On July 30, we’ll celebrate another Malta Arts Festival with the launch of a publication on the Spaces | spazji project.  It features the exhibits by Fabrizio Ellul, Sean Gabriel Ellul, Anton Grech, Ruth Bianco and James Micallef Grimaud, the five participating artists.  The works range from painting and sculpture to collage works and multi-media installations.

The publication will also include a collection of literary works which were directly inspired by and which revolve around the themes of space and of Strait Street as proposed in this visual art project.

On the 30th July there will be readings by the following authors: Immanuel Mifsud, Maria Grech Ganado, Simone Inguanez, Pierre J. Mejlak, Clare Azzopardi and Margaret Andrews.  Things will kick off at 7.30 p.m. at 187, Strait Street, Valletta. Entrance is free of charge and all are welcome to join.

That’s just a short walk away from the original venue.

The concert will start at 21.00hrs as originally scheduled.

MONDAY 19TH JULY
Constance, a neoclassical ballet by Julien Lestel, performed by eight principals coming from the Paris Opera and the Marseille National Ballet, was inspired by DH Lawrence’s novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover.  Argotti Gardens, Floriana.

TUESDAY 20TH JULY 2010
Maladies and Melodies, a concert by the The European Union Baroque Orchestra. Works by Zelenka, Locatelli, Albinoni, Vivaldi and Muffat.  Ambassador’s Room, Auberge de Castille, Valletta.

WEDNESDAY 21ST JULY  2010
A concert by the The European Union Baroque Orchestra. Works by Handel, Albinoni, Biber, Charpentier and Handel.  Ambassador’s Room, Auberge de Castille, Valletta.

THURSDAY 22ND JULY 2010
A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Argotti Gardens, Floriana.

FRIDAY 23RD JULY 2010
A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Argotti Gardens, Floriana.

Bethan Walker (centre) as Puck. Photo courtesy of Fiona Moorhead.

One of the highlights of the Malta Arts Festival 2010 has to be Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour’s production of ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream.’   The touring production is a much-welcomed return to the Festival, and is now one of the firm favourites.  We also think that the Argotti gardens in Floriana will provide a magical backdrop for ‘the Dream.’

There are two performances at Argotti Gardens, Floriana on 22nd and 23rd July. Performances start at 21.00hrs.  Tickets €15, concessions €10.  Book early!!

Cast and Biogs:

HELENA / ROBIN STARVELING / PEASEBLOSSOM
Louise Ford

HIPPOLYTA / TITANIA
Jasmine Hyde

BOTTOM / EGEUS
William Mannering

THESEUS / OBERON
Simon Merrells

LYSANDER / FRANCIS FLUTE / MOTH
Mark Quartley

PUCK / SNUG / PHILOSTRATE
Bethan Walker

DEMETRIUS / PETER QUINCE / MUSTARDSEED
Leon Williams

HERMIA / SNOUT / COBWEB
Hara Yannas

DIRECTOR
Raz Shaw

DESIGNER
Hannah Clark

COMPOSER
Alex Silverman

CHOREOGRAPHER
Georgina Lamb

TEXT WORK
Giles Block

MOVEMENT WORK
Glynn MacDonald

VOICE & DIALECT WORK
Jan Haydn Rowles

COSTUME SUPERVISOR
Liz Evans

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Sophie Lifschutz

PRODUCTION MANAGER
Paul Russell

THEATRE TECHNICAL MANAGER
Wills

WARDROBE MANAGER
Hannah Lobelson

STAGE MANAGERS
Danni Bastian
David McEvoy

WARDROBE & MERCHANDISE ASSISTANT
Emily Moore

PROPS CO-ORDINATOR
Bella Lagnado

SCENIC ARTIST
Natasha Shepherd

COSTUME MAKERS
Anna Harper, Lubica Halmova

PUPPET MAKER
Seonaid Goody

CARPENTERS
Kes Hayter, Simeon Tachev

INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT
Paul Leingaard

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER (touring)
Helen Hillman

ASSISTANT PRODUCER
Cat Silver

TOUR PRESS AND MARKETING
Richard Scandrett

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Dominic Dromgoole

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Conrad Lynch

GENERAL MANAGER
Lotte Buchan

COMPANY MANAGER
Marion Marrs

MUSIC MANAGER
Tom Bird

CASTING ASSOCIATE
Charlotte Bevan

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Eva Koch-Schulte

ASSISTANT TO THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Fiona Moorhead

