Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1302895
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 OCTOBER 2020 7 MUSIC THE full programme of the 2021 edition of the popular Val- letta Baroque Festival has been postponed to 2022, due to re- strictions connected with the ongoing global COVID-19 pan- demic. Teatru Manoel, which annually organises the eagerly anticipated annual music festival, has taken the difficult decision to post- pone the extensive programme of the upcoming ninth edition, which features both internation- al and local artists, to 2022. In its place, from 15 to 24 January 2021, will instead be an equally high-quality, pared- down programme of local and closer-to-home performers. "Preparations for the Valletta Baroque Festival each January start long before, with the pro- gramme publicised up to a year in advance," shares Teatru Ma- noel artistic director, Kenneth Zammit Tabona. "Due to COV- ID-19, in April this year we ad- vised all the participants of the 2021 festival – 36 concerts in- volving over 300 artists – that we may have to transpose the entire festival to January 2022, which the majority accepted. Ergo the 2022 festival pro- gramme is ready, but to keep the festival's spirit alive this year I have devised a scaled- down version comprising Mal- tese musicians and singers like Gillian Zammit, Michael Laus and Sarah Spiteri, alongside others from Italy to perform on instruments like the viola da gamba and theorbo." Besides these local artists, who are synonymous with the Valletta Baroque ensemble and hence the Valletta Baroque Festival, the 2021 pared-down programme will also feature a chamber version of 'inspired by baroque' by the Malta Philhar- monic Orchestra. This unique performance will showcase works by modern and contemporary composers that were inspired by the ba- roque idiom such as Ottorino Respighi or Igor Stravinsky. Award-winning harpsichord- ist Andrea Buccarella will also be performing Bach's magnif- icent 'Goldberg Variations', in a 2021 festival that will be held exclusively within the Teatru Manoel. "All events in the 2021 festival will take place at the theatre. I know that many will miss being lured from pillar to post as in previous years, exploring the beautiful baroque architectur- al and artistic heritage of Mal- ta, but it is more sensible and straightforward to stay in one venue in terms of COVID-19 protocols," continues Mr Zam- mit Tabona. "But I hope that the 2021 festival will remind us that we must have the courage to continue living our lives as best as we can, while taking all necessary precautions to stay safe. It is also important to sup- port our artists in their hour of need. All artists have felt the negative effects of the pandem- ic and we cannot let them – or the cultural legacy and accu- mulated civilisation that they represent – down. For their sake, as well as our own." The Valletta Baroque Festi- val will be held at the Teatru Manoel, Valletta from 15 to 24 January 2021. More information may be found online at www.vallet- tabaroquefestival.mt. Valletta Baroque Festival returns in 2021 with a COVID-safe programme While a COVID-safe, pared- down version of Teatru Manoel's much-loved music festival will be held in 2021, the full programme has been moved to 2022 ViBE with KorMalta Catherine Jones & Controcorrente, Valletta Baroque Festival 2020 Photos by Mark Zammit Cordina