Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/963162
maltatoday SUNDAY 8 APRIL 2018 37 This Week Gozitan baritone Charles Buttigieg admitted to prestigious Curtis Institute THE BOV Joseph Calleja Founda- tion is delighted to announce that Charles Buttigieg – its 18-year- old baritone scholar from Gozo – has been admitted to the pres- tigious Curtis Institute of Music in the US. Charles was selected after au- ditioning before an admissions panel in Philadelphia with the full support of the Foundation. The Curtis Institute has produced some of the world's best musical talent over the years, including Leonard Bernstein. Charles said: "I am absolutely thrilled to have been accepted. I worked very hard to get to this stage and will redouble my ef- forts to make a success of this wonderful opportunity. "I would like to thank everyone that has helped me in my devel- opment so far, including Juliette Bisazza, the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation, and of course Joseph himself who has been a pillar of support and inspiration." Calleja said he was delighted to hear the news. "Charles already has an idea of the dedication and patience re- quired to become a professional opera singer and this is the first step in a long and difficult jour- ney. But he has a rare talent that can only flourish at such an out- standing academy and I cannot congratulate him enough on this achievement. "Great credit is due to Juliette Bisazza, Charles' voice coach, who has worked with him for a number of years and prepared him so well for this audition. Well done to both," Calleja said. The Curtis Institute of Music educates and trains exceptionally gifted young musicians to engage a local and global community through the highest level of art- istry. One of the most selective schools in the United States, Cur- tis accepts an average of just four per cent of applicants each year, and a tuition-free policy ensures that talent and artistic promise are the only considerations for admission. President of Malta inaugurates new state rooms at San Anton Palace ON the occasion of the fourth anniversary since taking the oath of office as President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca in- augurated new state rooms at San Anton Palace, following a four-year project of restoration and development. The President said that by means of this project, "we are bringing San Anton Palace to its former glory, and also ensuring that the different historical peri- ods are duly represented," add- ing that she feels truly proud of the work that has been achieved so far to safeguard our Maltese built heritage for the benefit of the people of the Maltese islands. President Coleiro Preca an- nounced that the seven new state rooms forming part of this project have been named after various statesmen and states- women as well as other historical personalities, who have all con- tributed to the history of Malta and Gozo. These include Sala Antoine de Paule, Sala Agatha Barbara, Librerija Anton Butti- gieg, Sala Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, Sala Pawlu Xuereb, Sala Censu Tabone, and the Mikiel Anton Vassalli Suite where state guests are to be hosted. "Moreover, the present state rooms: the Drawing Room, the Dining Room, and the Grand- masters' Suite, have also been named after three former presi- dents, namely, Sala Guido De Marco, Sala Eddie Fenech Ad- ami, and Sala George Abela re- spectively," said the President. She also stated that ever since the beginning of her presidency, "we have also focused on the importance of promoting our uniquely Maltese identity and heritage," and said that she is proud to say that this identity is perfectly expressed in the archi- tectural and cultural heritage of our islands, which connects us to the values and the traditions of our ancestors, while also guiding us into the future. "The respectful and sustain- able restoration of San Anton Palace to its former glory, and beyond, would not have been possible without the work and dedication, of a diverse team of professionals, experts and crafts- people," stated President Coleiro Preca. She went on to say that by bringing the talents of this di- verse and able team to this pro- ject, "we have succeeded in reno- vating many parts of the palace to their original splendour", add- ing that, in this way, "we have worked together, to ensure that San Anton Palace continues to flourish in the 21st Century." San Anton Palace is evidence of the many layers of our nation's history and a clear example of our complex identity as the peo- ple of Malta. The President said that this successful project is evidence of how essential it is to keep creat- ing opportunities for collabora- tion between national authori- ties, the private sector and civil society, to protect and preserve our cultural and architectural heritage. She continued by stat- ing that such preservation, "is not only important from an edu- cational perspective, but is also important in terms of historical research, and the strong link that our heritage provides to our own sense of Maltese identity." President Coleiro Preca added that besides investing in the ren- ovation and upkeep of San An- ton Palace, studies to make the palace more ecologically sustain- able have also been supported during the presidency. "Moreover, we have also in- vested in the restoration of the original 400-year old water res- ervoir, which supports 1.8m li- tres of water, and which will be used for the irrigation of the Pal- ace gardens and orange grove," said the President. THE Strange Travels of Señor Tonet, Valletta 2018's curiosity fair full of fun for the whole fam- ily, opened on April 4 at Triton Square, Valletta. For this project, Catalonia- based artists, Tombs Creatius, have teamed up with Esplora and visual artist Carl Caruana to design interactive mechanical in- stallations specifically for Valletta 2018. At the fair we meet Señor Tonet, a peculiar character who introduces us to the many crea- tures he encounters while on his strange and wondrous journeys, by means of individual installa- tions set inside boxes, each of which reflecting a different sto- ry. The artists have also created an interactive game designed specifically for Malta inspired by two images synonymous with the Maltese culture: the water cab (id-dgħajsa tal-pass) and the 'Sleeping Lady'. The aim of the artists is to make children happy by giving them the opportunity to interact with these games. The fair is running till April 8 and is open from 10am to 4pm on all days with the exception of April 7, when the fair is open between 12pm and 6pm and will be offering a children's area dur- ing Il-Festa l-Kbira which will be taking place this weekend. The Strange Travels of Se- ñor Tonet was held last week at Esplora Interactive Science Centre in Bighi, Kalkara be- tween March 28 and April 1. The Maltese game will remain at Esplora after the closing of the fair. Valletta 2018's Children's Curiosities Fair opens at Triton Square