CASTING & THEATRE ASSISTANT
Chloe Stephens

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT (MUSIC)
Ellie Cowan

THEATRE INTERN
Rosie Townshend

CASTING CONSULTANT
Siobhan Bracke

Biogs

Louise Ford
Helena / Robin Starveling /Peaseblossom

Louise trained at RADA. Her previous theatre credits include Timing (Kings Head, Islington); War and Peace (Shared Experience); All the Little Things we Crushed (Almeida); A Christmas Carol (Rose, Kingston); Don Juan Comes Back from the War and Puntila and His Man Matti (Coventry Belgrade). Her television credits include: Petevs Life, MI High, My Almost Famous Family and Law and Order. Louise is also one half of the comedy duo Ford and Akram, currently performing their hour-long spectacular Racism and Farming, at the Canal Café Theatre in London every month.

Jasmine Hyde
Hippolyta / Titania

Jasmine trained at RADA. Her theatre credits include:Gorgons/Decade (Theatre 503); The Rivals (Bath Theatre Royal and No.1 tour); Gaugleprixton (Edinburgh Fringe Festival (nominated best actress at Stage Awards)); Gifts of War (Menagerie and national tour); Charley’s Aunt (Northcott Theatre, Exeter); Singer (Tricycle Theatre); Waters of the Moon (Salisbury Theatre); Pericles (RSC); Coast of Utopia (Royal National Theatre) and Tiny Dynamite (Frantic Assembly and Paines Plough national tour). Her film credits include: A Distant Mirage, Undo, Other, Restoration and Runt. Her television credits include Casualty. Jasmine has performed in over 100 radio productions, including: Richard III, Dickens Confidential, Romeo and Juliet, Little Dorrit and The Archers.

William Mannering
Bottom

William’s previous work for Shakespeare’s Globe includes: Love’s Labour’s Lost, We the People, In Extremis, Antony & Cleopatra and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other theatre credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Winter’s Tale (RSC); Rookery Nook, The Inland Sea (Oxford Stage Company); Summer Lighting (Theatre Royal, Northampton); Present Laughter (Theatre Royal Bath); Stephen’s Last Night in Town, Games People Play (Jacobs Well Prods); Vincent River (Hampstead Theatre); The Divine Right (Birmingham Rep); The Merchant of Venice (Birmingham Rep and National Tour) and The Winslow Boy (Gielgud). His film credits include: Master and Commander, Breaking the Code and Jackpot. His television credits include: Holby City, Trail and Retribution, Tchaikovsky, The Infinite World of HG Wells, Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Heartbeat, The Coral Island, Unfinished Business (series 1 and 2), Wuthering Heights, Casualty, Dalziel and Pascoe, Black Hearts in Battersea, The Bill, Cadfael, The Old Curiosity Shop, Sharpe’s Company, The Upper Hand and Space Vets.

Simon Merrells
Theseus / Oberon

Simon’s theatre credits include: On the Waterfront (Theatre Royal Haymarket, West End); Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors (RSC); Much Ado About Nothing (Liverpool Playhouse); Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune (Nuffield Southampton); The Life of Galileo, Sing Your Heart Out for the Lads, Mourning Becomes Electra (National Theatre); Gasping (Haymarket, Basingstoke); The Provok’d Wife (Southwark Playhouse); Burn This, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Dukes Playhouse, Lancaster) and Coriolanus (Steven Berkoff World Tour). His film credits include: The Wolfman, Invisible Eyes and Le Petit Mort. His television credits include: Ashes to Ashes, The Bill, Family Affairs, Mersey Beat, London’s Burning, Casualty and Doctors. Simon was nominated for The Stage Award for Acting for On the Waterfront.

Mark Quartley
Lysander / Francis Flute /Moth

Mark trained at RADA. His theatre credits include: Measure for Measure, Company, Crimes in Hot Countries, Hamlet, Electra, Wild Honey (RADA); Odyssey, Young Macbeth, The Zoo Story, Julius Caesar (Durham University); Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Pendley Shakespeare Festival); Oklahoma! and The Ragged Child (National Youth Music Theatre). Mark is making his professional debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Bethan Walker
Puck / Snug / Philostrate

Bethan trained at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Her previous work with Shakespeare’s Globe includes the 2009 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Timon of Athens and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her other theatre credits include: Cinderella (Watford Palace Theatre); The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Birmingham Rep) and Beauty and the Beast (Sherman Theatre). Her television credits include Torchwood and Caerdydd. Her short film credits include Into the Wall (RSC/Dusthouse). In 2006 Bethan won the BBC Carlton Hobbs Award and spent 6 months working with the Radio Drama Company. She has performed in over 50 radio plays for the BBC, including: Elegy Underground, The Brothers Karamazov and Bearing the Cross.

