Din l-Art Helwa’s Autumn Concert and Dinner

Last month the Grand Hall of St John’s Cavalier was the venue, as has now become traditional, for Din l-Art Helwa’s fund-raising concert and dinner. This event has become so popular that  one has to think well ahead to obtain tickets.

This cavalier together with its twin, St James Cavalier,  so beautifully restored and transformed by architect Richard England, were built after the Great Siege  to guard the new city. The Turks never returned, perhaps losing heart after they were trashed at that historic battle in 1565.

 Parliamentary Secretary for Culture Dr José Herrera (whose birthday it was) and Mrs Herrera were present.  This historic hall  was made available by courtesy of H.E. Ingr. Umberto Di Capua, Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta.

After a welcome drink, guests took their seats for a recital by our internationally renowned  and ever popular Maltese soprano Lydia Caruana.  Lydia always looks so glamorous especially in evening wear. She was accompanied at the piano by Yvette-Maria Galea. Lydia sang an aria from Handel’s Alcina. I wish to remind you that Handel’s father did not want him to have a career in music  and banned him from having anything to do with it. He wanted him to study law and have a secure job.  But Handel’s mother recognised his talent and she is said to have smuggled a small harpsichord  into the attic of their home where George Frideric could practise away out of his father’s earshot.  Later on Handel was to travel to Britain and he was a big hit in London with his opera Rinaldo, which he had written only 15 days previously,  He was to remain in London employed first by King George I who had been his employer in Germany and then by George II.

One of Handel’s most performed works today, his oratorio Messiah, was written in aid of three Irish charities and was given its premiere in Dublin in 1741. He wrote it in just 24 days. If that isn’t genius, then what is. (I remember singing it at school. How lucky we were to have nuns who were so cultured and who passed their love of music and other arts to us).    

   Handel’s success is an example of classical music’s ability to cross geographic al divides. Born in Germany yet he became one of English music’s greatest success stories, still being seen as part of the English Establishment centuries after his death. We have to thank his mother for  realising  that she       had a son who was talented.

Lydia also sang Mozart, Haydn, Gounod, Bizet and Verdi.   Ms Galea played Handel’s Sarabande (Keyboard suite in D minor) and his Fantasia  in C major. What a relief to have beautiful music instead of some noisy band playing modern rubbish  loudly.

It is to be noted that this concert was made possible thanks to the generous support of Mr Mark Watkinson, CEO, HSBC Malta Foundation while the piano came by kind concession of Dr Michael Grech, Chairman of the Manoel Theatre Council.                                                                                                                                                                                

After the concert, Ms Simone Mizzi, Executive President DLH, thanked all present for their support and augured continued collaboration between DLH and the Ministry of Culture for the safeguarding of our Heritage and Environment.  Ms Mizzi acknowledged the help generously given by Casapinta Design Group and by DLH Volunteers and office staff. 

Din L-Art Helwa like Flimkien gha-amjent ahajar are organisations which we should all support. The latest issue of Vigilo which is distributed to members of Din L-Art Helwa gives us a little insight into what our national heritage organisation is achieving. There is the Our Lady of Victory church  project. This church and so many of its art treasures,  including  a magnificent chasuble with the coat of arms of Grand Master Pinto, have been transformed and work on the church continues. I pop in  whenever I am in Valletta and the transformaion is beyond belief. I love the continuous music  which is played.

Then there is the Mamo Tower in Marsascala, the Sopu Tower in Nadur, the Hal Millieri Chapel, the Qala Battery in Gozo, Bir Miftuh where we attend wonderful concerts every spring, the Sanctuary of Tal-Hniena in Qrendi, the Comino Battery, the Wied iz-Zurrieq Tower and so much more. You are going to get bored if I list them all. Such excellent work is being done, mostly by volunteers.

Ms Mizzi acknowledged the help generously given by Casapinta Design Group and four grand prizes made available by generous sponsors were raffled.  This is one NGO which is worth its weight in gold.

Hops & Fork exclusive Beer Pairing Menu

I enjoy a cold beer, especially in summer and drink it when I eat a curry as wine seems to lose its taste with strong spices. However, I have to admit that I have never eaten a meal the menu of which was based on different beers. Indeed I never knew that Farsons made such a wide selection of beers.

Le Meridien St Julians Hotel & Spa recently organised dinner  which they named Hops & Fork, pairing each course with a different beer. It was something quite new to me and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The welcome drink was Cisk Chill Lemon-Flavoured Lager. At table our starter was pumpkin ravioli, smoked duck, nutmeg and parmesan tossed in Hopleaf Pale Ale and a sage vinaigrette. This was served with Hopleaf Pale Ale. These ravioli were tantalising morsels I must say. Soup followed: cappuccino of woodland mushroom and Guinness soup with grilled croutons and a truffle drizzle. This was served with Guinness and in a glass.  A varied and inventive menu I said to myself.

The main course was roast Irish lamb rack crusted with hops and rosemary, Blue Label Ale infused couscous, grilled vegetables, Blue Label lamb jus  served with Cisk Export Premium Lager, like Guinness, a beer with which I am well acquainted. The dessert was my absolute favourite: a lemon tart baked with Cisk Chill Lager, Pilsner and a raspberry compote served with Budweiser. At this point I contemplated by unheavenly body and almost persuaded myself that I should give the dessert a miss. But how could I? It looked divine and it was. It looks as if my unheavenly body is going to remain so until I become manure for  my grand children’s vegetables. I shall simply have to resign myself to that. Reluctantly. But that’s the reality.

Czech National Day

I have at last managed to attend this event which I keep on missing, year after year.  This year a girls’ choir in the Phoenicia Ballroom was followed by a generous reception in the lounge upstairs which is still one of my favourite places even if I don’t approve of all the changes. The singing was beautiful and the girls’ in red, on the stage, were so very well trained. Most of the songs were Czech and I had no idea what they were saying but they sang like angels. Tonio Casapinta has to be congratulated on a most pleasant evening including the reception afterwards.