Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1531843
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 JANUARY 2025 3 CULTURE Opera, animals and disgruntled artists THE Oratories promises an- other programme full of music and compelling public lectures for the month of February! The first event for February is on Sunday 2nd February from 15:00 till 18:00, when the Or- atories will be open for guided visits by Pietre Vive. This is a unique opportunity to explore the Oratories from an artistic and spiritual perspective. The tours are free an no booking is required, but the guided visits are offered on a 'first come first served' basis. The first recital of the month will be held on Thursday 6th February at 19:30 with a pro- gramme of French vocal music with soprano Valentina Bezzi- na, mezzo soprano Nicole Vas- sallo, and pianist Sofia Narma- nia. The recital includes works by Bizet, Massenet, Debussy and many more. The following week the Orato- ries will host philosophy lectur- er Dr Niki Young on Thursday 13th February at 18:30 with a public lecture on the latest de- velopments in philosophy on ethics and animals. The lecture promises to be a fascinating ex- ploration of this important and constantly evolving topic. Music returns to the Oratories on Thursday 20th February at 19:30 with a programme of mu- sic for soprano, violin and pi- ano. Soprano Gabrielle Portelli and violinist Bernard Curmi, two upcoming young musi- cians, will be accompanied by pianist Maria-Elena Farrugia. The repertoire includes some rarely heard works including Holst's Four Songs for Voice and Violin. The final event of the month takes us to Carnival week with a special lecture that unites Carnival with the Jesuits' Col- lege in Valletta. On Thursday 27th February at 18:30 historian Prof. Emanuel Buttigieg will be giving a lecture on the infamous carnival riots of 1639 when the decisions of Grand Master Las- caris left many people and art- ists disgruntled, and several Jes- uits even more so! All of the events on the pro- gramme are held at the former Jesuit Oratories in Valletta, and are free of charge, but donations towards the programme are welcome. Apart from the cul- tural programme, there are reg- ular liturgical services held at The Oratories. For further de- tails check out our social media pages on The Jesuits' Church Foundation. Call for papers: Second edition of The Malta Cultural Annual THE Culture Directorate is pleased to announce a call for papers for the second edition of The Malta Cultural Annual. This publication aims to build a comprehensive library of re- search on Malta's rich cultural landscape, both past and pres- ent. With a focus on diverse aspects of culture, the Annual encourages exploration of a va- riety of themes—ranging from traditional topics such as her- itage and the arts to more con- temporary subjects, including lifestyle, language, communi- ties, subcultures, traditions, and technologies. The publication will feature original, peer-reviewed re- search papers written in either Maltese or English, exploring different facets of Malta's cul- tural identity. The first issue is set to be released in early 2025. Submission Details Prospective authors are in- vited to submit abstracts of no more than 300 words by 17th February 2025. Along with the abstract, contributors are asked to provide a short biographical note of up to 150 words. Sub- missions should be sent via email to culture@gov.mt. If an abstract is selected, au- thors will be notified and in- vited to submit the full paper, which should be no longer than 7,000 words, including foot- notes but excluding references. The full paper must adhere to The Chicago Manual of Style. The final submission deadline for accepted papers is 30th June 2025. Editorial Board and Review Process The editorial process will be overseen by the Editorial Board, which includes: • Dr. Nikki Petroni (Editor) • Dr. David Alosio • Professor Lino Bianco • Professor Joanne Cassar • Dr. Karl Fiorini Additionally, to assist with the double-blind peer-review process, the Directorate has appointed an advisory board comprising both local and in- ternational experts in the field. This call presents an excit- ing opportunity for scholars, researchers, and practitioners to contribute to the growing body of work surrounding Malta's vibrant cultural herit- age and evolving societal land- scape. For further details, please visit the official call for papers webpage or reach out to the Culture Directorate at cul- ture@gov.mt.