Leon Williams
Demetrius / Peter Quince / Mustardseed

Leon trained at Guildhall. His theatre credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Peter Hall Company); Crimes of the Heart (Union Theatre); Great Expectations (Manchester Library Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night (Open Air Theatre, Regents Park); As You Like It (Derby Playhouse); The Changeling (English Touring Theatre); Charley’s Aunt (Oxford Playhouse); Not about Heroes (Edinburgh Lyceum) and Skylight (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough). Leon was nominated for ‘actor in a leading role’ category at the 2009 m.e.n awards for his  performance as Pip in Great Expectations. His film credits include Straight 8 (short). His radio credits include: Macbeth, Pepys Diaries and Romeo & Juliet.

Hara Yannas
Hermia / Snout / Cobweb

Hara trained at LAMDA. Her theatre credits include: it felt empty when the heart went at first but it is alright now (Arcola); On the Boost (World Premiere), Passport to Pimlico, The Permanent Way, The Blue Room (LAMDA) and Scrooge (UK Tour). Her television credits include Holby City.

Raz Shaw
Director

Raz’s previous work with Shakespeare’s Globe includes the 2009 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour (P.E.N Award 2009 for Best Professional Production)) and Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour). His other directing credits include: Gambling (Soho Theatre);Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams (RADA – Vanburgh Theatre); Torn (Arcola); Othello (Salisbury Playhouse); The Glass Menagerie (Young Vic – Jerwood Project); Things of Dry Hours (The Gate, London and Royal Exchange); Gambling (Royal Court – Rough Cuts); Woman in Mind (Salisbury Playhouse); Factory Girls (Arcola); Photos of Religion/A State of Innocence (Theatre 503); The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Royal Exchange/Southwark Playhouse); Be My Baby (Salisbury Playhouse); We’re Gonna B****r You (BAC); The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Juno); Belly (Old Red Lion) and 5:01 (Unity Theatre, Liverpool). Future work includes The Talented Mr Ripley (Northampton Theatre Royal) and Red Sky Morning (Arcola Theatre). In 2006 he was the recipient of The Jerwood Directors Award at The Young Vic.

EUBO plays two concerts at the Malta Arts Festival.  Here are the programme details:

Concert on 20 July 2010

JD ZELENKA
Hipocondrie a 7 concertanti in A
Lentement – Allegro – Lentement

PA LOCATELLI
Concerto Grosso in F minor, Op 1 No 8
Largo-Grave-Vivace – Grave – Largo andante – Andante – Pastorale

T ALBINONI
Concerto for 2 oboes in F, Op 9 No 3                                                      
Allegro – Adagio – Allegro

A VIVALDI
Concerto for strings in g minor, RV157
Allegro – Largo – Allegro

G MUFFAT
Concerto Grosso III in B flat, Convalescentia
Sonata: Grave-Presto – Aria: Presto-Allegro-Presto-Grave-Presto– Grave – Giga I: Presto – Giga II: Allegro

Concert on 21 July 2010

HANDEL
Overture from Alcina, HWV34
Ouverture – Musette – Menuet

HANDEL
Ballet music from Alcina, HWV34
Entrée des Songes agréables – Entrée des Songes funestes – Entrée des Songes agréables effrayés – Le Combat des Songes funestes et agréables

T ALBINONI
Concerto for 2 oboes in F, Op 9 No 3
Allegro – Adagio – Allegro

HIF BIBER Battalia
Allegro – Allegro: Die liederliche Gesellschaft von allerley Humor –Presto – Der Mars – Presto – Aria – Die Schlacht – Lamento der verwundten Musquetirer

MA CHARPENTIER
Suite from Le malade imaginaire, H495
Ouverture – Air des Tapissiers – Premier Air des Mores – Second Air des Mores – Prelude – Air des Zéphirs – Loure – Air des Archers

HANDEL
Concerto Grosso in d minor, Op 6 no 10

President’s Palace Courtyard, Valletta.  21.00hrs.  Tickets €15, concessions €10.

Every year, for the past 25 years, EUBO has invited 100 talented young baroque musicians from across Europe to audition. The 25 successful candidates, typically from 12 or more different countries with an average age of 25 years, spend six months together, training, touring and performing throughout Europe and further afield under the direction of the world’s leading baroque specialists including in 2010 Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Enrico Onofri, Ton Koopman and Christina Pluhar.

