F
ondazzjoni B elt V ictoria
I l -Ħ aġar │H eart of G ozo
Museum – Cultural Centre – Community Space
10, St George’s Square, Victoria, Gozo, Malt
w. heartofgozo.org.mt | t. +356 21557504
e. info@heartofgozo.org.mt / events@heartofgozo.org.mt facebook.com/heartofgozo | instagram: hagar_heartofgozo
Cover
Jonathan Cefai
Portrait of Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia (1852-1925), 2025
Il-Ħaġar | Heart of Gozo Museum and Cultural Centre, situated in Victoria, strives to present visitors with an authentic experience of the Gozitan heritage and Christian culture that form this island community. The Centre tells the story of Gozo through its people, their beliefs, skills, and creations.
Founded by Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria, a voluntary organisation established in 1998, Il-Ħaġar was realised through local crowdfunding and contributions from corporate entities and individuals, alongside European Regional Development Fund support under the 2007-2013 Cohesion Policy. Officially opened in 2013, the Centre preserves the artistic and historical legacy of St George’s Basilica, complemented by donations such as Prof. Joseph Vella’s (1942–2018) complete body of work spanning over 60 years.
Operated entirely by volunteers, Il-Ħaġar remains a hub for cultural and artistic events in Gozo, hosting exhibitions, lectures, and community initiatives. Its volunteer team includes individuals from diverse backgrounds, from students to retirees. The Centre’s own publication series, Il-Ħaġar Gems, has grown to over 31 editions.
In December 2023, Il-Ħaġar received the National Cultural Heritage Award by Arts Council Malta. The Centre is fully accessible and seeks to expand its offerings for individuals with special needs, encouraging all forms of support in this area.
Foreword
Enriching. This single word is in fact quite descriptive of the Il-Ħaġar experience – for us organisers and volunteers, as well as for the wide variety of participants. From a simple “storage space”, this adventure has developed into a highlight for so many locals and foreigners – not without unstinting efforts and strong support, sometimes from surprising sources!
This is exemplified by this unassuming publication, for which I have the honour to be writing a brief introduction. These few pages are rich – very rich – with the activities we have prepared for these weeks: three months of art and culture which actually go beyond the shores of our tiny island. I venture to obviously highlight events connected with the anniversaries of Il-Ħaġar’s official inauguration and of Joseph Vella’s demise.
However, in 2025, we “must” celebrate another Gozitan genius: the polymath Dun Ġużepp tal-Vers who, like so many fellow islanders, aimed high – in this case – really successfully! I can also note that Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria, led by then-Archpriest Mgr Ġużeppi Farrugia, acquired a building to strengthen the museum footprint from the heirs of a second Mgr Ġużeppi Farrugia in a street named after a third Mgr Ġużeppi Farrugia: the subject of our centennial celebration.
Before concluding, it behoves me to express thanks and wishes.
Antoine Vassallo PEP
Chairman
Fondazzjoni
Belt Victoria
temporary exHIbItIon
Monsignor Giuseppe Farrugia (1852-1925)
Orator – Composer – Architect
7 February 2025 – 31 March 2025
Il-Ħaġar Museum, together with the Diocese of Gozo and Victoria’s Saint George’s Basilica and La Stella Philharmonic Society, is this year marking the first centenary of the passing of Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, one of Gozo’s most eminent sons and benefactors, whose brilliance left an indelible mark on so many aspects of the life of the Gozitan community. He is celebrated for his extraordinary intellect, visionary outlook, and unparalleled talents. One of the local papers at the time of his passing had this to say: Few were the Gozitan prelates, after De Soldanis, who brought so much renown to Gozo through their wisdom and writings as Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, known as Tal-Vers.
To mark this important centenary, Il-Ħaġar Museum, in collaboration with a number of institutions, is presenting this exhibition which focuses on three exceptional facets of Farrugia’s genius: his mastery as a sought-after orator, his brilliance as a composer, and his visionary work in design and architecture.
