Gaulitanus Choir gives a Christmas Concert at Xaghra Basilica

On Saturday 28^th December, 2019, the Gaulitanus Choir featured in the annual Christmas concert organised by the Xaghra Local Council at the Xaghra Basilica. Held under the artistic and musical direction of Gaulitanus Choir founder-director, Mro Colin Attard, the concert also featured the Gaulitanus Orchestral Ensemble led by Philip Orlov (who replaced an indisposed Marcelline Agius at the eleventh hour).

The programme was utterly interesting and varied. A cappella choral numbers, such as Colin Attard’s arrangement of the famous hymn “Veni, veni, Emmanuel”, alternated with celebrated orchestral interludes which included the Intermezzo from Pietro Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on “Greensleeves”, and Malta’s own “Sinfonia Pastorale” by Emmanuele Galea.

Choir, soloists and orchestra then teamed up for various numbers. These included two other Maltese Christmas compositions, namely an “Alma Redemptoris Mater” by Gozitan composer Antonio Buhagiar and Colin Attard’s own Choral variations on the traditional tune “Ninni … ninni”, as well as two medleys made up of some of the most loved Christmas tunes arranged by Colin Attard.

The concert ended with Tom Fettke’s “Alleluia! Gloria!”, which was specifically orchestrated for the occasion by Colin Attard. This received a standing ovation from the big audience present, which had also responded enthusiastically to all the excerpts performed, and was duly encored.

The choir’s soloists during this concert were sopranos Anna Bonnello, Patricia Buttigieg, Stephanie Portelli and Annabelle Zammit, mezzo-soprano Joanna Pullicino, tenor Joseph Calleja, baritone Robert Xerri and bass Paul Scicluna.

The concert which was compered by Keith Demicoli, with Xaghra Mayor Dr Christian Zammit and Xaghra Archpriest Mgr Carmelo Refalo, who led the audience, both making addresses. Gozo Minister Dr Justyne Caruana also attended the first part of the concert.

Apart from being the choir’s first large-scale event for this festive season and its last event for 2019, this concert also meant that the Gaulitanus Choir was returning for a concert at the Xaghra Basilica after an absence of quite a few years.