Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543612
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 4 MARCH 2026 CULTURE SUNSET Boulevard: The Musi- cal premieres this March at the Mediterranean Conference Cen- tre for the very first time on the island. This landmark produc- tion marks a historic moment for Malta's theatre scene, bringing one of the world's most celebrat- ed musicals to local audiences in a staging that is currently playing in Europe exclusively in Malta. A sweeping and haunting mas- terpiece, Sunset Boulevard tells the unforgettable story of faded silent-film star Norma Desmond and her desperate dream of a tri- umphant return to the spotlight. With its soaring score, dramatic storytelling, and iconic songs in- cluding With One Look and As If We Never Said Goodbye, the musical has captivated audiences worldwide. This Maltese premiere offers theatre lovers a rare opportu- nity to experience the grandeur and emotional intensity of this international hit without leaving the island. With a full -scale pro- duction, stunning visuals, and a powerful live orchestra, the show promises a world-class theatrical experience. Producers have described the production as "a milestone for Maltese musical theatre," cele- brating both international excel- lence and local talent. The stag- ing places Malta firmly on the European cultural map, hosting the only production of this musi- cal curr ently running in Europe. Audiences, musical theatre en- thusiasts, and international vis- itors alike are invited to witness this extraordinary event. Wheth- er you are discovering the story for the first time or revisiting a beloved classic, Sunset Boulevard in Malta is set to be one of the cultural highlights of the year. Sunset Boulevard will feature Talitha Dimech as Norma Des- mond, Cliff Zammit Stevens as Joe Gillis, Neville Refalo as Max Von Mayerling and Eleanor Spi- teri as Betty Schaefer amongst others. The production is direct- ed by Hermann Bonaci, with mu- sical direction by Joe Brown and choreography by Sue Vassallo. Sunset Boulevard will be on 20, 21, 22 March 2026 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. For information regard- ing tickets visit www.showshap- pening.com Sunset Boulevard makes its Malta premiere Group exhibition For Want of (not) Measuring challenges the objectivity of metrics through art THE world is ruled by metrics and data that measure… everything: wealth, vitals, performance, speed, even social media credibility. But what happens in a world that re- sists the urge to translate every single human experience into a score? Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta will be the site for one of the year's most exciting group exhibitions – For Want of (not) Measuring, curated by artist Prof. Vince Briffa (Uni- versity of Malta), with the works of 10 artists who will reimagine familiar tools of quantification that will contest the act of meas- urement, to invite us to reconsid- er the way humans gauge them- selves. Running from 12 March to 3 May, 2026, this eclectic exhibition investigates the way humans per- ceive the world through the poet- ics of the systems of measurement. By challenging the traditional view of measurement as an objec- tive tool to understand ourselves and the world, the artists explore whether this power for clarifica- tion actually erases what matters most: context, culture, memory, emotion and lived complexity. "By exploring the gap between hard data and our lived experi- ence, viewers can understand how metrics simplify and control, but are then limited in capturing the essence of complexity, of a rich- er life, or a more humane under- standing of who we are," curator Vince Briffa says. "Utilising drawing and painting, sculpture, photography, installa- tion, film, and sound, the 10 artists will show how love, loss, care, fear and wonder cannot be quantified – art instead allows us a more sensuous understanding of these important facets of our existence." Briffa, who has been selected as one of the artists at the Malta pa- vilion during the 2026 Malta Bien- nale, will be assisted by co-curator Alexander Zammit. The featured artists are all inter- national as well as Malta-based practitioners: Trevor Borg, Mat- thew (Matyou) Galea (Malta), Ka- tie Sims (Gozo), Jim Hobbs (USA), Patrick Jones, Davd Waterworth (UK), Canecapovolto (Italy), Kris- tina Huxley (Ireland), Yanyun Chen (Singapore), and Andreas Treske (Türkiye). Briffa says the artworks will invite viewers into a world that explores the ambiguity between measurement and non-measure- ment. "Metrics condition the way we ascribe value to what we see or read… social media platforms appear to rank intellectual value by likes and shares, transform- ing credibility in numerical form. What are we losing when we sur- render our own critical judgement to the 'objectivity' of a metric? I think this diverse group exhibi- tion will give viewers a newfound appreciation of complexity and ambiguity." The exhibition will be the sub- ject of a forthcoming catalogue with contributions from assistant curator Alexander Zammit, Em- manuel Francalanza, and Clive Zammit. The exhibition is supported by the Department of Digital Arts (University of Malta), Arts Coun- cil Malta, Spazju Kreattiv, and VisitMalta, as well as Prevarti, Pictures & Frames, Miles Express, and Cube Relocations For Want of (not) Measuring curated by Vince Briffa is on from 12 March to 3 May 2026 at Spazju Ċ, Spazju Kreattiv, Pjaz- za Kastilja, Valletta. For more information visit spazjukreattiv. org. Openning hours are as fol- lows: Tuesday to Friday 9am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 9pm. Closed on Mon- day. Curator Vince Briffa (Photo: Bernard Polidano)