Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1468438
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 22 MAY 2022 5 CULTURE Leone Goes Pop is back after two year hiatus A two-year hiatus was long and disquieting but Leone Goes Pop is set to rebound like never be- fore… with a roof to be blown away and a house to be rocked to its core! Leone Goes Pop's back! With its first twelve-year un- interrupted run suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 13th edition ushers a new era for Leone Goes Pop, with a revamped concept, a rethought composition and a redesigned spectacle. What was born as an easy-night-out in Victo- ria's main square, now calls for a fully-fledged home. So the Aurora, famous for its opera nights, will rise to the occa- sion and transforms itself into a powerhouse arena of its right and might. A new era The Leone Band, under the indefatigable Colin Attard, remains the backbone of the show in this 13th edition as much as it was in its first, when in 2008 it went on record as the first of the traditional vil- lage bands with a complete 'pop concert'. However, it is known that the or- ganisers are putting their final touches to a solid list of star rated performers who are ex- pected to feature in this con- cert. The audience will be treat- ed not only to a setlist of rock classics and contemporary hits but an all-rounded concert, the likes of which audiences usual- ly travel for around the conti- nent. Unparalleled in its sound and lights installations, Leone Goes Pop is the go-to event in Gozo this June. Your ticekts for the event The 13th edition of Leone Goes Pop will be hosted at the Aurora Opera House on Fri- day 10th June 2022, starting at 8:30pm. The line-up of singers and other participants will be announced very soon. Being at the Aurora theatre, there will be two types of tick- ets; the free tickets in the stalls (auditorium level) and the pre- mium box tickets that come with a welcome drink and the added exclusivity of space and comfort. Both free and premi- um tickets are obtainable on- line from www.teatruaurora. com, or as ever, by replying this email. PS. The 13th edition of Leone Goes Pop seems to be taking it by storm! 2 days since the first announcement and requests for seats have been inundating. With aisle seats being limited in number, all we can recom- mend is making up your mind and requesting your seats early! The Teatru tal-Opra Aurora and the Leone Band would like to thank the generous sponsors listed on the poster for making this concert possible. The audience will be treated to an all-round concert. Book review Dwal mill-Kantini (Lights from the Basements) - another collection of short stories by Joe Camilleri - DWAL mill-Kantini (Lights from the basements) is the title of another collection of short stories by Gozitan writer Joe Camilleri. A 243-page book of 15 psychological and socio-cul- tural narratives. Short stories that reflect the contemporary era and post-modern trends. Some of them are inspired by the hardships, tensions, isola- tions, and closeness that the Covid-19 pandemic provoked. Dwal mill-Kantini is an attrac- tive and prestigious Horizons literary publication. As underground environ- ments, basements tend to evoke feelings of closure, of darkness, of discomfort, of claustrophobia. Especially in old buildings, they remind us of a cold, damp and suffocating air. Thus, they are a suitable metaphor to conjure the depth, the abyss of the hu- man soul. Some of the short sto- ries reveal the pains, the uncer- tainties, the fears, the tensions, the insecurity, the conflicts, and the failures brought about by the Covid-19 experiences. We meet the old man who was literally shattered by the pan- demic and whose human dig- nity suffers the lowest level of humiliation. We share the silent thoughts of a woman during a cruel moment of her life which revived another experience of isolation way-back during the politico-religious dispute. We scrutinize the behaviour of a male character whose obses- sion with the threat of the virus unearthed his psychic problems; at the same time it provided him with an extraordinary solution. Another vulnerable and frustrated character is cru- elly hindered from breathing the fresh air of a free Maltese envi- ronment he had yearned for. Joe Camilleri's writing contin- ues to explore and investigate human behaviour in various oth- er situations and circumstances. Deep inside, a middle-aged cou- ple is still mesmerized by its past youthful encounters. We fol- low in the footsteps of a young housewife trapped between two psychological extremes while ex- periencing the escalation of do- mestic violence. Another young mother silently suffers the pain inflicted by tearing tongues and poor minds. We witness the autoanalysis of a married man who received a gift of a hon- eysuckle plant which triggered an internal conflict. Grandpa's departure signifies the end of an era and with it the values of the past. In another short story, suspicions, prejudices and hasty conclusions lead to tragedy. But despite its hardships, life is not tinted all black or gray. Warm lights also emerge from the basement gratings. A lot of positive emotions surface from the gloom. We are struck by tenderness, by acts of responsi- bility, of justice, of solidarity, of sacrifice. In these short stories the reader observes moments of love that bring spiritual close- ness. Even the pandemic pro- vided the opportunity for two young people to interact and discover themselves. The dynamic energy of a chap- lain spurred him to challenge medioacre minds so as to be able to create social structures of benefit during the pandem- ic. The will of a young woman prompts her to stand up and be counted against the exploitation of the weak. Her belief in female dignity and equal opportunities for women leads her to an ad- mirable challenge. And between the poetic pages of another short story shines the warm light of sensitivity to beauty, to the charm of the natural environ- ment and to its creatures. Dwal mill-Kantini presents many of the realities of our time. It brings us close to ordinary people who may be a mirror im- age of ourselves. With whom we tend to empathize. The well-structured short sto- ries are written in a modern, pleasant flowing style with idi- omatic and rhythmic Maltese. The author makes effective use of flashbacks, zigzaging between past, present and future, thus creating an opportunity for the characters to bare their inner selves. Dwal mill-Kantini should pro- vide hours of pleasant reading. With challenging moments of provoking thoughts, insights, reflections, and discussion. It is Camilleri's sixth collection of short stories. It follows suit af- ter the successful publications of Solitudni fil-Folla (2007), Fir-Rokna tas-Silenzju (2008), Żwiemel tar-Riħ (2010), Muża- jċi tat-Tafal (2020), and Ir-Raġel tas-Skiet (2021).