OLIVER FRIGGIERI

was born in Malta in 1947. He studied Philosophy and Literature and holds the first M.A. (1975) and Ph.D. (1978) in Maltese literature. Many of his works have been translated into various languages, including German, Greek, Rumanian, Finnish and Italian. He has addressed about 70 international congresses in various countries, and his poetry was included in some of the major poetry recitals held throughout Europe (1981-2003). He has written numerous books of poetry, criticism, novels, short stories, many of which have been published in various countries. He has authored numerous scholarly articles which were published in international academic journals. He has won international prizes, including Premio Mediterraneo Internazionale (Palermo, 1988), Malta Government Literary Award (1988, 1996, 1997), and Premio Internazionale Trieste Poesia (2002). He is a member of the National Order of Merit (Government of Malta, 1999). Professor and Head of Department of Maltese at the University of Malta (1988). The Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce awarded him the Gold Medal in 2003.

The list of his books includes: “La cultura italiana a Malta – Dun Karm” (1978, Florence), “Storia della letteratura maltese” (1986, Milazzo), “Laz” (1982, Belgrade), “Baruhove Zagate” (1982, Ljubljana), “A Turn of the Wheel” (1987, Paisley), “La menzogna” (1997, Genova), “Storie per una sera” (1994, Treviso), “Le rituel du crépuscule” (1991, Paris), “Nous sommes un desir” (1998, Luxembourg), “A Distraught Pilgrim” (1991, Missouri), “Insomnia Cuvintelor” (1990, Craiova), “La voce dell’onda” (1991, Alghero), “Koranta and other short stories from Malta” (1994, Malta), “Ritual In Amurg” (Craiova, 2001), “Sotto l’ombra degli occhi” (2003, Trieste), “Dizzjunarju ta’ Termini Letterarji” (1995), novels like “Fil-Parlament ma Jikbrux Fjuri” (1986, No flowers grow in Parliament), “Gizimin li qatt ma jiftah” (1998, Jasmin that never opens), “It-tfal jigu bil-vapuri” (2000, Children come by ship), and an autobiography, Fjuri li ma Jinxfux (2008). He writes in Maltese, English and Italian.

Many of his poetical works have been set to music; they include numerous religious hymns and the oratorios “Pawlu ta’ Malta” (1985) and “Dun Gorg!” (2001), and the cantatas “L-Ghanja ta’ Malta” (1989) and “Rewwixta” (1992).