Collaboration programmes with foreign theatres and orchestras that started in January 2005 have given the National Orchestra of Malta a new dimension, with the Grand Concert Series being widely acclaimed as successful productions. The Maltese public enjoyed a number of large scale symphonic performances with the participation of guest Maltese-Canadian conductor Charles Olivieri Munroe; Paolo Ponziano Ciardi, as well as concerts directed by Michael Laus, the orchestra’s resident conductor.
The guest artists’ list enriches the orchestra’s profile with the inclusion of star names, the likes of Carmine Lauri, Mats Rondin, Igor Ardasev, Andrea Griminelli, Lukas Vondracek, Roberto Cominati, Marina Piccinini, and other artists that the board of the National Orchestra contracted to perform with the orchestra in the past two years.
An extensive rich, wide classical repertoire including among others works by Glinka, Shostakovic, Mozart, Grieg, Respighi, Stravinsky, Mahler, Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Mascagni, Donizetti, Bellini, Bizet, Cilea, Beethoven, Massenet, Schumann, Haydn, Schubert, Suppe`, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Prokofiev, Smetana, Rachmaninov, Brahms, Carl Maria von Weber, not to mention the excellent repertoire by Maltese composers namely: Nicolo` Isouard, Paolino Vassallo, Carlo Diacono, Charles Camilleri, Carmelo Pace, Christopher Muscat, John Galea, Joseph Vella etc. – has demonstrated the versatility of the Maltese orchestra.
Further ongoing collaboration with foreign counterparts, who are becoming more aware of what Malta can offer as a centre for culture in the Mediterranean region has seen the National Orchestra teaming up with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, the North Czech Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro Sinfonico Giuseppe Verdi in Milan, and this month with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Pesaro on the 20th.
Maltese audiences must not miss this date where the National Orchestra will join forces with the string section of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Pesaro to perform a Grand Concert under the direction of Paolo Ponziano Ciardi at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.
The concert features Paolino Vassallo’s Fuga per grande orchestra, Brahms’s Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra with the participation of Carmine Lauri (violin) and Tim Hugh (cello), both leaders of their respective section with the London Symphony Orchestra.
The second part will be dedicated to Tchaikovsky’s symphony no. 6 Pathetique.
Tickets at Lm15, Lm12, Lm10, Lm 8 and Lm 6 (VAT included) are available from the booking office of the Mediterranean Conference Centre. Alternatively reservations may be made by e-mail on [email protected] or by telephone on 2559 5751. A limited number of tickets at a discounted price will be made available to students and senior citizens on a first come first served basis. The concert starts at 7:30pm.
This successful collaboration will take the National Orchestra to Italy to join forces with the Italian orchestra under the direction of the National Orchestra’s music director Michael Laus. The concert, a repeat performance of the concert held in Malta at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, will be held at the prestigious Teatro Rossini in Pesaro on 25 January.