On Saturday 23 July, the notes of Carl Orff’s O Fortuna from his famous Carmina Burana brought the 2011 edition of the Malta Arts Festival to a close. A spectacular end for a Festival that was singled out by the 26 June edition of the UK Sunday Times as one of the best 10 arts festivals held in Europe this summer. Initially, I was surprised by the news, but in retrospect such an acknowledgment should not be at all surprising. Looking back at this year’s programme of the sixth edition of the Malta Arts Festival, with its string of impressive performers and performances, all of high international repute, it emerges that success was not coincidental but clearly planned and deliberately weaved.

Renowned British conductor Wayne Marshall directed the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, together with the St Monica Choir and the Mirabitur Youth Choir from Malta, and the Pavilion Chamber Choir from the UK, for the final night concert. Two days before, London’s Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre gave a no nonsense performance of Hamlet, avoiding the clichés sometimes added to a Shakespeare production, presenting instead a fresh rendering of the Bard’s masterpiece. Audiences were still savouring a mesmerising performance of Bach Solo Cello Suites by Italian cellist Enrico Dindo in the magnificent church of St Augustine, in Valletta, when the Kronos Quartet appeared on the Festival stage. The world-renowned ensemble gave a cutting-edge performance of music from different parts of the world immersing those present in a plethora of possible sounds and textures that a string quartet can produce. And this was only the final week of a three-week programme that started with a performance of Charles Camilleri’s New Idea Symphony conducted by Paris-based Maltese conductor Brian Schembri. Camilleri’s symphony, one of his last major works, has been performed a number of times beyond our shores. It was sensitive of the Malta Arts Festival to schedule a Maltese premiere of the work, which also underlined this year’s general dedication of the Festival to the same Camilleri who would have celebrated his 80th birthday this year. Schembri’s appearance at the helm of our Philharmonic Orchestra was not the only opportunity to appreciate the work of Maltese artists. Francesca Grima and her Puerto Flamenco ensemble presented their latest creation, Ring, followed by the Big Band Brother’s tribute to Maltese pop music, Ftakar, a concert that surely brought back sweet memories to older folks but was equally appreciated by the younger generation that are fans of the Big Band Brothers.

That the Festival’s artistic direction did its homework well is evident also in the number of commissions and collaborations, particularly the collective effort with the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the European Capital of Culture – Malta 2018, in bringing over the ballet Barbarossa from Turkey which was a commission for the European Capital of Culture – Istanbul 2010. Furthermore, collaboration between artists, Maltese and foreign, was the foundation of at least five performances this year.

All this is proof, if indeed one needs it, of the enormous cultural possibilities of our country, of the dimension of these possibilities, and that Malta is already a key player in the international cultural arena. The Malta Arts Festival, with its commitment to celebrate the Arts, is a local development that serves as a good example of the way forward to make visible our artistic potential. With its professional attitude, the Festival is one example of the serious commitment of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts to promote Malta as a foremost European cultural destination, and as fertile ground for cultural investment. Investing in culture and the arts means investing directly in our people. The government’s commitment to this is clear. The vision of a country that sports a sound cultural environment is as tangible as it could ever be. In the wake of this year’s success of the Festival there is evidence of a political direction that champions, concretely, the cultural dimension of our country and seriously invests in it.

In view of this, my initial surprise at the acknowledgement of the Malta Arts Festival as a top festival in Europe was transformed into pride and satisfaction. Proud and satisfied that the investment we are putting into the arts and culture in our country and its people is being recognised internationally. Proud and satisfied that the confidence we have in the culture of our country serves as the foundation for the government’s vision and direction. Needless to say, the sterling work of the festival’s artistic director Mario Frendo and that of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts team captained by Davinia Galea and Adrian Mamo is deeply appreciated.