Last week, around 160 music lovers, including myself, spent a delightful summer evening at the Corinthia Palace Hotel in Attard, where the hotel's former Summer Kitchen has been transformed into the aptly named Secret Garden.
This time, the Chairman of the Corinthia Group, Mr Alfred Pisani, and Mrs Maria Pisani were among those enjoying the concert. Surrounded by mature trees and overlooking a beautiful swimming pool, the setting felt like a little piece of heaven and provided the perfect backdrop for a concert entitled Summertime Classics.
The performers were the Nova Sinfonietta, a Maltese chamber ensemble founded in 2023 by violinist Stefan Calleja, who is also Principal Second Violin with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Under his direction, the ensemble delivered a programme that was both varied and immensely enjoyable, a dream programme as far as I am concerned.
I had never heard them perform before and I must say I was impressed. The ensemble is supported by the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation and the Janatha Stubbs Foundation. Janatha herself was present and clearly enjoying the music.
At the beginning of the concert, Stefan introduced the musicians, explaining a little about their backgrounds. All are highly qualified performers, with some continuing their studies abroad.
The evening opened with Vivaldi's Spring (First Movement) from The Four Seasons, always a popular choice. From there we moved to the first movement of Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, a work whose intertwining solo lines never fail to delight. Johann Strauss II's lively Tritsch-Tratsch Polka followed. I sat up in my seat. It is such fun.
The programme continued with Brahms's Hungarian Dance No. 1, an absolute favourite, Bartók's colourful Romanian Folk Dances, and a Csárdás by Vittorio Monti. Many listeners are familiar with Monti's famous and much-loved Csárdás, but this was a different version and an interesting addition to the programme.
After the interval, the audience was treated to a selection of beloved film music: Ennio Morricone's Cinema Paradiso and the hauntingly beautiful Gabriel's Oboe, together with Nicola Piovani's moving theme from La Vita è Bella. The atmosphere then shifted southwards with Gardel's irresistible Por Una Cabeza and Piazzolla's passionate Libertango, before Gershwin's timeless Summertime brought us back to the concert's central theme.
Among the highlights for me were Brahms's ever-popular Hungarian Dance No. 5 and Strauss's magnificent The Blue Danube, whose flowing melodies seem to cast a spell whenever they are performed. The evening fittingly concluded with another visit to Vivaldi's Summer, bringing the musical journey full circle.
The first encore was The Corinthia Anthem. I asked Alfred Camilleri about this and he told me it was composed by Nick Ingman, an English arranger and composer with an impressive career in commercial music.
"Nick Ingman is extremely versatile and has a wealth of experience in the music industry. He arranged the theme for the BBC's Keeping Up Appearances, created the cult album Moody, and conducted Olivia Newton-John's 1974 Eurovision entry. His collaborations span Paul McCartney, Björk, David Bowie, Madonna, Oasis, Radiohead and Eric Clapton."
Alfred continued: "The idea for this composition came from Mr Alfred Pisani, Chairperson of the Corinthia Group, some two months before his 2025 annual Chairman's end-of-year dinner. He wanted to premiere it there. I brought on board Carmine Lauri, our internationally acclaimed violinist, who generously helped put us in touch with the composer and assisted us in evaluating the different versions of the Anthem."
He goes on to tell me that this beautiful and engaging piece of music was premiered in late November 2025 by a small chamber orchestra led by Carmine Lauri. Subsequently, the Anthem was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London with musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra, led by Carmine Lauri and conducted by Nick Ingman himself.
"For this recording, Corinthia also engaged Maltese musicians Frank Camilleri and Matthew Fenech to join the members of the LSO. It was a unique opportunity for them not only to perform alongside world-class musicians but also to experience recording in one of the world's most famous studios, following in the footsteps of artists such as The Beatles and many other musical legends."
A tuneful and most pleasant piece of music. This was the first time I had heard it. Carmine and Ana were present and enjoying the concert.
We heard Archibald Mizzi's The King as a second encore. Again, I turned to Alfred Camilleri for information.
"This march was composed by the Maltese maestro and bandmaster Archibald Mizzi. It became a worldwide phenomenon, being played in Malta, Sicily, Spain, England, Germany, Canada and Australia, and featuring in Italian film and television, notably Ispettore Montalbano."
"It was composed for the feast of St Gaetan in Ħamrun around 25 years ago and was rapidly adopted by most Maltese and Gozitan bands, becoming a staple of festa repertoire. It was later exported informally and is now played by at least 30 bands in Sicily, as well as extensively in Spain, England, Germany, Canada and Australia.
"The music was adopted as the main theme of the Italian film Dopo Mezzanotte and later for the television series Ispettore Montalbano, which attracted over ten million viewers.
The King is arguably the most recognisable Maltese composition abroad. It is a rare case of a festa march becoming part of European popular culture."
Alfred is always enthusiastic when it comes to music and is an endless fountain of information.
Mr Pisani then stood up to say a few words and Alfred also gave a short address. He explained that the objective of this monthly concert series is to provide opportunities for Maltese artists and musicians to perform and showcase their talents in a pleasant and enjoyable environment.
"Those attending are brought into close contact with our artists and with fellow audience members, turning the concert and the pre- and post-concert hospitality into one holistic and relaxing experience. A veritable social event that removes many of the restrictions normally associated with concert-going."
The whole programme would not have been possible without the active support of the Chairperson of the Corinthia Group, Mr Alfred Pisani, his wife Maria, and the team at the Corinthia Palace led by General Manager Alexandra Pisani. "They all deserve recognition and thanks because without their support such a dynamic and demanding programme of events would not have been possible."
The music travelled from Baroque masterpieces to Viennese sparkle, Hungarian and Romanian folk influences, beloved film themes, tango, Gershwin and Strauss, all without ever feeling forced. That is quite an achievement for both the organisers and the Nova Sinfonietta.
As if the music were not enough, the evening ended with a sumptuous buffet supper enjoyed beneath the stars. Fine music, beautiful surroundings, excellent company and delightful food combined to create one of those memorable summer evenings that linger long in the memory.
Box Item
Tonight, music lovers have another treat in store. Joanne Camilleri will perform works by Beethoven and Mozart at the Corinthia Palace Hotel. This time, the concert will take place indoors in comfortable air-conditioned surroundings.