Malta International Arts Fest 2015

Now in its tenth edition, the Malta International Arts Festival takes a fresh approach with a remit to lead Malta to European Capital of Culture in 2018. MIAF2015 promotes freedom of artistic expression in multidisciplinary fashion; and creates a programme of events that is fresh, exciting and innovative, alongside challenging workshops and master classes.

Running from the 10th of July to the 3rd of August, most of these events will be held in some of the island’s most prestigious historical venues, such as Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Argotti Gardens, Fort St Elmo and the recently renovated Valletta City Gate.

Among this year’s classical highlights are world-renowned classical pianist and Debussy specialist Noriko Ogawa from Japan, as well as Talich Quartet – one of the world’s finest string quartets, internationally-recognized as torchbearers for Czech musical tradition across the globe.

Led by our very own Marcelline Agius (leader of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra) with pianist Joanne Camilleri, Bar-to-Bar Quintet will be performing an energetic Shostakovich and Bartók at the Palace Courtyard. At St James Cavalier, Malta’s Centre for Creativity, we shall be presenting a performance with incredibly dynamic cellist Gabriella Swallow together with Għaqda Kittieba Letterarja Maltin – an intimate, yet powerful evening.

Commissioned by the Silk Road Art Music Festival of Hong Kong, we bring a multidisciplinary performance by two of the most respected ensembles of Mediterranean musical tradition, En Chordais and Constantinople, who join forces to recreate a colourful musical journey in tribute of Marco Polo.

Again forging new international links, the MIAF welcomes EU-funded Meeting the Odyssey – a social and artistic collaborative project set on the ship named Hoppet that set sail in the Baltic in 2014 in a journey of discovery through constantly changing artistic landscapes and cultural attitudes, developing synergies across Europe.

After having played over 20,000 performances to more than 12 million people around the globe, the multi award-winning phenomenon STOMP from the UK makes its debut appearance in Malta at the Festival. With their blend of rhythm, theatre, comedy and dance, this promises to be a spectacular show for audiences of all ages.

Under the direction of Israeli choreographer Rami Be’er, the much-acclaimed Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company will be performing their original piece If At All, a moving theatrical event in figurative and abstract dance. The newly-launched national ŻfinMalta Dance Company will be creating a contemporary adaptation of Mallarmé’s 1876 L’Après-midi d’un Faune, with their original production Je Tiens la Reine choreographed by Mavin Khoo. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be one of the celebrations of the festival with a programme that is open air and free for the public at St George’s Square, Valletta on July 26th.

Other local productions include Faith, Hope u Charity, an epic drama scripted by local author Immanuel Mifsud and directed by Josette Ciappara, which is set in Malta at the start of the Second World War; and, following their highly successful sold-out run last year, Kelma Kelma Nota Nota shall be returning with another performance packed with traditional Maltese prose, poetry and songs given a contemporary twist. Our newly-launched MIAF+ will be forging new partnerships and creating new links across the artistic communities in Malta.

One of the strongest statements of the festival will be the opening night with Pendulum Choir – an original choral piece for 9 a cappella voices and 18 hydraulic jacks, creating a living, sonorous body at the entrance of Valletta. Conceived and constructed by Michel Décosterd with composition by André Décosterd, interpreted by Jeune Opéra Copagnie – Les voix and directed by Nicolas Farine, this multi-award-winning creation has been presented all over the world and will be free for the Maltese public on July 10th. Experimental and multidisciplinarian, Miguel Chevalier, also comes to Malta with a new commission – Pixels Wave 2015, a generative and interactive virtual reality installation with a giant carpet of moving lights that will fill Republic Street at City Gate, which will open on July 10th and remain throughout the festival.

Tickets can be bought from www.maltaartsfestival.org or www.ticketline.com.mt.