Friday, December 9, was a red-letter day for the Gaulitanus Choir: the choir set off for a concert tour of Vienna, its first international event after a forced absence of three years, and its 20th venture abroad.
It was also a very daunting day for all. A very early rise in Gozo was followed by transfer to the Malta International Airport and the flight to Vienna. Immediately upon arrival the Gaulitanus contingent just popped up at the hotel and immediately left for the monumental St Stephen’s Cathedral in the very heart of this grand city of culture where the choir was scheduled to give a lunchtime concert. Initially, the choir was welcomed at the Cathedral’s large premises just across the square, where it also made a much-needed warm-up – more so on this cold and rainy Viennese day.
Truly, the choir was greatly honoured to be granted the possibility to perform in this unique venue, with all choristers very much excited about what was due to unfold. Very significantly, and very much in line with the choir’s role as one of the foremost promoters of Maltese music abroad, the repertoire consisted wholly of Maltese music in the Maltese language. Of course, Mro Attard made it a point to give a context to all the excerpts being performed.
The concert opened with 3 very renowned religious hymns composed by Giuseppe Caruana to lyrics by Malta’s national poet Dun Karm Psaila and arranged for ‘a cappella’ chorus by Gaulitanus musical director and conductor Colin Attard: ‘Fil-Hlewwa ta’ Mejju’, ‘Innu ta’ Filghaxija’ and ‘Innu ta’ Filghodu.’ Attard’s own accompanied hymns ‘Warda Sbejha tar-Rebbiegha’ and ‘Is-Sultana tal-Paci’ followed. A Christmas touch was given with Attard’s own set of variations ‘Ninni … Ninni’. The few solo lines in these excerpts were sung by sopranos Patricia Buttigieg, Anna Bonello and Annabelle Zammit, tenor Joseph Calleja and baritone Robert Xerri. The concert was brought to a rousing end with 2 unaccompanied semi-folkloristic works with some religious overtones, namely Carmelo Pace’s ‘Lapsi’ and ‘L-Imnarja’.
The concert was very much appreciated by the big number of persons filling the Cathedral and the choir was given a standing ovation, whereas the Cathedral’s superintendent Tamas Steigerwald presented Mro Attard with a commemorative certificate.
A typical Viennese lunch followed in a warm restaurant nearby, organised by Mr Michael Kitzmantel, the TU Orchestra official responsible to co-ordinate the Gaulitanus’s Vienna concert tour. Some free time in the very centre of Vienna – which was full of people despite the heavy rain – was then given.
A busy evening was still in stock. The Gaulitanus Choir joined Vienna’s TU Orchestra and the Persephone Choir for a joint rehearsal at one of the Technical University’s campuses in preparation for the forthcoming 2 joint concerts. The rehearsal was led by the Persephone’s Colombian musical director David Salazar and Colin Attard.
A quick snack was followed by a much-deserved night’s sleep.
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