The Malta Spring Festival will take place between 11-15 April 2023

The idea behind this year’s Malta Spring Festival, is based on Thomas More’s satirical fiction Utopia, or The Island of Nowhere published in Latin in 1516. A humanist, More (1478-1535) describes an imaginary city-state island society perfectly governed by ideals of equality and non-religious principles where institutions and rules are all reason based.

This year marks the centenary of György Ligeti’s birth, one of the most influential and innovative composers of the second part of the 20th century, best known for his music used in the soundtracks of Stanley Kubrick’s iconic movies 2001: A Space Odyssey and Eyes Wide Shut. His work is featured in the opening concert, Tuesday 11th April, Grand Salon of the National Museum of Archaeology, given by the all female London-based string orchestra, Synchrony, led by their charismatic first violinist, Eulalie Charland. And also in the string quartet concert, Thursday 14th, St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral, along with landmark compositions by Shostakovich, Schnittke and Beethoven. Gabi Sultana, Friday 14th, Teatru Manoel, includes in her recital Ligeti’s piano Études 5 & 10 as well as Music Ricercata, familiar from Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, choreographed especially for the occasion by Francesca Tranter under the title Nothing Really, inspired by words from S C Lourie. ‘Some days I am goddess. Some days I am wild child. And some days I am a fragile mess. Most days I am a bit of all three. But every day, I am here, trying.’

For this ‘Ligeti Anniversary’ edition of the Malta Spring Festival, the composer and improviser Lukas Ligeti, György Ligeti’s son, will be performing together with Malta-based Dutch saxophone player and composer Luc Houtkamp and Berlin sound artist Andrea Parkins, Wednesday 12th. Malta Society of Arts. The Orquestra Classica do Centro, Portugal, conducted by Sergio Alapont, closes the festival, Saturday 15th April, Teatru Manoel. Their programme includes Beethoven’s Second Piano concerto played by Sofia Narmania, no stranger to Malta’s music scene, as well as music by Webern, Stravinsky and Poulenc, mostly new to the Islands.

Composer Karl Fiorini, the festival’s Artistic Director tells us, “what I am mostly proud of is the consolidation of the festival’s outreach and inclusion programmes. These include the Rising Stars Lunchtime Concert Series at the Malta Society of Arts and the Rising Stars Spotlight mini-concerts at the Teatru Manoel, two platforms offering talented children and advanced students a chance to play before a public audience. This year the Malta Spring Festival will collaborate with Opening Doors (14th), an NGO providing opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities through dance, music and theatre, the Malta School of Music Percussion Ensemble (15th), and Hal Far Outreach, an NGO helping empower people seeking refuge in Malta. Through these initiatives the Malta Spring Festival aims not only to make available music of the highest calibre for Maltese concertgoers to enjoy, but also to give back to society, creating a legacy of sharing our cultural heritage with everyone.”

All concerts are free of charge for children aged fifteen years and younger. Students and senior citizens get a 50% discount. Lunchtime concerts are free for everyone.

For programme, tickets and more information visit the website here.