On Saturday 24th April, the soloists of the Gaulitanus Choir were the protagonists of a concert featuring selections from five operettas by the famous British duo William S. Gilbert (librettist) and Arthur Sullivan (music).
Stephanie Portelli, Annabelle Zammit, Patricia Buttigieg, Charlene Borg, Marthese Borg, Tricia Fenech, Josianne Callus, Maria Meilak, Fabian Galea, Joseph Buttigieg and Darren Vella gave their all for a highly entertaining evening to an over-packed Exhibition Hall at the Ministry for Gozo. They performed with verve and gusto, at moments also acting their parts, numbers from Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, Mikado and Gondoliers. Accompanying all on the piano was the choir’s musical director, Colin Attard.
The artists deserve praise for going on with the evening despite loosing some performers with very short notice. Indeed Terry Shaw, who was not only a principal soloist but also a main driving force behind the production, and Paul Barnes, who had to introduce the programme, got caught up in the U.K. due to the problems in finding alternative flights following the great disruptions caused by Iceland’s volcanic ashes, whereas Margaret Plant was indisposed. Indeed the males, including the maestro himself, covered up several of Terry’s musical lines whereas the females, led by Josianne, made up most of the production. On the other hand choir-member Rob Ricards replaced Paul Barnes whereas the choir’s pianist Stephen Attard was roped in to perform along with Colin an unscheduled 4-hand piano arrangement of the overture from Mikado.
Indeed a really exciting evening which brought about a very positive response from one and all.
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