Among his most distinguished musical compositions are the Triduum hymn GeorgiMilesInclyte (1878), the antiphon for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Hodie Egressa Est (1884), and the Vespri per la Solennità di San Giorgio Martire (1900) for soloists, a four-part choir (a 4 voci pari), and orchestra. Other notable works include the antiphon Beatus Georgius (1897) and Tantum Ergo in onore di San Giorgio Martire (1901).
Noteworthy contributions in design and architecture include his involvement in designing the Church of Perpetual Adoration, commonly known as Ta’ Savina, the façade of the public library in Vajringa Street, the Bishop’s Palace at the Cittadella, the altar of reposition and the chapter hall at the Gozo Cathedral, the concert hall (later named after him) annexed to St George’s Basilica, and - among many others - the design of the goldembroidered red velvet liturgical copes used during the celebrations of the Solemnity of Saint George there.
This temporary exhibition will be inaugurated on Friday, the 7th of February, 2025, at 7.30pm, running until Monday, the last day of March.
temporary exHIbItIon
Inħobbok: Cards et al
7 February 2025 – 17 February 2025
To mark Valentine’s Day within the Gozo Ministry’s Inħobbok initiative, the Gozo Philatelic Society is showcasing an assortment of Lovers’ and Valentine cards – some going back to the beginning of the twentieth century - in its display on Level -1 of Il-Ħaġar Museum. The GPS uses this space to hold periodic displays of stamps that vary according to the season or the themes of major exhibitions held at the same museum.
The Gozo Philatelic Society was founded on 3 September 1999 for the ‘promotion of the hobby’, the ‘provision of a point of reference’, and ‘co-ordination’. It is a non-governmental organisation enrolled with the Commissioner for the Voluntary Sector (VO/0546). The Society also publishes a quarterly full-colour newsletter, which is sent free to all members, and organises lectures by professionals in the field. The Gozo Philatelic Society issues commemorative cards whenever MaltaPost releases a Gozo-related postage stamp and/or a special commemorative handstamp.
The display can be visited during Il-Ħaġar Museum’s opening hours of 09:00 to 17:00, seven days a week (including public holidays).
P u B lic t alk
The Black Market in Wartime Gozo
Charles Bezzina
8 February 2025 │ 11:00
Was the island of Gozo during the Second World War subject to a black market? How did the Gozitans survive those challenging times when rations were re-rationed, and there was a severe scarcity of goods? How did the Police address and manage the dire situation, when hunger was widespread? And how is it that some farmers and breeders, who were poor before the war, became prosperous afterwards?
These questions and more will be explored in this public talk by Charles Bezzina, a renowned researcher on Gozo during World War II. Bezzina has published over twenty books, including award-winning works. A retired bank manager, he is also an accomplished poet and an active member of literary societies, as well as the Imperial War Museum.
Attendance, as always, is free of charge, but seat reservations are encouraged by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt.
temporary exHIbItIon
50 Years Young: Joseph Vella’s Mass in D op. 20
21 February 2025 – 31 March 2025
This year the evergreen and much-loved Mass in D by Joseph Vella celebrates the 50th anniversary from when it was composed in August 1975, with a first performance at St George’s Basilica in July 1976. After Rev. George Frendo’s First High Mass at the same Basilica, accompanied by the premiere of the Laudate Pueri Dominum cantata, both Mass in D and this cantata have had an uninterrupted performance history during the St George’s Feast Pontifical High Mass. The magnificent Mass in D is known all over the islands, with festa aficionados and professional musicians flocking to St George’s Basilica on the third Sunday of July to be entrapped during its performance in the liturgy. This Mass has also had significant concert performances in Malta as well as at New York’s Lincoln Centre, where it was received with tremendous enthusiasm by patrons.
