GAULITANA : A FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 2010

with the collaboration of

GAULITANA: A FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 2010 LAUNCHED

Gozo’s Gaulitanus Choir, which this year is celebrating its 20^th anniversary, has launched the fourth edition of its annual Eastertime festival.The festival, artistically directed by the choir’s founder-director, Colin Attard, brings together Gozitan, Maltese and foreign artists in a series of eleven varied concerts in various localities in Gozo. However, this being an anniversary year, the choir will be holding one concert in Malta as well. All concerts in the festival, which runs from the 27^th March till the 2^nd May, are free.

The festival opens on Saturday 27^th March with the choir itself ushering in the Holy Week with a concert of sacred works. Mendelssohn’s enchanting motet Hear my prayer – O for the wings and excerpts from his oratorio St. Paul – also as a commemoration of the year which the Church is devoting to St. Paul – will be performed during the first part, whereas the second part of the concert will be devoted to Mozart’s well-known Coronation Mass.British soprano Sharon Wilson and the choir’s own soloists, mezzo-soprano Marthese Borg, tenor Joseph Calleja and bass Darren Vella will participate.Stephen Attard will accompany on the organ with Colin Attard conducting.The concert will be held at St. Augustine Church, Victoria and starts at 20.00hrs.

The choir will be kept busy throughout the whole festival.Indeed on Easter Monday the choir will make a foray at the MCI, appearing in a concert at the Hotel Le Meridien, St. Julians, Malta at 18.30hrs.The choir and its soloists will perform interesting varied repertoire entitled Sacred Meets Profane.The choir’s own soloists will also present An Evening with Gilbert & Sullivan at the Gozo Ministry’s Hall on Saturday 24^th April at 20.00hrs.

As usual the choir, this time joined by British soloists Sharon Wilson, Emma Darling and Terry Shaw will conclude the festival in style with Another Go At The Musical Theatre at Palazo Palina, Hotel Ta’ Cenc on Monday 2^nd May at 20.00hrs.

The various other concerts include a violin and piano duo as well as a piano duo from Italy (Giuliana Toselli/Silvia Gregoriani and Andreina Nascani/Fernanda Raponi), two recitals by two British sopranos (Sharon Wilson and Emma Darling) and three recitals by Maltese chamber ensembles (Anon String Quartet, The Chamber Saxophone Quartet, Island Brass).This should provide lots of variety for the different tastes of the festival’s esteemed audience.

Gaulitana: A Festival of Music 2010 was made possible with the support of the Ministry for Gozo, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism, the Environment & Culture, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Consumers, Fair Competition, Local Councils & Public Dialogue, Banif Bank, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, the Victoria, Xewkija and Gharb Local Councils, Coca Cola, Gozo Farmhouses Ltd. and the Dowtown and Ta Cenc hotels.