Il-Hagar Museum is celebrating the 12th anniversary of its inauguration this month and, as has been the norm in past years, is presenting a weekend of events to mark this important milestone.

The programme also commemorates Malta and Gozo’s foremost contemporary composer, Joseph Vella, on the 7th anniversary of his passing. These events will take place over the weekend of the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd of February, which this year coincides with the exact date of the museum’s inauguration.

The events get underway on Friday the 21st at 7.30pm, with the 7th Joseph Vella Memorial Lecture, which this year will be delivered by Professor Jean Paul De Lucca and is titled “Utopias between Past and Future.” The lecture will be followed by the inauguration of a documentary exhibition celebrating Vella’s evergreen and much-loved Mass in D Major op. 20, composed exactly 50 years ago.

On Saturday 22nd, there will be a two hands-on workshops for children and students with Gozitan artist and art educator Victor Agius. These workshops – one at 11am for children aged 6-8, and the second at 1pm for young students aged 9-12 – will be inspired by the designs of Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia (1852-1925). Il-Hagar Museum is currently hosting a temporary exhibition to mark the first centenary of this Gozitan polymath’s demise.

Then, in the evening, at 8pm, the museum, in collaboration with the Laudate Pueri Choir of St George’s Basilica, presents a concert by the Janascharco Trio, comprising Natascha Chircop (Flute), Tatjana Chircop (Violin), and Marco Rivoltini (Pianoforte), who will perform works by Joseph Vella and other composers. This concert will take place at the Aula Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, annexed to St George’s Basilica.

On Sunday the 23rd at 11am, at St George’s Basilica there will be a Mass to “give thanks to Almighty God for the experience Il-Hagar Museum offers to the thousands of visitors it welcomes each year. We will 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. St George’s Basilica’s Laudate Pueri Choir will perform Joseph Vella’s Missa Brevis,” the museum said.

The festivities will continue after Mass with a four-course anniversary luncheon at the award-winning Ta’ Frenc Restaurant. For logistical purposes, reservations for this event will be accepted until Friday, the 21st of February.

All events mentioned here, except for the anniversary luncheon, are free of charge. For reservations or any queries, please contact: events@heartofgozo.org.mt / +356 79561540.

Il-Hagar Museum said that it has also launched its events programme for February-April 2025, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Photo: Il-Hagar Museum

Permalink: Il-Hagar Museum celebrates two important anniversaries this month