At the end of each year, the students of EUBO move on into the professional world and the whole process, from audition to graduation, begins again. EUBO has been so successful in its mission that there are now former EUBO students in every major professional baroque ensemble in Europe.

Since its foundation in 1985, the Orchestra has given concerts in 52 different countries as an Ambassador for the European Union. As well as performing in all the EU countries in some of Europe’s most prestigious venues and festivals, EUBO has also included many frequently neglected regions in its touring programmes, for example the Middle East and South America. Since 2008, the Orchestra has based many of its activities at the new Centre Culturel Trifolion in Echternach, Luxembourg, including an ambitious new concert series Echter’Barock, organised in partnership with the International Festival and the City of Echternach.

The European Union Baroque Orchestra is a highly valued training resource for young musicians. Without EUBO providing a constantly refreshed pool of experienced new talent, there is no doubt that professional baroque ensembles would find it difficult to maintain their standards and that the health and vitality of baroque performance across the world would suffer. The Orchestra has inspired the hundreds of young people who have trained with it since 1985 and the thousands who have experienced its dazzling performances each year. Providing ideal conditions to nurture EUBO’s young talents is an expensive undertaking, and it is the loyal support of the EUBO Development Trust, the City of Echternach and a successful application for funding through the EU culture programme that makes the project possible. With these committed partners, EUBO’s vitality can be maintained for future performers and audiences.

EUBO plays two concerts at the Malta Arts Festival on the 20th and 21st July 2010.  Both concerts are at the President’s Palace Courtyard, Valletta and start at 21.00hrs.  Tickets are  €15, with concessions at  €10.  Check out the programme here.

Julien Lestel Company was created in 2006 and is mainly composed of dancers coming from prestigious companies such as the Paris Opera or the Marseille National Ballet. They currently perform all over France and are also invited in great international festivals.

After being trained at the Paris Opera School, Julien Lestel worked with the most famous dancers and choreographers such as Noureev, Forsythe, Kylian, Robbins, Pina Baush, Carolyn Carlson among others. Devoted to his art and keen on getting involved in choreographic research, he founded his own company in order to carry the spectators away emotionally through the ballet aesthetics and drive them into a dynamic space where power, sensuality and poetry coexist, highlighted by the dancers’ virtuosity.

Constance, a neoclassical ballet by Julien Lestel, is performed by eight principals coming from the Paris Opera and the Marseille National Ballet, was inspired by DH Lawrence’s novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover. It symbolises the possible course for a human being from isolation to both self-awareness and altruism and this through scenes that are altogether aesthetic, sensual, fascinating and poetic.

Music by Philip Glass and lighting effects by Max Has bring into relief the beauty of a magnificent choreography.

Constance plays at the Argotti Gardens, Floriana on 19th July 2010 at  21.00hrs.  Tickets €15, concessions €10.

The New Choral Singers, under the direction of Robert Calleja present ‘Songs for Summer’ – a concert of secular music, to be held in the Courtyard of the Presidential Palace, in Valletta on Sunday, 18^th July, 2010 at 21.00hrs.

In a departure from the classical sacred music that has become its trademark, in this concert the choir will celebrate the beauty of nature, the complexity of mankind, and the greatness of the Creator through songs that range from witty and upbeat to melodiously folk.

The choir’s interpretation of songs such as ‘Les fleurs et les arbres’ by Camille Saint-Saëns, and ‘I praise the tender flower’ by Gerald Finzi, prompt visions of all that is alive in nature around us. Both compositions are an ode to the aesthetics of nature from the vivid colours of flowers in bloom, to the trees, the mountains and lush valleys below. Similarly, Edward Elgar injects a feeling of romantic sentiment in his powerful description of rain fall in ‘The Shower’.

Directing their attention to the creatures that inhabit the earth, the Choir adopt a witty, yet humorous approach in their performance of songs such as ‘I bought me a cat’ by Aaron Copland and ‘El Grillo’ by Josquin Des Pres. The former composition, is a contemporary upbeat and playful tune that introduces a new animal with each verse – the piece requires some versatility since each animal is mimicked throughout the stanzas. The latter composition on the other hand is a brief composition that dates back to the 14^th century. It tells the humorous tale of a gifted cricket whose splendid sounds fill the air.

Maintaining a happy balance between nature and the emotions of mankind are a collection of six folk songs by Johannes Brahms which narrate the tales of lost loves and enraptured hearts, in a series of brief serenades that are sure to capture the hearts and imagination of the audience.

