Festivals Malta, in collaboration with Arts Council Malta, have announced that they are to revive works by the late Gozitan Maestro Joseph Vella, who passed away on the 25th of February 2018.

Festivals Malta have launched a three-year project in collaboration with the Arts Council, focused on the digitisation and revival of various works by Maltese composers, starting from masterpieces by Mro Joseph Vella.

The initial project will see the engraving, digitisation and archiving of three of Mro. Vella’s more elaborate works, including two sung poems and the completion of his unfinished opera.

Minister for Heritage, Arts and Local Government José Herrera explained that an important element of this project is the digital conversion of the manuscript written by Vella himself.

He explained that this initiative will focus on both the theoretical and artistic aspects of the late composer’s music, creating a newfound interest and a deeper appreciation of these brilliant masterpieces.

Annabelle Stivala, Director of Festivals Malta commented that through digitisation, these works can be preserved and enjoyed by future generations.

She continued that, “as part of our efforts to highlight Mro. Vella’s unique works, we will also be hosting a masterclass for University of Malta Music Studies students.”

Festivals Malta said that it will ensure that this project is realised successfully through collaboration with Mro. Vella’s family.

“As a national agency, we are committed to the preservation of Maltese national heritage. It is our duty to honour both emerging and late Maltese composers – doing so in a more systematic way – with the launch of this project dedicated to works by the late Mro. Joseph Vella, in such a way of giving his work the importance and prominence it deserves,” said the Executive Chairman of Arts Council Malta, Albert Marshall.

Nicholas Vella, son of Mro. Vella, stated “my father’s original works are currently only available as handwritten manuscripts which, apart from being less accessible, can also be easily tarnished by time and use.”

He added that, “this digitisation process will see experts converting my father’s written scores into a digital format, in turn improving its readability and distribution, whilst facilitating its accessibility to the general public, lovers of history and the arts.”

As part of this three-year project, Festivals Malta will be organising three events dedicated to Mro. Vella’s compositions.

These include, ‘Rewwixta’ to be held on the 28th of November, ‘Belt Rebbieha,’ to be held in November 2021 and ‘Valeriana,’ Mro. Vella’s unfinished work, which will be performed in the year 2022.

Rewwixta is a cantata written by Prof. Oliver Friggieri and composed by Mro. Joseph Vella, depicting the revolt by the Maltese against the French, during their two-year reign.

This masterpiece was performed in 1992, only to be revived again by Festivals Malta in this long-awaited concerto.

Rewwixta, under the Artistic Direction of Tatiana Lisnic, will be performed by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Joseph Debrincat, Coro Bel Canto and soloists Nicola Said, Graziella Debattista, Charles Vincenti and Louis Andrew Cassar.

More information about Rewwixta and the upcoming events will soon be available on www.festivals.mt.

This project is part of the Maltese Composers Fund, an initiative focused on highlighting fundamental works by both emergent and late Maltese composers.

Photo: DOI/James Galea

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