The annual appointment with the much-awaited BOV Opera Festival came to a successful conclusion with the staging of L’Elisir d’Amore.

This year’s programme kicked off on Wednesday 14 March with Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff with a repeat performance on Friday 16 March. This production was the first official collaboration between Teatro Borghetti and Teatru Manoel, with Michael Laus directing the National Orchestra. The choir, composed of Maltese singers was also formed purposely for the production.

Sunday 18 March saw three productions in one night, namely Cimarosa’s Maestro di Cappella, Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona and Mozart’s A Musical Joke. All three productions were staged at the auditorium of the Sacred Heart Convent in St Julian’s. Direction was in the hands of John Gauci whilst Chris Muscat was the musical director.

The Opera Festival then came to an end with the staging of Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore on Monday 19 and Wednesday 21 March. This production, the annual collaboration with Operalaboratorio from Palermo also saw a Maltese performer, namely tenor Charles Vincenti, in the main role of Nemorino. As in previous years, Operalaboratorio performed under the direction of Elizabeth Smith.

This is the eighth consecutive year that Bank of Valletta sponsored the Opera Festival organised by Teatru Manoel, Malta’s national theatre and one of Europe’s oldest operating theatres.

BOV chief executive officer Tonio Depasquale commented: “Our support of the BOV Opera Festival forms part of the Arts and Culture Pillar of our Community Programme. As a leading player in the Maltese economy, we are well aware that an organisation of our size, playing such a key role within the communities in which it operates, has an obligation to wider society that extends beyond providing quality financial services to customers. At Bank of Valletta, we are committed to contribute to the prosperity of the communities in which we operate and acknowledge the responsibilities to invest in these to keep them vigorous and prosperous. The BOV Opera Festival is one such initiative that we look forward to support year in, year out.”