Two Of Joseph Vella’s Oratorios To Feature During The Three Palaces Festival
The Three Palaces, Early Opera and Music Festival is a multidisciplinary festival which features an eclectic programme. It is being curated by artistic directors Dr Michelle Castelletti and Kenneth Zammit Tabona.
The festival, which will take place between the 1st and 12th November, will include theatrical and musical works by local and international artists. It will feature various artistic avenues, including classical recitals, puppetry, film noir, opera and choral music, among others.
Two of the main highlights, under the artistic coordination of Tatiana Lisnic, include oratorios composed by Joseph Vella and written by Oliver Friġġieri: Rewwixta and Il-Belt Rebbieħa.
The first oratorio, Rewwixta, which will be held on the 4th November at St Paul’s Metropolitan Catherdal in Mdina, depicts the arrival of the French to the island of Malta. Resulting in the fall of the Order of St John. The French rule crippled the island, with imposed demands that angered the Maltese people and ignited the first revolution.
Resistance was met with determination from the French who fought against the Maltese rebels’ attempts to invade the city. The Maltese people suffered many casualties, but the French only won the battle and not the war as the bravery of our Maltese forefathers started a chain reaction that would end the French dominion over Malta.
Rewwixta will be performed by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Joseph Debrincat. He will be accompanied by soprano Nicola Said, mezzo-soprano Graziella Debattista, tenor Charles Vincenti, baritone Louis Andrew Cassar and Coro Bel Canto under the direction of Herman Farrugia Frantz.
This concert will be the perfect start to the weekend for all history buffs and for all those who love opera and classical music. Rewwixta has been composed in the format of an opera and focuses on a momentous piece of Maltese history.
Closing the Three Palaces festival in a grand finale will be the second oratorio by Vella, also penned by Friġġeri aptly titled Il-Belt Rebbieħa. This oratorio will be performed on the 12th November at the St Lawrence Parish Church in Birgu – the city for which this work is dedicated.
This poem by Friġġieri strives to define the sentiment tied to the bravery of our forefathers in their battle against the Turks – The Great Siege on Malta in 1565. Written for a soprano (Vittoriosa), a tenor (the Maltese) and a choir of four voices (the crowd) as well as a significantly large orchestra.
The cantata will be performed by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Colin Attard accompanied by soprano Miriam Cauchi, tenor Brian Cefai and Gaulitanus choir.
Ahead of the festival, Festivals Malta is organising a symposium on the 25th October at 1:30pm at the Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu. The symposium will be featuring talks by Prof. Charles Briffa who will be presenting Oliver Friġġieri as a poet/novelist/literary critic/philosopher.
He will also be analysing the text on which this cantata is based. Meanwhile, Colin Attard will be looking at the musical aspect of the cantata written by Joseph Vella, which was composed in perfect harmony with the poem itself.
Registration for the symposium is free of charge. Bookings are open until Friday 21st October 12pm. Click here for the registration form.
For more information about The Three Palaces, Early Music and Opera Festival and to buy tickets visit www.festivals.mt/ttp.
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