In this yearโs double-bill production for the Valletta Early Opera Festival, Festivals Malta and Teatru Manoel present two rarely staged one-act operas by Christoph Willibald Gluck: ๐๐ต ๐๐ช๐ป๐ท๐ช๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฏ๐พ๐ผ๐ธ and ๐๐ช ๐๐ธ๐ป๐ธ๐ท๐ช.
Selected through the artistic direction of Kenneth Zammit Tabona, these two operas were composed in 1765 for the Habsburg court in the royal court of the palace of Schรถnbrunn in Vienna. Whilst Il Parnaso Confuso was written and performed in 1765 to celebrate the Archduke Josephโs nuptial to Princess Maria Josepha of Bavaria, La Corona which was originally intended to be performed for Archduke Francisโ name day was only performed for the first time in 1987
๐๐ต ๐๐ช๐ป๐ท๐ช๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฏ๐พ๐ผ๐ธ is ๐ถ ๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐
๐๐ถ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ competing over who should perform at a royal wedding. The opera blends satire and charm, revealing the creative rivalries among the goddesses of music and poetry. The cast features Gillian Zammit as Apollo, Cledia Micallef as Euterpe, Gabrielle Portelli as Erato, and Caterina Iora as Melpomene.
๐๐ช ๐๐ธ๐ป๐ธ๐ท๐ช ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ถ ๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ธ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐พ๐ธ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฝ ๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐น๐๐๐พ๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐๐๐. The opera revolves around the question of who among the brave warriors deserves the honour of slaying the beast. Ultimately, the glory is attributed to the goddess Diana. Francesca Aquilina takes the role of Atalanta, with Gillian Zammit as Meleagro, Caterina Iora as Climene, and Bettina Zammit as Asteria.
This year, we're Brett Nicholas Brown will be stage directors with set design by Anthony Bonnici and costume design by Luke Azzopardi, known for his refined, historically informed aesthetic. Lighting design is by Moritz Zavan Stoeckle.
Together, these operas offer a compelling evening of contrasting tones brought to life by a largely Maltese cast and creative team.
๐๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐
Conductor & Assistant Conductor - Giulio Prandi & Giacomo Biagi
Stage Director - Brett Nicholas Brown
Costume Designer - Luke Azzopardi
Set Designer - Anthony Bonnici
Light Designer - Moritz Zavan Stoeckle
๐๐๐ข๐ฃ
๐๐ต ๐๐ช๐ป๐ท๐ช๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฏ๐พ๐ผ๐ธ
Apollo โ Gillian Zammit
Euterpe โ Cledia Micallef
Erato โ Gabrielle Portelli
Melpomene โ Caterina Iora
๐๐ช ๐๐ธ๐ป๐ธ๐ท๐ช
Atalanta โ Francesca Aquilina
Meleagro โ Gillian Zammit
Climene โ Caterina Iori
Asteria โ Bettina Zammit
๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ข๐ฃ๐ก๐
Arianna Art Ensemble
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ข
www.festivals.mt/veof
๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ท๐ผ are applicable to senior citizens (over 60 years), persons with a disability* (on presentation of a valid disability card), students (on presentation of student card), European Youth Card holders (on presentation of card), and minors (between 11 -16 years)
*Persons with a disability can send an email to
Ym9va2luZ3MgfCB0ZWF0cnVtYW5vZWwgISBtdA== for a complimentary companion ticket with a digital copy of the European Disability Card, and a copy of the ticket/s purchased.
Also check out other Arts events in Valletta, Festivals in Valletta, Literary Art events in Valletta.