The oratorio Dun Gorg is being performed at St John’s Co-Cathedral at 8.30pm on 15 June to mark next Sunday’s canonisation by Pope Benedict XVI of Malta’s first saint, the founder of the MUSEUM Christian doctrine society, the Blessed Gorg Preca.

The government said the canonisation was a special occasion for Malta. Dun Gorg was penned by Prof. Oliver Friggieri to music by Prof. Charles Camilleri. The performance will be under the patronage of President Eddie Fenech Adami and the Prime Minister and the Archbishop will also be attending.

The Collegium Musicum orchestra and choir will be under the direction of Mro Dr Dione Buhagiar, with Mario Bisazza as orchestra leader. Sopranos Claire Caruana and Claire Massa and tenor Charles Vella Zarb will also be taking part.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech told a news conference that Dr Philip Farrugia Randon would be addressing the audience to relate the story of the oratorio. A booklet in Maltese and English is also being published.

There will be another performance of the oratorio, originally intended to be performed to mark the 100th anniversary of the MUSEUM society, on Sunday, 17 June at 8pm.