Gaulitana opens in a grand style

“From the New World: A Symphonic Opening” kicked off the 15^th edition of Gaulitana: A Festival of Music – yet again, a phased and hybrid edition. Indeed, the “GauLive” series of public events opened in a grand style on Saturday March 5^th at Gozo’s Teatru tal-Opra Aurora under the distinguished patronage of H.E. the President of the Republic and Mrs Vella.

This featured the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of the festival’s artistic director, Colin Attard. The latter’s early “Overture for a Centenary”, composed in 1987 to commemorate the first anniversary of his birthplace Rabat being bestowed the status of a city and renamed Victoria, opened the concert. The principal work performed was then Antonin Dvorak’s masterpiece and best-loved work, Symphony No. 9 in E Minor (“From the New World”).

The big and warm audience – the largest ever at a Gaulitana concert – afforded the performers with a long standing ovation.

Meanwhile, Albert G. Storace’s online review of the concert reads:

GRAND SYMPHONIC OPENING

One of Gozo’s main festivals, Gaulitana kicked off slightly earlier than previous years. Its artistic director Colin Attard also directed the MPO. Not only that but the opening work was an early work composed by Colin Attard. The concert was in the presence of H.E. the President of the Republic and Mrs. Vella.

In 1887 Queen Victoria celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her accession to the British throne way back in 1837. Gozo’s capital Rabat was raised in status from town to city and on 10 June renamed Victoria in honour of the Queen’s Jubilee.

A hundred years to the day (10-6-1987) the then not quite 25-year old Attard finished his Overture for a Centenary for chamber orchestra. In this work which must be one of his earliest, the young composer wanted to mark the renaming of his birthplace as referred to above. A great part of the work was an idyllic ramble which to me evoked the old vanished Gozo, with a different rhythm of life. It was relaxing and the rather slow but sure build-up to the expected climax finally mirrored the new urban status of Victoria. I almost expected to catch a snippet of, or, a disguised hint of the God Save the Queen. If there was one it was too cleverly hidden. If not, the composer may have chosen to avoid the obvious.

There was no attempt at all to mask the obvious, deeply felt nostalgia and homesickness which Dvořák lavished upon his ninth and last last symphony. It is his most popular and one of the most popular of all symphonies, Dvořák’s E minor masterpiece is a beautiful winner on all counts with its impressively rich, melodic glow, flow and colour, rhythmic variety and changing moods.

As Colin Attard said in his introduction to the concert, the New World represents new hope and better times than the current ones. Amen to that but I see little of that in the present circumstances with a pandemic still with us and in our own continent a senseless war waged by a giant bully on a small neighbour.

The New World meant hope for some but saw destruction of cultures. In his symphony Dvořák plays some lip service to black American music but it is his homeland which wins out. This was a well-prepared reading, warm and brilliant, controlled but unhampered. The recurrent variously garbed motifs were handled and shared very nicely by various sections be they the woodwinds, the brass or strings. From the sweep of the opening movement to the noble, long Largo, the almost brash, very vivacious Scherzo. The crowning conclusion was the majestic aptly named fiery Allegro con fuoco. It was a great summing up with its recurring references to important, familiar motifs leading to a definite, crisp end. The combination of Colin Attard and the MPO resulted yet again in a great much-needed raising of spirits.

Gaulitana is mainly sponsored by Arts Council Malta, the Ministry of Gozo. Visit Malta, APS Bank, Bank of Valletta and Quaint Boutique Hotels give their share, whereas this particular concert was being held in collaboration with the Victoria Local Council.

Photos credit: Anthony Grech / Ruth Castillo

Email:	gaulitanus@gmail.com / gaulitanafestival@gmail.com
Phone:	(+356) 77038971 / 21560200 / 21557593

Gaulitana opens in a grand style

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