Joseph Vella (1942-2018)
Joseph Vella is one of Gozo’s foremost illustrious citizens, who is well known as both composer and conductor. He is also remembered for his pioneering work in and research of old Maltese music as well as for his work as an Inspector of Music in Government Schools. He was the director of the Johann Strauss School of Music in Malta for a number of years, and he was the first academic in Malta who introduced music at tertiary level at St Michael’s College. He was also Professor of Music at the University of Malta. Mro Vella was the first Artistic Director of the Victoria International Arts Festival and Festival Mediterranea, and for almost 50 years he was the musical director of both the Teatru Astra and the La Stella Philharmonic Band in Victoria. He donated his life work, including manuscripts, documents, juvenilia, mementoes and CDs to Il-Ħaġar Museum and Cultural Centre the same weekend that he passed away in February 2018.
Drawing: Savio Mizzi (2018)
Joseph Vella Music Archive, Il-Ħaġar Museum
tHe 7tH JosepH Vella memorIal lecture
Utopias between Past and Future
Prof. Jean Paul De Lucca
Friday 21 February 2025 │ 19:30
Situated between the 400th anniversaries of the publication of two seminal early modern utopias – Tommaso Campanella’s The City of the Sun (1623) and Francis Bacon’s The New Atlantis (1627) – this lecture will explore the two utopian islands, visiting their temples, inhabitants, narrators, and interlocutors (including a Hospitaller Knight, no less). Contextualising these utopian texts within their authors’ broader intellectual frameworks shows that they are not mere abstract constructs. Rather, they represent metaphorical and ‘poetic’ articulations of worldviews deeply rooted in critical perspectives on their contemporary societies, with an emphasis on themes such as justice and technology.
The 20th century’s problematic association of utopian thinking with totalitarianism gave rise to an “anti-utopian age” or “utopophobia”. One of the last century’s greatest thinkers, Hannah Arendt, is often portrayed as rejecting utopian thinking entirely. However, a nuanced reading reveals that early modern utopians have more in common with Arendt than previously acknowledged.
Campanella, Bacon, and Arendt – all writing in what they termed “dark times” – keep prompting us to consider the value of hope and thoughtful action, and to question our capacity to imagine and articulate potential futures, challenging simplistic dismissals of utopian imagination.
Prof. Jean-Paul De Lucca is a resident academic at the Department of Philosophy, the University of Malta. His main areas of research include early modern philosophy and intellectual history, political philosophy and the philosophy of law. He was a research scholar at the Università di Roma Tre, a Frances Yates Fellow in Intellectual and Cultural History at the Warburg Institute (University of London), and an Invited Visiting Fellow at the DeWulf-Mansion Centre for Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy, KU Leuven. He is a member of the editorial boards of several international peer-reviewed journals, and he has published extensively, especially on Tommaso Campanella (1568-1639).
Attendance is free of charge, but seat reservations, by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt, are recommended.
cHIldren’s and students’ WorksHops
Young Creatives
Designing through the Eyes of a Genius
Victor Agius
Saturday 22 February 2025
11:00: Age group 6-8 years
13:00: Age group 9-12 years
Gozitan artist and art educator Victor Agius will lead two hands-on workshops for children and young students, providing an engaging dialogue with the designs of Gozitan polymath Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, many of which are temporarily exhibited at Il-Ħaġar Museum. The first workshop, for children aged 6-8, runs from 11:00 to 12:30, while the second, aimed at students aged 9-12, takes place from 13:00 to 14:30.
This year marks the centenary of Mgr Farrugia’s passing (1852–1925), and Il-Ħaġar is organising a series of events for various sectors of the community to celebrate his genius. During the workshops, children and students will be encouraged to interpret his designs in their sketchbooks.
