Soloists, Patricia Buttigieg, Stephanie Portelli and Annabelle Zammit of the Gaulitanus Choir, accompanied by the choir's musical and artistic director, Colin Attard, have just returned from a successful concert-tour in Firenze, Italy.

The first concert took place last Sunday at the Sala Consiliare 'Orazio Barberi' in Scandicci, organised by the Centro dell'Arte Vito Frazzi as part of the organisation's 2015-2016 concert season.

The lunchtime concert was very well-patronised and attended by the Vito Frazzi's President Dott. Fortunato Della Guerra and Artistic Director Giuseppe Fricelli. After acknowledging the audience's enthusiastic response with a numbers of encores, the artists were offered a memento by Dott. Della Guerra, as well as words of praise their performance

Operatic works by Mozart and Verdi, chamber arias by Verdi, Puccini, Bellini and Donizetti, as well as works by Maltese composers Colin Attard, Nicolo isouard and Carmelo Pace – whether solos, duets or trios – were performed. Later on Sunday afternoon, a sacred concert was held at San Marco's Basilica in central Firenze. This was organised by the Associazione Culturale 'Beato Angelico per il Rinascimento.'

Works by Pergolesi, Stradella, Faure and Attard were performed. After the concert, the Gozitan artists animated the Messa degli Artisti celebrated by the Beato Angelico's director Padre Alfonso Fressola.

Firenze's renowned concert venue, St Mark's English Church, was the venue of the last commitment, which was on Monday. A secular repertoire was presented, which was quite similar to the one given in Scandicci, but now also including works by Sullivan, Novello and Loewe.

The mostly English-speaking audience was led by St Mark's choirmaster. Oliver Bowes, who was also responsible for co-ordinating the event. This concert, as well as the San Marco's events, were – completely unexpectedly – attended by Maltese music reviewer Albert Storace (as well as some other Maltese persons).

At St Mark's, Storace also offered to introduce and conclude the concert, thus shedding some light on the Gozitan (and Maltese) musical scene.

Colin Attard said that this Firenze project was another great opportunity for the three young sopranos to perform on the international platform following their highly successful participation in the 17th edition of the Rencontres Musicales de Mediterranee held in Corsica, France, last November.

Photographs Paul Sultana

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