by di-ve.com

Ann-Marie Camilleri & James Grech
Tuesday, 17 August, 2004

Young and talented musicians will make up the forthcoming concert 'Maltafest' on Tuesday 17th August at 8.00pm at the Grand Ballroom, Le Meridien Phoenicia, in Floriana. This classical concert is one of the last three of The International Summer Festival series of 17 concerts organised by the Stradivari Season in collaboration with the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.

Violinists James Grech and Romeo Giacomotto, Anne Marie Camilleri Podesta on the harp, soprano Anita Cauchi, tenor Charles Vincenti, together with young pianists Charlene Farrugia and Giselle Grima who won the Category A of the Stradivari-Lufthansa Competition earlier in July, will be presenting a very varied programme of fine music.

They will be tackling among other works: Handel`s Concerto and Mathias Santa Fe Suite for Harp, Bach-Gounod Ave Maria (for violin and harp); Wieniawski`s Obertass - Mazurka and Sarasate's Romanza Andaluza for violin; Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6, Villa-Lobos Dansa do Indio Branco, Themes from Schindler's List, and arias by Tosti, Verdi, Gastaldon, Mozart and Mascagni.

On Saturday 21st August at the Grand Ballroom, Le Meridien Phoenicia, at 8.00pm, world renowned Bekova Trio will perform Dvorak's Piano Trio Op. 90 Dumky and the Rachmaninov Piano Trio No. 2 Op.9 Elegiaque.

Comprising of Eleonora (piano), Elvira (violin) and Alfia (cello), the three sisters made their debut at an early age and were the first Kazakhs to enter Moscow's renowned Tchaikovsky Conservatoire. All three are renowned for their subtlety of expression and they have many fine recordings as a trio as well as individually.

The Grand Finale featuring Bolshoi Theatre Soloists will round off the International Summer Festival on the 25 August. The last night will be held at the exquisitely Bastion Gardens at the Bacchus in Mdina at 8.00pm. Soprano Marina Poplavskaya and Baritone Andrej Breus, accompanied by Eleonora Bekova will interpret arias, songs and duets by Mozart, Verdi, Bellini, Schubert, Rossini and Gershwin.

The International Summer Festival presented by the Stradivari Season is being held within the framework of the Summer Cultural Activities Series 2004. This Series, which ranges from music and dance to film and theatre is oganised by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and sponsored by HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c.

A limited number of tickets starting from Lm5 are still available. Reservations can be made on Tel. 9945 7126, 7926 2391, 9986 4967 e-mail: [email protected] or from the Manoel Theatre Shop, Old Theatre Street, Valletta. Golden Circle Tickets (including free glass of wine) are available at Lm 15 from Diamonds International in Valletta, tel. 2122 0200.

www.stradivariseason.com

Transport is provided from any hotel to the concert venue and return at a charge of Lm1 payable on the mini van. Seat reservations are to be made at the time of booking the concert tickets.