It’s here … VIAF 2016.

The opening concert will kick start a series of 37 concerts and cultural events that make up this year’s 19th edition of what is the islands’ biggest Festival of its kind.

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of VIAF Artistic Director, Joseph Vella, will perform Mozart’s Concerto in A Major for Clarinet and Orchestra K622. Soloist Godfrey Mifsud will tackle this wonderful work.

It will be followed by Joseph Vella’s Seħer op. 39 (lyrics by Daniel Massa), featuring soprano Maria Frendo. This song cycle is the first of its kind that uses the Maltese language as a medium. It was composed in 1984 and has since been performed a few times, not least at the Alice Tully Hall – Lincoln Centre, New York, with the Prometheus Symphony Orchestra conducted by Joseph Vella. This will be the first time that Seħer will be performed in Gozo. The final piece on the programme is Beethoven’s much-loved Symphony no. 5 in C Minor op. 67.  

This opening concert will be held at St George’s Basilica, and starts at 8pm. All VIAF concerts are free of charge.

Don’t miss it!!