Christmas Concert

Teatru Manoel presents The Valletta International Baroque Ensemble Vibe in a Christmas Concert on Thursday, 21 December at 8pm at St Gregory’s Church, a unique 15th century church on the outskirts of Zejtun.

It has now been five years since Vibe was founded and this will be its first Christmas performance. The concert will be directed by Marco Mencoboni, one of the leading interpreters of early music and vicepresident of Rema, Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne (Early Music Association of Europe). Mro Mencoboni is currently conducting monthly masterclasses in Malta in the interpretation of the music of Claudio Monteverdi.

The concert programme consists of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata BWV 51 Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen (Exult in God in everyland), for soprano, trumpet, strings and continuo. This cantata has been described by Bach scholars as one of “overflowing jubilation and radiant beauty”.

This is followed by Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso Op 6 no. 8 in G Minor Fatto per la notte di Natale, commonly known as the Christmas Concerto, which by far Corelli’s best known work.

The concert ends in a performance of the Messa Pastorale by Benigno Zerafa, a renowned Maltese priestcomposer of sacred music, who served as Maestro di Cappella at St Paul’s Cathedral Mdina from 1744 to 1786. Typical of masses composed for the Christmas period, the music is delightful with almost dancelike melodic lines which will certainly help celebrate the season of goodwill. This concert will prove to be an experience definitely not to be missed. Tickets for ‘A Christmas Concert’ cost €20 and can be purchased from www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, by phoning on 2124 6389 or email: bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt