As has become customary, the Gaulitanus Choir opened the 2026 Gozitan musical season with a most joyful event, the 14th edition of ‘A New Year’s Toast’. Supported by the Cultural Heritage Directorate (Ministry for Gozo and Planning) and Playpen, this was held on January 1 at the Kempinski San Lawrenz.
Very typical of the Gaulitanus under the musical and artistic direction of the choir’s founder-director Colin Attard, ‘A New Year’s Toast’ presented a vivacious, wide and varied repertoire, indeed a musical bonanza of vocal and instrumental numbers for everyone’s tastes which ensured a most positive start to the new year.
The Gaulitanus Choir opened the concert with a grand medley, entitled “Discovering Europe through Traditional Song”. Compiled for the choir by Colin Attard and reminiscing several of the choir’s artistic forays abroad, the medley presented 9 very characteristic songs from 9 European countries including Malta. Pertinently sung in the vernacular, this was being premiered in Gozo.
The guest instrumental ensemble (a string quartet and a piano), led by Pierre Louis Attard, then performed a seasonal instrumental interlude, “An Old-Fashioned Christmas Medley” (arranged by Neil Crossland) and “Carol of the Bells” (arranged by Michael Kopkins).
Looking ahead towards the upcoming 19th edition of ‘Gaulitana: A Festival of Music’ being held in March and April, the choir also gave a f.oretaste of the festival’s highlight event on April 25, Verdi’s opera ‘Il Trovatore”, by interpreting the opera’s most famous choral number, “Vedi! le Fosche Notturne” (the “Anvil Chorus”).
A song interlude featuring the choir’s soloists, accompanied by the choir and the instrumental ensemble (in arrangements by Colin Attard) followed. Soprano Antonella Portelli started with “The Holy City” by Michael Maybrick (aka Stephen Adams), soprano Annabelle Zammit followed with Sy Miller’s “Let There be Peace on Earth”, and mezzo-soprano Mary Grace Portelli interpreted Albert W. Ketèlbey’s “Sanctuary of the Heart”. Antonella Portelli, this time deputising at the eleventh hour for an indisposed Anna Bonello, returned with Nicholas Brodszky’s “I’ll Walk with God” from the film “The Student Prince’”.
Choir and instrumental ensemble then performed 2 bouncy Yuletide excerpts, Tom Fettke’s “Alleluia! Gloria!” from the musical “Jesus of Nazareth” and “Together at Christmas”, a pop medley arranged by Carl Strommen.
The performers finally toasted the New Year with a lively march by Johann Strauss II, “Marching Along” from the operetta “The Gypsy Baron”. This was very well-received by the audience which packed the hall and was encored with the audience heartily joining in, clapping to the marching rhythms.
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