Two major productions, Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff and Gaetano Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore constitute the programme for the eighth edition of the BOV Opera Festival. There will also be an additional two operas, namely, Domenico Cimarosa’s Maestro di Cappella, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona, as well as Mozart’s chamber masterpiece A Musical Joke. For the second consecutive year, the supporting sponsors of the BOV Opera Festival are Valletta Fund Management Ltd and Middlesea Valletta Life Assurance Co. Ltd.
Wilfred Kenely, chairman of the Management Committee of Teatru Manoel together with Tonio Depasquale, chief executive officer of Bank of Valletta, launched the programme for the eighth edition of the BOV Opera Festival during a media conference held on the stage of the Manoel Theatre.
Addressing the media, Mr Kenely described how the BOV Opera Festival, now in its eighth edition, is yet again promising to deliver another bonanza of top quality classic performances from both local and foreign talent. “This year’s programme kicks off on Wednesday 14 March with Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff with a repeat performance on Friday 16 March. This production will be the first official collaboration between Teatro Borgatti and Teatru Manoel. The Orkestra Nazzjonali under the direction of Maestro Michael Laus will be taking part. Furthermore, the choir that will take part in Falstaff will be made up entirely of Maltese singers and is being formed purposely for this production,” announced Mr Kenely.
“Sunday 18 March will then see three productions in one night namely Cimarosa’s Il Maestro di Cappella, Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona and Mozart’s A Musical Joke. All three productions will be staged at the Auditorium of the Sacred Heart Convent in St Julian’s. Direction will be in the hands of John Gauci while Chris Muscat will be the musical director,” added Mr Kenely.
“The second major production for this year’s BOV Opera Festival will be Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore with performances scheduled at the Teatru Manoel on Monday 19 and Wednesday 21 March. The production of this opera is in collaboration with Operalaboratorio from Palermo under the direction of Dott. Elizabeth Smith,” said Mr Kenely. “We are delighted to have a Maltese tenor attached to Operalaboratorio. Charles Vincenti will perform in the main role of Nemorino in this production. For this purpose, Charles has spent the past few weeks in Palermo rehearsing with the cast that will be staging this opera at the Manoel,” announced Mr Kenely.
Mr Kenely concluded by thanking Bank of Valletta for its continued support of the annual festival. “The BOV Opera Festival is the result of a successful collaboration between Teatru Manoel and Bank of Valletta, the largest financial institution in Malta and the foremost promoter of arts and culture on the island. We are proud of this association, which is a prime example of the involvement of the private sector in cultural happenings. This is something which should be acknowledged and emulated,” concluded Mr Kenely.
Tonio Depasquale congratulated the Manoel Theatre for once again this year putting together an excellent programme for the BOV Opera Festival. “We are delighted to continue to extend our support to this annual opera festival. Indeed, the BOV Opera Festival, this year in its eighth edition, has established itself as one of the main highlights of Malta’s cultural calendar. Apart from being well followed by Maltese opera lovers, the festival is increasingly building an international reputation, attracting increasing numbers of tourists who specifically come to Malta for these performances,” said Mr Depasquale.
“The BOV Opera Festival is one of the most important events that benefits from our support under the arts and culture pillar of our community involvement,” added Mr Depasquale.
Mr Depasquale said that the bank’s sustained backing of the BOV Opera Festival is directly related to the importance that BOV gives to its corporate social responsibility.