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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 MARCH 2022 6 THEATRE Teatru Manoel presents a 'A Celebration of Opera' to pay homage to the vast world of opera This March, Teatru Manoel presents A Celebration of Opera – with a carefully curated repertoire that pays homage to the vast world of opera. Kate Fenech Field at the Manoel explains. AS Malta's operatic home, Te- atru Manoel is so synonymous with opera that its annual pro- duction has become a much- loved mainstay of the nation's events calendar. Yet, worldwide, pandemic-re- lated restrictions demand a new approach to live perfor- mance – and at the Manoel, this means replacing its regular fully staged opera with a series of events worthy of the genre. In A Celebration of Opera from 10 to 13 March, four consecutive Galas at the Ma- noel will present popular op- era company repertoire, with an all-star cast and music from Baroque to Sondheim. However, selecting a reper- toire that serves as a tribute to the opera genres was no easy task, as Kate Fenech Field ex- plains. "Opera encompasses such a vast spectrum of work, it was difficult to narrow down the choice of theme for each Gala," she shares. "Fortunate- ly, as the home of the Opera Festival, we have a network of classical event producers, opera directors and our own research to guide us. Opera is widely considered as the great- est art form, combining music, singing, poetry, art, design and drama, so it was important to uphold its integrity. Plus, the level of excitement about the artists assembling for this is ex- traordinary: it is a celebration of our local talent, cementing our place on the international stage." Directed by Caroline Clegg with music direction by Riccar- do Bianchi, and accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Or- chestra, the cast features some of Malta's finest opera per- formers including Luis Aguilar, Albert Buttigieg, Louis Andrew Cassar, Miriam Cauchi, Nico Darmanin, Claire Debono, Graziella Debattista, Nicola Said and Cliff Zammit Stevens, with orchestral arrangements by Veronique Vella and Feder- ico Bonoldi. Joining the cast of talented singers is internation- al rising star soprano Louise Alder who is making her Tea- tru Manoel debut. Through its stellar cast, A Celebration of Opera's pro- gramme showcases the best of opera and the genre's many different musical styles. It kick- starts with Light Fantastic, a Gala evening of uplifting music from the Operetta repertoire by Lehar, Strauss and Offen- bach. Next, Magical Mozart pays tribute to the most popu- lar composer of all time, Wolf- gang Amadeus Mozart, with dramatic highlights from Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauber- flöte, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutte. Transatlantic Drift will hon- our the musical exchanges between the shores of the At- lantic with scenes from works by Purcell, Handel, Britten and Stravinsky, as well as contem- porary opera company stand- ard repertoire by Gershwin, Sondheim and Weill. Finally, the event closes with Passione, an evening dedicated to Italian Opera and Italy's finest com- posers such as Bellini, Cilea, Donizetti, Mascagni, Puccini, Rossini and Verdi. "Operetta encompasses light- er opera repertoire, but this is not just Strauss-esque waltz- es, ballgowns and champagne. Kurt Weill's Threepenny Op- era offers a starkly gritty jux- taposition, both musically and dramatically while excerpts from Leonard Bernstein's op- eretta Candide closes the Gala with hope for the future in the aptly titled Make our Garden Grow, featuring young artists from the Teatru Manoel Youth Opera company," Ms Fenech Field concludes. "We take you on a journey from Mozart, to American opera, ending in the beating heart of the genre: Italian Romantic. To use a cu- linary metaphor, A Celebration of Opera is a veritable tasting menu – and a vital part of our theatre season." A Celebration of Opera will take place at Teatru Manoel on 10, 11, 12 and 13 March 2022 at 8pm. Events are suitable for audi- ence members aged six and above and adhere to all current public health recommendations. Tickets are available via email to book- ings.mt@teatrumanoel.mt, by telephone to (+356) 21246389 or online at www.teatrumanoel.mt. Claire Debono performing during the 2021 Valletta Baroque Festival