem in Monreale Cathedral. The Requiem was performed by the Amadeus Chamber Choir, the Orchestra dell’Accademia Musicale di Palermo, under the baton of Mro. Brian Cefai.

In 2014, the Amadeus Chamber Choir participated in the 1,000 Voices for Peace/Flanders Festival in Belgium, commemorating the first centenary of the Great War, singing during the world première of Krzysztof Penderecki’s Dies Illa in Koekelberg Cathedral in Brussels.

Amadeus has toured Europe extensively, singing in major Cathedrals, Theatres, and Concert Halls in England, Germany, Scotland, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Prague, Poland, and Spain.

Choreographer Francesca Abela Tranter is a pioneer of Malta’s contemporary dance scene — a choreographer, researcher, and mentor whose work spans over four decades. Trained in Malta and the UK, she specializes in contemporary dance techniques and choreography, with a career rooted in teaching, choreographing, and mentoring internationally since 1981.

In 1998, she founded Contact Dance Company, presenting original and commissioned works across leading theatres and festivals in Europe. She later launched Dance Hybrid Malta (2001 - 2019), an intensive platform hosting international artists who introduced revolutionary practices to Maltese dancers, and Dance on the Move (2011 - 2019), a masterclass / workshops providing safe spaces for collaboration and growth.

Since 2010, Francesca has lectured at the University of Malta’s School of Performing Arts, where her current research examines the legacy of contemporary dance in Malta.

As Artistic Director of Dance Festival Malta, Francesca curates a multidisciplinary programme of performances, workshops, and masterclasses, fostering exchange between Maltese and international artists while enriching Malta’s cultural landscape.

Passionate about the transformative power of dance, Francesca remains committed to connecting artists and audiences, cultivating dialogue, creativity, and community through the universal language of movement.

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