The setting is ready for PAN The Goat God by Ruben Zahra. It has been ready for 7,500 years. The Temple of Hagar Qim is the backdrop for this longest day of the year musical occasion.

Next Friday and Saturday 20 and 21 June will see the dormant vibes of this unique location reawaken and present the audience with a series of vibrant moments. The first in the celebrations organised by the Nationalist Party to commemorate Malta’s 50th Independence anniversary.

Hagar Qim was the obvious choice as it is known that Malta was truly independent before 1964 only during the time of the Temple builders when no outside ruler was involved. The days chosen are also the time of the Summer Solstice a yearly appointment between sunrise and stone. Apart from all this 20 June is also World Music day a date which could not be missed, forging together all these ingredients creating an evening not to be missed?

Renowned composer Ruben Zahra was engaged to coordinate this musical evening and he has brought together some very rich elements. Violinist Nadine Galea, Flautist Federika Lotti and pianist Tricia Dawn Willians will be performing works by Gyorgy Ligeti, Claude Debussy, Alberto Colla, and  Andre Jolivet.

The highlight of the programme is Pan the Goat God, a contemporary work by Ruben Zahra where a number of artistic disciplines join forces to narrate the multi faceted character of Pan. Ruben states that there is no room for love in Pan’s world, the sexual assault ion the nymph is not an act of love, the music is not a serenade and the dance is a discordant ritual on a Mediterranean flute.

Video projections, artistically designed lighting, actor Adrien Azzopardi Performing Pan, dancer Arlette Mangion combined with  Manuel Cauchi.’s narrative all create a memorable evening.

An ambitious start to what aspires to be a cultural manifestation of events commemorating this milestone in Maltese history.

Tickets for this performance, which starts at 8.30pm both days, can be bought from the Hagar Qim gates.