Reservations are essential: events@heartofgozo.org.mt
concert
marking the 7th anniversary of Mro Joseph Vella’s passing and Il-Ħaġar Museum’s 12
Janascharco Trio
Natascha Chircop (Flute) │ Tatjana Chircop (Violin) │ Marco Rivoltini (Pianoforte)
Saturday 22 February 2025 │ 20:00
Aula Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, St George’s Basilica
Programme
M. Bonis (1858-1937) Trio
P. Gaubert (1879-1941) Médailles Antiques
E. Smyth (1858-1944) Variations on Bonny Sweet Robin
B. Martinů (1890-1959) Sonata
J. Vella (1942-2018) Segments no. 1 op. 93
Jeux op. 69
Rapsodija Maltija op. 26
This recital focuses on works for Trio (Flute, Violin and Pianoforte) by composers ranging from Mel Bonis to Gaubert, Smyth, Martinů, and Joseph Vella. While the composers use these instruments for the respective pieces chosen for performance by the Janascharco Trio, it is very interesting how each brings out different shades of tonal colour through the harmonies and contrapuntal textures they employ. Vella’s Segments no. 1 op. 93 was composed specifically for the Janascharco Trio and it was also recorded on CD by them.
Il-Ħaġar museum’s 12tH anniVersary
Sunday 23 February 2025 │ 11:00
Thanksgiving High Mass
St George’s Basilica
Today, we gather at St George’s Basilica to give thanks to Almighty God for the experience Il-Ħaġar Museum offers to the thousands of people who visit it each year. We pray for the museum’s benefactors – both those who have passed away and those who are still with us – to whom we all owe so much. Solemn Mass will be celebrated by Museum Founder and Curator Mgr Dr Joseph Farrugia, and the Basilica’s Laudate Pueri Choir will perform Joseph Vella’s Missa Brevis.
All masses at St George’s today will be offered for the repose of Il-Ħaġar Museum’s benefactors.
12:30
Ta’ Frenċ Restaurant
Following the celebration of Holy Mass, we will continue the festivities with a four-course anniversary luncheon at the award-winning Ta’ Frenċ Restaurant. For logistical purposes, reservations for this event will be accepted until Friday 21 February.
For reservations or any queries, please contact: events@heartofgozo.org.mt / +356 79561540
PuBlic talk
Malta and the European Union: Looking Towards the Future
Dr Joe Borg
Saturday 9 March 2025 │ 11:00
The first part of the talk provides a brief outline of Malta’s path to EU membership and its achievements over the twenty years since accession. The second part will focus on the future of the European Union, addressing key questions and challenges. The third part explores areas identified by the European Council and the European Commission for further development, specific targets, or necessary reforms. Particular emphasis will be placed on threats to democracy and European values, strengthening the rule of law, addressing defence and security challenges, and the broader question of EU reform. The final part examines Malta’s position on these sensitive issues as it navigates its future within an evolving European Union.
Dr Joe Borg graduated as Doctor of Laws in Malta in 1975 and earned a Master of Laws in Wales in 1988. A former academic specialising in Company Law and Industrial Law at the University of Malta, he authored Malta’s Companies Act in 1995 and served on the Central Bank of Malta’s Board of Directors. Between 1999 and 2004, as Malta’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, he led the EU accession negotiations. In 2004, he became Malta’s first European Commissioner, responsible for fisheries and maritime affairs, serving until 2010. Afterward, he resumed lecturing, chaired the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (2010-2017), and led the Malta Maritime Forum (2015-2021). He was awarded a D.Litt Honoris Causa by the University of Malta in 2016 for his role in Malta’s EU accession and contributions as European Commissioner.
Admission is free, but seat reservations are recommended by emailing events@heartofgozo.org.mt.
PuBlic talk
Did Christianity survive the Arab Conquest?
Prof. Stanley Fiorini
Saturday 15 March 2025 │ 11:00
Following a recapitulation of the main arguments for and against such survival, with particular reference to Lauxtermann’s objections involving a re-reading of the Greek text of the 1127 incident, recent research and publications are presented, further supporting the thesis that Christianity in the Maltese Islands was never completely extinguished.
