Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1369939
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 MAY 2021 6 CULTURE 'Gaulitana: A Festival of Music' kicks off this May THE 14th edition of Gaulitana: A Festival of Music, which had to be postponed in view of the health restrictions which came into effect in March, has now been re-scheduled. Whilst re- taining its intended hybrid mode, the festival has now been re-framed in three phases. The festival kicks off in May with the first of the festival's virtual pro- jects. "Virtually a Cappella", a series of four short recitals by four local solo instrumental- ists recorded in some of Gozo's enchanting small sacred spac- es, will be streamed on four consecutive Wednesdays at 19.00hrs starting as from May 19. An artistic leitmotif is the inclusion of local compositions in each recital. The festival's second virtual project, actually the most on- erous event in this year's edi- tion, is an all-Verdi project, being held in lieu of the annu- al operatic production. This four-episode series presents operatic scenes from four prin- cipal Verdi operas, featuring Malta-based singers as well as a top international one, to- gether with the Malta Philhar- monic Orchestra. While the staging is being shot entirely in locations in Gozo, the series will be launched in the coming months. The festival should eventu- ally be rounded up by a num- ber of varied live public events in Gozo. The festival's team is looking forward to recoup as many of the originally-sched- uled live events later in the year, as dictated by the circum- stances. The annual Gaulitana: A Festival of Music, artistically directed by Colin Attard and organised by the Gaulitanus Choir, is an awardee of the prestigious EFFE label of the European Festivals Association and principally supported by the Gozo Cultural Support Pro- gramme of Arts Council Malta and the Ministry for Gozo. Photos by Malta Philharmonic Orchestra