د . إAEDSRر . س

Celebrating The Rebirth Of Early Opera In Malta With Handel’s Belshazzar And Partenope

Article Featured Image

You’re in luck if you have a soft spot for opera! The Three Palaces Festival returns from the pandemic hiatus with an exciting new programme to kickstart the winter festival season. 

Musical theatre lovers are certainly in for a treat this year. During the first week of the festival, there will be two runs of Partenope. Handel ingeniously wrote this opera buffa in a way that follows the same structure of an opera seria. 

The plot revolved around the queen and founder of Naples, Partenope, who is on the lookout for potential suitors. However, we don’t want to reveal too much, as we hate spoilers.

With a love triangle taking centre stage, a lust for power and money, war, duels, and a serious streak of gender confusion, Handel’s Partenope has the makings of a great night out at the National Theatre.

It is being performed by award winning company HGO and by the Cappella Neapolitana di Antonio Florio Ensemble. So, if you are intrigued hit the Festivals Malta website to get your tickets. 

Partenope is organised in collaboration with HGO Trust and Manoel Theatre and will be staged on 4th November at 7.30pm and 6th November at 6pm. 

But that’s not all, on the 8th and 9th November at 6pm at the magnificent St John’s Co-Cathedral, Festivals Malta presents Handel’s Belshazzar. An oratorio that will be directed by critically acclaimed music director Steven Divine. 

The oratorio will be performed by the Valletta Baroque Ensemble and Kor Malta with the participation of soloists Gillian Zammit, Hadar Halevy, Marvic Monreal, Cliff Zammit Stevens, and Albert Buttigieg. A star-studded line-up that will be interpreting this remarkable three-act oratorio. 

Belshazzar is a biblical account of the fall of Babylon which was seized by Cyrus the Great and consequently freed the Jewish people as it is written in the Book of Daniel. 

Artistic director Kenneth Zammit Tabona, who hails from the baroque genre, was engaged by Festivals Malta to programme these exquisite works by George Frederic Handel. 

For more information about Partenope and Belshazzar visit the Festivals Malta website and grab your tickets while you’re there! 

Tag an opera fan 

READ NEXT: UN Anniversary Exhibition Marking 70 Years Comes To Malta

You may also love

View All