This and more will be explored in this public talk by Professor Fiorini, Senior Fellow of the University of Malta and former Head of its Mathematics Department. His interest in Maltese history has resulted in numerous publications, either authored solely or collaboratively, including Santo Spirito Hospital at Rabat, Malta (1989), The ‘Mandati’ Documents at the Archives of the Mdina Cathedral, Malta: 1473–1539 (1993), the two-volume Mdina: The Cathedral City of Malta (1996), Tristia ex Melitogaudo: Lament in Greek Verse of a 12th-Century Exile on Gozo (2010), and, more recently, The Parchments of the Mdina Cathedral Archives, Malta: 1420–1959 (2019). Furthermore, he initiated the new series Documentary Sources of Maltese History, contributing, either solely or jointly, the first eighteen volumes. He has also edited various publications of the Malta Historical Society, of which he served as Honorary President.
Admission is free but, as usual, seat reservations are encouraged by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt.
temporary exHIbItIon
Lent to Easter
Gozo Philatelic Society
21 March 2025 – 20 April 2025
In its display on Level -1 of Il-Ħaġar Museum, again within a Gozo Ministry initiative, the Gozo Philatelic Society is showcasing an assortment of covers and stamps related to the Lenten period, Holy Week, and Easter – with the probability of never having been displayed before in Malta. The GPS uses this space to host periodic displays of stamps that vary according to the season or the themes of major exhibitions held at the same museum.
The display can be visited during Il-Ħaġar Museum’s opening hours, from 09:00 to 17:00, seven days a week (including public holidays).
publIc talk and book launcH
A Star Undimmed
Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia on the First Centenary of his Death
Prof. Maria Frendo
Saturday 22 March 2025 │ 11:00
‘He went through life undecked save with himself.’
Orator, Musician, Designer, a polymath like no other Gozo had seen. Mgr Farrugia’s peculiar power is to astonish even a hundred years after his passing. Synthesising the quality of his talents, this paper looks at Farrugia as a man of high culture steeped in the European civilisation into which he was born, bred and nurtured. The concepts of civitas and urbanitas as advocated by Cicero will be discussed with regard to Farrugia’s engagement in his work with the refinement of manners in the Classical sense, operating to the high standards he set himself in an insular climate that could not understand him all the time.
Maria Frendo is Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Malta. She lectures on Chaucer, Milton, Dryden and Pope, T.S. Eliot, Romantics, Metaphysical Poetry, The Lyric, English Literature and Music, and Contemporary British Drama. She is Associate Editor of CounterText and a member of the Futures of Literature Network. She is also a professional musician, performing both as a pianist and a soprano. She has recorded for DECCA and GEGA labels, and performances have taken her to major venues in Europe and North America. She is co-organiser of the Victoria International Arts Festival, and curator of the Joseph Vella Archive at Il-Ħaġar Museum and Cultural Centre. For eight years she was also Deputy Chair of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. She was appointed to the National Order of Merit in 2012.
The talk will be followed by the launch of the publication of the late Stephen Attard’s (1966-2024) dissertation, Monsignor Giuseppe Farrugia: His Life and Achievements.
Admission is free but, as usual, seat reservations, by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt, are recommended.
High Mass
Sunday 23 March 2025 │ 11:00
St George’s Basilica
Solemn high Mass for the repose of Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia (1852-1925) on the first centenary of his passing. The Basilica’s Laudate Pueri Choir (direction: Can. George J. Frendo) sings.
Photo courtesy of Soċjetà Filarmonika La Stella.
l ecture - recital
Schubert’s Piano Sonatas: Poetry in Music
Francis Camilleri
Friday 28 March 2025 │ 19:30
Aula Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, St George’s Basilica
Schubert’s music emanates from song. This is not only a reference to his large collection of songs but also to his instrumental music. Schubert’s music sings like no other but, despite his universality, his Piano Sonatas remain neglected. In 1928, the year of the centenary of Schubert’s death, Rachmaninoff admitted to Cesar Saerchinger that he had not realised sonatas by Schubert existed. Even today, few of his sonatas are programmed. Thus, it seems fitting to examine certain of the prejudices that still prevail against these works, particular attention will be given to his late works, especially the G minor Sonata, arguably his most intimate.
