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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 APRIL 2025 4 ALMANAC My essentials LUDWIG GALEA 47, performer and educator Ludwig Galea was born in 1977 to Austin and Sylvana Galea and has a younger sister named Abigail. He received his music education from his late uncle, Rev. Mro. Alberto Borg OSA. He holds a bachelor's degree in education and an associate diploma in musical theatre from Trinity Guildhall. Ludwig has been married to Sarah for the past 11 years, and together they have two children – the eldest, Benjamin, and Kristina. He is a Maltese singer who represented Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Istanbul, Turkey, in May 2004. 1. Book 2. Film 3. TV 4. Music 5. Place THREE albums I never tire of listening to are Ladies & Gentlemen by the late George Michael, The Black Album by Metallica, and the works of Ennio Morricone. George Mi- chael's genius shines through, especially in his early tracks like A Different Corner, I Can Make You Love Me, and Care- less Whisper. Metallica's The Black Album offers a bril- liant fusion of rock ballads, with songs like Nothing Else Matters and the iconic Enter Sandman. Lastly, Ennio Mor- ricone, often considered the Verdi or Puccini of his genera- tion, captivates me with pieces like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Gabriel's Oboe, and the theme from Once Upon a Time in the West. ONE place I've been dy- ing to go back to is Aus- tralia. During my con- tract onboard Anthem of the Seas in 2018, I made a bunch of new friendships – my closest ones hap- pened to be with people living the furthest away! I also have family in Aus- tralia, so I've made it a point to visit them all as soon as I can. Now, all I need is for the timing to finally line up so I can make the trip happen! MERCURY and Me by Jim Hutton gives a close look at the life of the famous Queen frontman Freddie Mercu- ry from the perspective of his partner. Hutton shares touching stories and personal thoughts that highlight their relationship during the last years of Mercury's life. The book shows both the joys and struggles of their love, as well as Mercury's vulnerability, strength, and the lasting im- pact he had on music and the people around him. THE film I rewatched a cou- ple of days ago was The Two Popes. It's a remarkable piece of art, featuring outstanding performances by Sir Antho- ny Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. There's one particular scene where Pryce, portray- ing Pope Francis, delivers a beautiful analysis of the rela- tionship between confession and sin to Hopkins. He ex- plains that while confession cleanses the sinner's soul, it does not heal the victim. Sin is a wound, not just a stain, and it requires time to heal. Therefore, confession and forgiveness alone are not enough. I tend to follow news por- tals every day, as I believe it's important to stay informed about what's happening around us. Being engaged is a vital part of democracy. One of the latest interesting news items was the archaeological findings in Latnija Mellieħa, which revealed that ancient hunter-gatherers reached Malta approximately 8,500 years ago – 1,000 years earlier than we had previously pre- sumed. Compiled by Laura Calleja suggestions by email lcalleja@mediatoday.com 4 5 1 2 3 MaltaToday is supported by Arts Council Malta