Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541318
10 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 14 NOVEMBER 2025 CULTURE Gozo's Gaulitanus Choir in celebratory concert at San Anton Palace ON Saturday 8th November, the Gaulitanus Choir gave a concert at San Anton Palace. The concert, one of the main events marking the choir's 35 years of music-making, was in honour of President of Malta Myriam Spiteri Debono. While the choir was thus returning to the Palace, having already given a number of similar con- certs to previous heads of state, this time, however, all sound- ed more special in view of the choir's anniversary celebra- tions as well as the fact that Her Excellency is herself Gozitan. Indeed, the choir made it a point to perform excerpts es- sentially composed or arranged by Gozitan composers (Joseph Vella, Stephen Attard, Colin Attard, Pierre Louis Attard) and penned by a number of Gozitan poets (Mary Meilak, Can Joe Meilak, Gorg Pisani) – most of whom are person- ally known by Her Excellency. Thus, the concert's programme – entitled 'Sacred Meets Pro- fane' – consisted of 4 sections: 'A Gozitan Sacred Opening', 'A Taste of Maltese Community Hymns', 'Art Song from Gozo', and a final section which also celebrated the Gaulitanus's past international collabora- tions, namely the grand medley 'Discovering Europe through Traditional Song' – wherein the choir performed 9 excepts from 9 different countries in 9 different languages. Conducted and accompa- nied by its founder-direc- tor Colin Attard, the concert prominently featured 2 of the choir's soloists, namely sopra- nos Annabelle Zammit and Anna Bonello, with soprano Antonella Portelli, mezzo-so- prano Mary Grace Portelli and tenor Joseph Calleja sharing the spoils in the final medley. The Preisdent of Malta gave an address at the beginning of the concert and was then of- fered a memento by the choir's president Joseph Calleja to- wards the end of the concert. The Gaulitanus Choir and the guests then shared a few moments together during a post-concert reception. This event was the choir's first concert after its recent highly successful concert tour in the Czech Republic. The Gaulitanus now gears up for its 2 upcoming events. On 7 De- cember it will feature in 'Tota Pulchra', a concert of sacred music – organized by the Na- tional & Regional Celebrations Committee within the Minis- try for Gozo & Planning – at St Augustine Church, Victoria, Gozo. It will then present an- other edition of its annual ma- jor Yuletide concert, 'A New Year's Toast', a bonanza of joy- ful and seasonal music which opens the new year in style, on January 1st at the Kempinski San Lawrenz, Gozo. Entrance for both concerts, which both start at 19:30hrs, is free on a first-come-first-served basis. No pre-booking is required. Conducted and accompanied by its founder-director Colin Attard, the concert prominently featured 2 of the choir's soloists, namely sopranos Annabelle Zammit and Anna Bonello, with soprano Antonella Portelli, mezzo-soprano Mary Grace Portelli and tenor Joseph Calleja sharing the spoils in the final medley (Photo: OPR) This event was the choir's first concert after its recent highly successful concert tour in the Czech Republic (Photo: OPR)