The 2019 edition of the Malta International Arts Festival (MIAF) kicks off on Friday 28 June. Under the stewardship of artistic director Ruben Zahra, this year’s edition will see a number of innovations being introduced. The wide-ranging programme of Maltese and international performances will take place in various locations around the island to make the festival accessible to a wider audience.
The MIAF is offering its audiences a unique experience by presenting performing arts within Malta’s exclusive heritage sites. The Ħaġar Qim temple complex in Qrendi will become the backdrop and stage for two productions within the festival: ‘Temple Percussion’, featuring acclaimed Chinese percussionist Beibei Wang; and ‘Guthan Aosda – Ancient Voices’ – a music and dance performance.
In ‘Temple Percussion’ Wang will deliver a virtuoso recital of contemporary works. The programme includes music by Psathas, Tan Dun, Xenakis, Séjourné and more. This event is being co-organised with the China Cultural Centre in Malta.
‘Guthan Aosda – Ancient Voices’, meanwhile, is a music-dance performance featuring Scottish musicians John Kenny and Pete Vilk, and Maltese dancer Diane Portelli. Kenny will play on a wide range of exotic ritual instruments, starting with the primordial sea shell and cow horns, across Celtic lore with the famous ‘Carnyx’ war horn bearing the totem head of a wild boar. The audience is in for a unique music journey throbbing to the pulse of ritual against Malta’s spectacular Neolithic backdrop.
This choice of venue is in-line with Mr Zahra’s vision for the MIAF to offer something that will distinguish it from other festivals in Europe and around the world; and the idea of staging performances at Ħaġar Qim is very much a part of that vision.
‘Temple Percussion’ will take place on Wednesday 3 July at 09:00, while ‘Guthan Aosda- Ancient Voices’ is being performed on Thursday 11 July at 09:00. Both performances are supported by Heritage Malta. For further information about these and other performances within the Malta International Arts Festival visit www.festivals.mt/miaf.