Gaulitana: A Festival of Music promises to be another month-long cultural journey establishing Gaulitana’s position as a “major classical music festival” (Musical Opinion UK)
Minister Justyne Caruana highlighted her mission to promote Gozitan talent and institutions in the arts and culture. She lauded Gaulitana’s efforts in bringing quality events to Gozo, allowing the island to flourish in creativity whilst rendering it unique and more appealing. Of a marked importance, the Minister remarked, was the introduction of surtitles in Gozo’s operatic productions, an innovative feature for Gaulitana’s Norma.
Highlighting some of the festival’s key events, Artistic Director Colin Attard spoke about the OPERA+ Weekend, the three-day cultural bonanza present around “Gozo’s April opera”. This year, Bellini’s Norma shall resonate more with local opera buffs as apart from a stellar cast, the sets are inspired from the Ggantija Temples.
Developing on this link, Gaulitana will also present a number of events at Ggantija Temples, in collaboration with Heritage Malta. Besides, other events include evening recitals, talks, lunchtime concerts at Cittadella and MusicAlive, a new series aimed at presenting live music to a wider audience.
Attard delved also into the GAULearn educational programme, which will also include an adaptation of Norma for schools. The festival will also commemorate Leonard Bernstein’s birth centenary whilst exploring collaborations with various art forms – including installation art, literature, dance and photography.
Jason Micallef, Chairman of Valletta 2018 Foundation remarked on the relevance of Gaulitana, part of the Valletta 2018 Cultural Programme as the festival and other similar initiatives “ensure high-quality events for diverse audiences”. Valletta 2018 Programme extends further than the capital city, he added, with projects reaching out around the Maltese Islands, including Gozo.
Albert Marshall, executive chair of Arts Council Malta praised Gaulitana’s effort in broadening its cultural product whilst ensuring artistic quality. Whilst remarking on a number of initiatives focused on Gozo that ACM is working on, he stressed the important role that island must play in developing Malta’s cultural policy. Marshall announced that Gaulitana will be awarded the Gozo Cultural Support Programme for another three years.
Gaulitana will launch on 25 March with the opening of Costanzo Rovati: Percorso di Vita at the Sentinella, in Cittadella. The art exhibition will be opened at 11.30hrs by Minister Justyne Carauna and blessed by Bishop Mario Grech.
Gaulitana is supported by the Gozo Cultural Support Programme of Arts Council Malta and the Ministry for Gozo, by Valletta 2018 and by Heritage Malta.
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