As Malta's operatic home, Teatru Manoel is so synonymous with opera that its annual production has become a much-loved mainstay of the nation's events calendar.
Yet, worldwide, pandemic-related restrictions demand a new approach to live performance, and at the Manoel, this means replacing its regular fully staged opera with a series of events worthy of the genre.
In A Celebration of Opera from 10 to 13 March, four consecutive Galas at the Manoel will present popular opera company repertoire, with an all-star cast and music from Baroque to Sondheim.
However, selecting a repertoire that serves as a tribute to the opera genres was no easy task, as Kate Fenech Field explains. "Opera encompasses such a vast spectrum of work, it was difficult to narrow down the choice of theme for each Gala," she shares. "Fortunately, as the home of the Opera Festival, we have a network of classical event producers, opera directors and our own research to guide us. Opera is widely considered as the greatest art form, combining music, singing, poetry, art, design and drama, so it was important to uphold its integrity. Plus, the level of excitement about the artists assembling for this is extraordinary: it is a celebration of our local talent, cementing our place on the international stage."
Directed by Caroline Clegg with music direction by Riccardo Bianchi and accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, the cast features some of Malta's finest opera performers including Luis Aguilar, Albert Buttigieg, Louis Andrew Cassar, Miriam Cauchi, Nico Darmanin, Claire Debono, Graziella Debattista, Nicola Said and Cliff Zammit Stevens, with orchestral arrangements by Veronique Vella and Federico Bonoldi. Joining the cast of talented singers is international rising star soprano Louise Alder who is making her Teatru Manoel debut.
Through its stellar cast, A Celebration of Opera's programme showcases the best of opera and the genre's many different musical styles. It kickstarts with Light Fantastic, a Gala evening of uplifting music from the Operetta repertoire by Lehar, Strauss and Offenbach. Next, Magical Mozart pays tribute to the most popular composer of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with dramatic highlights from Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutte. Transatlantic Drift will honour the musical exchanges between the shores of the Atlantic with scenes from works by Purcell, Handel, Britten and Stravinsky, as well as contemporary opera company standard repertoire by Gershwin, Sondheim and Weill. Finally, the event closes with Passione, an evening dedicated to Italian Opera and Italy's finest composers such as Bellini, Cilea, Donizetti, Mascagni, Puccini, Rossini and Verdi.
"Operetta encompasses lighter opera repertoire, but this is not just Strauss-esque waltzes, ball gowns and champagne. Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera offers a starkly gritty juxtaposition, both musically and dramatically while excerpts from Leonard Bernstein's operetta Candide closes the Gala with hope for the future in the aptly titled Make our garden grow, featuring young artists from the Teatru Manoel Youth Opera company," Fenech Field concludes. "We take you on a journey from Mozart, to American opera, ending in the beating heart of the genre: Italian Romantic. To use a culinary metaphor, A Celebration of Opera is a veritable tasting menu and a vital part of our theatre season."
A Celebration of Opera will take place at Teatru Manoel on 10, 11, 12 and 13 March at 8pm. Events are suitable for audience members aged six and above and adhere to all current public health recommendations.
Tickets are available via email to: [email protected], by telephone on (+356) 2124 6389 or online at www.teatrumanoel.mt