This summer I had the pleasure to be part of the chorus in two Maltese operas; Aħna Refugjati and Belt il-Bniedem: Is-Swar.
Aħna Refugjati happened on the 31st August and 2nd September at the Granaries in Floriana. This opera was under the direction of Mario Philip Azzopardi, who was also the librettist. Music was composed by Mario Sammut and Mro. Richard Merrill Brown.
It’s been some time since I’ve posted here … have been kept quite busy this year! Soon after Don Giovanni, I sang with the A Cappella Choir in La Divina Commedia, where we sang two a cappella pieces; Eric Whitacre’s Lux Arumque and Ola Gjeilo’s O Magnum Mysterium. This was part of a concert directed by Michelle Castelletti and held at the Robert Samut Hall in Floriana.
In April I then joined the pit-singers for Mamma Mia!, an FM Theatre production. We were under the music direction of Kris Spiteri with the musical being held at the MCC in Valletta.
In the first week of March I was part of the chorus for the opera Don Giovanni, with music by Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. This is the second of a trilogy written by the latter two. Like last year, the opera was directed by Jack Furness, with Mro. Philip Walsh conducting the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Don Giovanni was held over four nights at the prestigious Manoel Theatre in Valletta. This was my fifth opera, with the last one being Patience, in which I interpreted the role of Major Murgatroyd.
Another year has wrapped up … a busy year indeed! It all started with Le Nozze Di Figaro in March across four nights. I then sang in Beethoven’s 9th symphony together with the MPO chorus and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in May. A busy summer with rehearsals for Patience led to two performances of this operetta at the end of summer. In this production I interpreted the role of Major Murgatroyd.
In August I joined The Monteverdi Project, tutored by Mro. Marco Mencoboni, that led to A Christmas Concert with VIBE in December. In September I then sang together with Animae Gospel Choir in Cliff Zammit Stevens Annual Summer Concert ’17. Throughout the year I also sang in various celebrations with St. John’s Co-Cathedral resident choir, Coro Cathedralis.
Back in August we had our first masterclass with Mro. Marco Mencoboni as part of The Monteverdi Project. Monthly masterclasses were held specializing in baroque music. All this culminated in a baroque concert together with VIBE (Valletta International Baroqie Ensemble) on the 21st of December at St. Gregory’s Church, Żejtun. In this concert, presented by Teatru Manoel, a 14-piece orchestra performed together with The Monteverdi Project Vocal Ensemble under the baton of Mro. Marco Mencoboni.