Finally, the Choir sings the Creator’s praises by means of the childhood tune ‘Sing Hosanna’, the version they chose to interpret has been arranged by Geoff Nobes.  Adding a local flavour to this concert are the upbeat tunes of local compositions such as ‘Il-Festa’ by Charles Camilleri, ‘Il-Banda ta’ Indri’ by Joe Tanti and ‘L-Imnarja’ by Carmelo Pace. These three pieces characterise the atmosphere of a Maltese Summer, from the marching bands, to the coloured streamers and flags, to the fireworks that fill the sky, the Choir enable the audience to experience the sights and sounds of a local ‘Festa’ through the interpretation of these timeless local compositions.

Entrance to the concert is free, and tickets can be booked via an email to info@maltaculture.com.

Silvia Schiavoni, mezzo-soprano

The Stravinsky Project, together with the Ars Ludi Percussion Ensemble, will be performing two concerts at the Malta Arts Festival 2010.  The first concert, on 13th July, is called Slavonic Folk Scenes and the second concert on 14th July, is Igor the Story-Teller

Details of the programmes below:

13th July 2010: Slavonic Folk Scenes

Stravinsky /Gesualdo di Venosa
Tres Sacrae Cantiones (1959) for mixed chorus a cappella

Stravinsky
Serenade in A (1925) for piano

Stravinsky
Russian Credo (1932/r.1964) for mixed chorus a cappella

Bartok
Rumanian Folkdances (1915) arr. for 2 pianos and percussion

Stravinsky
Les Noces (1917/1923) for solos, mixed chorus, 4 pianos and percussion

14th July 2010: Igor the Story-Teller

Part I

Prelude: Stravinsky and Block – Visions of Russia
Excerpts from Block’s poetry with music by I.Stravinsky for voice and piano

Part II
Stravinsky Histoire Du Soldat

Orietta Manente Soprano
Silvia Schiavoni Mezzo-Soprano
Massimiliano Tonsini Tenor
Danilo Gabriele Serraiocco Bass

Pianos:
Cristina Biagini, Emanuela Longo, Marco Marzocchi, Maurizio Paciariello

Percussion:
Ars Ludi Percussion Ensemble – Rodolfo Rossi, Pietro Pompei, Pierluigi Zago, Giuseppe Salvagni, Gianluca Manfredonia, Daniel Cauchi

Choir:
Ready-Made Vocal Ensemble: Arianna Miceli, Paola Ronchetti, Claudia Di Carlo, Carlotta Caruso, Marta Zanazzi, Miriam Gentile, Laura Polimeno, Clementina Zarrillo, Daniele Pellegrini, Renato Moro, Carlo Putelli, Giuliano Mazzini, Andrea Rubino, Daniele Camiz, Marco Pinsaglia

Conductor:         Gianluca Ruggeri

Both performances are at the President’s Palace Courtyard, Valletta and start at 21.00 hrs.  Tickets €15, concessions €10.

Massimiliano Tonsini, tenor

When we invited Ars Ludi to perform Stravinsky’s music in two concerts at the Malta Arts Festival, his first reaction was to ask about which particular aspect of Stravinsky’s multiform creativity we were to present.

We decided to focus on how Eastern popular music has influenced one of the most important composers of the twentieth century. The language, the rhythms, the melodies, the beliefs, the fables of those countries, trough a strong and original re-elaboration, have been a strong inspiration for Stravinsky just as it was for another great composer, Bela Bartok, in the first decades of the past century.

The focal point of the two concerts are  Les Noces (The Wedding) of 1917 and Histoire du Soldat of 1918. Les Noces is one of Stravinsky’s most remarkable achievements. In this work Stravinsy’s Russian musical inheritance is presented without any ‘civilising’ filters. Histoire du Soldat is another important work by the Russian master, based on a story by C.F.Ramuz from Alexander Afanasiev’s collection of Russian tales. The piece had been the source for several other Stravinsky works as Renard.

Around these two historical musical steps, Ars Ludi presents a choice of shorter pieces showing the touch of modernism in transforming and regenerating the existing musical material as in Stravinsky’s Tres Sacrae Cantiones from Gesualdo da Venosa and in Bartok’s Rumanian Folk Dances from popular Rumanian melodies.

The first concert on the 13th  July is  called Slavonic Folk Scenes.  The second concert on 14th July is Igor the Story-Teller.  The programme details are here.