Contemporary Artist Richard Saliba has presented an original painting of Pablo Casals, the famous Spanish violincello player, to the Societa’ Filarmonica Sliema to add to its artistic heritage in its main halls.

The presentation was made by Richard Saliba to the society’s President Emeritus Dr Censu Tabone at the end of the concert by the National Orchestra on 1 December during the grand finale of the Sliema International Arts Festival.

Pablo Casals was born in 1878 and died in 1973. He is considered a master of the violincello in the same way that Paganini is a master of the violin.

This is the second important donation by Richard Saliba. The main hall of the Sliema Philharmonic Society premises already has displayed an original painting depicting the view from Mr Saliba’s roof in the centre of Sliema – showing the neighbourhood with the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at its centre.