https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2739 2026-04-14T23:37:23Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145574 Title: Stage expressiveness in romantic ballet : investigating how a dancer’s gestural vocabulary can contribute to a more authentic and emotional performance Abstract: This dissertation analyses how introducing each dancer’s personal expressiveness and gestural vocabulary, making room for individuality and diversity in interpretation, influences romantic ballet performance by allowing dancers to showcase authenticity, which can lead to a more emotional performance. The paper also analyses the way nonverbal communication is perceived by the artists on stage, as well as audience, and how can that offer insights about the current pantomime used in ballet performances. Moreover, it is questioning whether dancers could express themselves more freely on stage if the choreographed gestures would be eliminated from ballet. The aim of this research is to discover whether ballet performances could become more meaningful by changing the approach on ballet pantomime and the dancers’ training. This study contains insights on the connection between gestures and the psychology behind them. It analyses the link between the details of nonverbal communication and how the brain perceives it and creates emotional responses to it. Another important aspect presented is the introduction of actor training techniques into the dancers’ training which, alongside to the analysis coming from psychology, would detect if that results into a more emotional response in terms of expression. Therefore, half of the practical research was concentrated on exposing ballet dancers to techniques that help the performer connect to their characters, access emotions easier and help them connect to and actively respond to a partner, inspired by the Rasaboxes exercises and the Orazio Costa Mimic Method. In order to collect data, I created and analysed the results of an online survey about original ballet pantomime in comparison to the reconstructed pantomime created during the practical research inspired by actor training. Furthermore, by reconstructing a scene from the ballet Giselle, as well as choreographing a short piece that followed the structure of a ballet performance, valuable data was registered about how gestural vocabulary affects performance, from both the performers point of view as well as the audience’s. This research is of great significance as it promotes the revision of ballet pantomime, as well as the introduction of acting for dancers as part of dance schools’ curriculum. Moreover, it underlines that important parts of a dancer’s training are neglected that should be more worked upon. Description: M.A.(Melit.) 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144976 Title: Euphonium in concert (Programme) Abstract: Manoel Theatre and the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts present the programme for a noon concert, performed by euphonium players Jesmond Azzopardi and Roderick Bugeja, with piano accompaniment from pianist Ann Marie Chetcuti. The concert featured the musical works of Paul Borg and Jesmond Azzopardi. The performance was held on the 28th of April, 2004, at Sala Isouard, in the Manoel Theatre, in Valletta. Description: Programme includes notes on euphonium players Jesmond Azzopardi and Roderick Bugeja and pianist AnnMarie Chetcuti in Maltese and in English, list of featured music including composers and/or arrangers as applicable, and note advertising forthcoming lunchtime concert to be performed by pianist Jonathan Spiteri in May. Programme is given no. 2180 in archival records. Retrieved from the Manoel theatre records. 2004-04-28T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144975 Title: EU celebrity concert (Programme) Abstract: Manoel Theatre presents the programme for an EU celebrity concert, conducted by Brian Schembri, led by Marcelline Agius, and performed by Orkestra Nazzjonali. The concert starred tenor singer Joseph Calleja. The concert featured the musical works of Verdi, Donizetti, Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mascagni, Cilèa, Leoncavallo, Rossini, and Tchaikovsky. The performance was held on the 27th of April, 2004, at the Manoel Theatre, in Valletta. Description: Two copies of programme included, one with conductor Brian Schembri's and singer Joseph Calleja's signatures, and the other without. Both programmes include list of Manoel Theatre Management Committee, list of members of National Orchestra Board, list of sponsors to the Manoel Theatre Management Committee, notes with details on performances and bookings at the Manoel Theatre, list of forthcoming events at the Manoel Theatre, message from the minister of Tourism and Culture Francis Zammit Dimech in Maltese and in English, message from chairman of Manoel Theatre Wilfred Kenely, essays with photos on conductor Brian Schembri and tenor singer Joseph Calleja, list of featured music including composers and their operas where applicable, notes on featured music written by Andrew Sapiano, note on Orkestra Nazzjonali, list of members of Orkestra Nazzjonali, essay on the Manoel Theatre, note advertising the Theatre Museum, note advertising the Manoel Theatre Shop, and note advertising Manoel Theatre's food establishments Café Diva and Ristorante de Vilhena. Programmes also include slip of paper notifying audience of programme change replacing Giuseppe Verdi's "La Forza del Destino" overture with that of his opera "Nabucco", given at the time of event with the programme. Programme is given no. 2179 in archival records. Retrieved from the Manoel theatre records. 2004-04-27T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144974 Title: Easter concert (Programme) Abstract: Manoel Theatre and Orkestra Nazzjonali (the National Orchestra of Malta) present the programme for their Easter concert, conducted by Michael Laus, led by Marcelline Agius, and starring soloists Marcelline Agius (violin), Stephen Zammit (violin), John McDonough (oboe), Federico Comoli (oboe), Alfred Fenech (oboe), Emanuel Spagnol (horn), Alfred Spagnol (horn), and Stephen Galea (viola). The concert also featured pianist Simone Attard performing the accompanying continuo. The concert featured the musical works of Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi, and Schubert. The performance was held on the 6th of April, 2004, at the Manoel Theatre, in Valletta. Description: Two copies of programme included, one with conductor Michael Laus' signature, and the other without. Both programmes include list of Manoel Theatre Management Committee, list of members of the National Orchestra Board, list of sponsors to the Manoel Theatre Management Committee, notes with details on performances and bookings at the Manoel Theatre, list of forthcoming events at the Manoel Theatre, note on Orkestra Nazzjonali, note with photo on conductor Michael Laus, notes on soloists Marcelline Agius, Stephen Galea, Federico Comoli, John McDonough, Alfred Fenech, Emanuel Spagnol, Alfred Spagnol and Stephen Zammit, list of featured music including composers and featured performers where applicable, list of members of Orkestra Nazzjonali, notes on featured music including some biographical information written by Christopher Muscat and edited by Victor Fenech, note advertising the Theatre Museum, note advertising the Manoel Theatre Shop, and note advertising Manoel Theatre's food establishments Café Diva and Ristorante de Vilhena. Programme is given no. 2174 in archival records. Retrieved from the Manoel theatre records. 2004-04-06T00:00:00Z