Francis Camilleri formally commenced his pianoforte studies with Lucia Micallef and continued his tuition with Karen Briscoe, obtaining his Licentiate from the Royal Schools of Music with distinction. He also took regular lessons with Vanessa Latarche at the Royal College of Music, London. Francis graduated from the University of Malta under the tuition of Michael Laus, and has participated in master classes led by John Lill, Mikhail Pethukov, and Young-Choon Park, amongst others. Francis was coached in harmony and counterpoint by Joseph Vella, Malta’s leading composer. He has performed in the most important venues in Malta and in prestigious festivals, with recent performances including the Grieg Piano
Concerto during the opening concert of the Victoria International Arts Festival, Bach Concertos at Teatru Manoel as part of the Valletta Baroque Festival, and Brahms’ Horn Trio with Laura Marzadori, leader of the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra, also at Teatru Manoel. Francis has also recently worked as a répétiteur, collaborating with renowned artists such as Gregory Kunde, Barbara Frittoli, Miriam Gauci, Sophie Bevan and Gianluca Terranova, amongst others. Francis is a member of the Laudate Pueri Choir and the Victoria International Arts Festival organising committee.
Admission is free, but seat reservations, by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt, are recommended.
recital
Clarinet and Guitar Duo
Noel Beck (Clarinet) │ Evan Plumpton (Guitar)
Saturday 29 March 2025 │ 19:30
Il-Ħaġar Museum, in collaboration with Malta’s St Paul Metropolitan Orchestra, presents a recital by clarinettist Noel Beck and guitarist Evan Plumpton, who will perform works by Piazzolla, Schubert, Satie, Villa-Lobos, and film music by Ennio Morricone.
Admission is free but seat reservations, by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt, are recommended.
PuBlic talk
From Malta to Purgatory: Images of Death and Dying in Hospitaller Malta
Dr Christian Attard
Friday 4 April 2025 │ 19:30
This talk explores the theology of the hereafter as it was understood in 17th- and 18th-century Malta, examining how these beliefs were both reflected in and influenced by the art and imagery of the period. It also examines how, despite popular aphorisms which underlined the egalitarian nature of death, wealth, social status, and gender profoundly shaped the preparations for the afterlife. Finally, the discussion incorporates the devastating plague of 1676, considering its alarming death toll and its significant influence on contemporary beliefs and visual representations.
Dr Christian Attard is a resident academic in the Department of Art and Art History, University of Malta, and also lectures at the Malta School of Art. His areas of interest include the iconographies of plague and death, and the art of the late 19 th and 20th centuries, with a special emphasis on Visual Culture methodologies. Amongst Attard’s more recent projects is research about and conservation coordination of the cultic 17thcentury crucifix, popularly known as Ta’ Ġieżu, (2019) made by Frate Innocenzo da Petralia, a study about the imagery of plague and death titled
The Art of Dying Well:Visual Culture in Times of Piety and Plague (2022), and a study about one of Malta’s leading 20th-century artists, titled Antoine Camilleri, A World Within (2023).
Admission is free but seat reservations are recommended (events@heartofgozo.org.mt).
temporary exHIbItIon
Transitions
Norbert Francis Attard
Curator: Dr Nikki Petroni
5 April 2025 – 29 June 2025
Transitions presents artworks by Norbert Francis Attard, created during key transitional phases in his artistic career. Living and working between Malta, Gozo, Berlin, and now also Seoul, Attard continually shifts both his physical and creative life in pursuit of new or alternative ways of thinking and producing. The exhibition highlights these crucial yet relatively unknown in-between stages, undertaken while Attard was transitioning from one period of artistic development to the next. Each phase reveals his experimentation with found objects and materials, forms, and themes - processes that ultimately led to the renewal of his practice. On display is a selection of works from each transitional phase spanning the years 1970 to 1999.
