The festival is a quality product that has an established element of the local cultural calendar, said Prof. Friggieri. He praised the organisers – The Astra Theatre – saying that the festival was an excellent tourist attraction that exploited the full extent of Gozo’s cultural heritage.

The festival will be crossing over to Malta this year in view of the fact that the Astra Theatre, which was damaged by fire last November, is still not ready to host any performances. The festival will be held from 28 October until 7 November at the Hilton Hotel theatre.

Festival Mediterranea committee chairman Dolindo Cassar explained that at first the theatre was going

to be repaired but then it was decided to take the opportunity to overhaul the theatre’s decorations and even make some alterations. “Unfortunately, it was not ready for this year’s festival but I assure you next year it will be held in the

theatre.”

Work should be finished by next May, Mr Cassar explained, appealing to the public to be generous with donations. Donation accounts have been opened with all the local banks.

Nevertheless, this year’s festival should lack nothing of the appeal of previous years. It is offering a programme that includes a combination of music, dance, history, archaeology, crafts tradition and nature.

The opera element is still the prominent feature. Festival director Professor Joseph Vella explained that this year, Puccini’s Tosca will be presented, with a cast of internationally-acclaimed singers including soprano Brigit Edgar and tenor Rumen Doikov as well as local bass, Albert Buttigieg.

There will also be a piano concert by the duo Natascha Chircop and Marco Pivoltini, with a wide selection of classical, romantic, and 20th century music.

Mro Vella will himself direct a Baroque concert, presenting a selection of authentic Maltese pieces together with European classics. The concert includes the participation of the Laudate Pueri choir and the Baroque ensemble. La Stella band will also give a concert of symphonic music, from opera to classical symphony.

This year will also see the addition of the Yada dance company, which will be presenting a spectacle of Spanish and Latin dance.

The festival will also include an international conference on Maltese and Mediterannean prehistory, with eminent archaeologist Professor David Trump giving a guided tour of the UNESCO world heritage site of Ggantija Temples.

More information about the

festival and bookings is available on www.mediterranea.com.mt

or by email on [email protected].