Norbert Francis Attard was born in 1951 and began as a self-taught painter and graphic artist before turning to installation art in 1998. In 1977, he graduated in Architecture from the University of Malta and practised as an architect for twenty years until 1996. Between 1978 and 1979, he lived in Germany, working with Licht in Raum, directed by Johannes Dinnebier, one of Germany’s pioneers in light design. Today, Attard’s contemporary art practice spans architecture, sculpture, photography, video, and installation, through which he explores his deep interest in places and their memories. Blurring the boundaries between disciplines, he integrates the physicality of sites with their layered histories, treating them as products of place, social interaction, and generative processes.
The exhibition can be visited during the museum opening hours, from 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Sunday (including public holidays). Admission is free.
PuBlic talk
Tracing our Roots: Exploring Family Trees and Surnames in Gozo
David Grech
Saturday 12 April 2025 │ 11:00
After the passing of his grandmother, David had decided to embark on a small project to trace his family roots. Little did he know that this endeavour would lead him into the fascinating world of uncovering the historical and cultural significance that shaped Gozo and beyond. What began as a simple family tree evolved into an in-depth study of Gozitan surnames, the lives of Gozitan people, and their traditions. This lecture will explore how interconnected we all are, highlighting the shared heritage that binds our community in ways we often overlook.
Admission is free, but seat reservations, by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt, are recommended.
upcomInG temporary exHIbItIons
Carmelo Mangion (1905-1997)
Retrospective
From the 6th of July, 2025, to the 31st of August, 2025
* * *
MUŻAjk
Mary Portelli
From the 6th of September, 2025, to the 9th of November, 2025
o t H er e V ents m ark I n G t H e f I rst c entenary of m G r G I useppe f arru GI a ’ s
(1852–1925) p ass I n G
Monday 28 April │ 19:00 │ St George’s Basilica
Mgr Farrugia’s Missa Immaculatae Conceptionis will be performed during the liturgy of St George’s Feast by the Laudate Pueri Choir, directed by Rev. Can. George J. Frendo. This is Farrugia’s last dated work, composed on 11 June 1917. It has been edited by Francis Camilleri.
Saturday 12 July │ 20:00 │ St George’s Square
Concert featuring Mgr Farrugia’s compositions for the La Stella Band. The La Stella Philharmonic Band and the Piccole Stelle Choir will be under the direction of Mro Dr John Galea.
Monday 14 July │ 20:00 │ St George’s Basilica
Closing concert of the Victoria International Arts Festival, featuring Mgr Farrugia’s MissadaRequiem for soloists, choir, and orchestra. The Laudate Pueri Choir and Chorus Sanctae Catherinae, together with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, will be under the direction of Philip Walsh.
Wednesday 24 September
Launch of The Farrugia Chronicles to coincide with the first centenary of the Baptism of St George’s Basilica’s Barigozzi Bells, designed and tuned by Mgr Farrugia
08:00 │ 12:00 │ 19:00
Festive and solemn pealing of the Barigozzi Bells to mark the auspicious centenary of their baptism by Bishop Michael Gonzi.
19:30 │ Aula Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, St George’s Basilica
Soiree featuring the Laudate Pueri Choir singing Mgr Farrugia’s only two a cappella works: Benedictus a 4 voci alternato al canto Gregoriano and Tantum ergo a 4 voci (1890).
Launch of the publication The Farrugia Chronicles, sponsored by Lombard Bank and published by Midsea Books Ltd.
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The information in this programme booklet was correct at the time of printing. Il-Ħaġar │ Heart of Gozo reserves the right to change dates or details of events at any time as necessary.
Kafè San Gorg
