BLAT – The Island Fortress, is an Opera-Film which was executively produced by Mikiel Anton Vassalli College (M.A.V. College), the national network of specialised schools for Visual and Performing Arts Education in Malta and Gozo.
This first ever Opera-Film in Maltese is based mainly in Valletta during World War II.
It is March 1940, most of Europe is embroiled in the war between the Allied and the Axis but so far Malta has been spared the brunt of this war.
Madeleine, a middle class girl from Valletta is in love with Marco a devoted Italian fascist and this creates problems with Madeleine’s father as the latter is a staunch Imperialist. Meanwhile Kelinu, a dockyard worker is also enchanted by Madeleine, but as Bessy, his Strait Street barmaid friend, warns him, he does not share the same social class.
Before this love triangle has a chance to develop, war hits the islands and everything is completely overturned as all are forced to take cover in the underground shelters. But what will the new Malta be like when people start facing the new reality of postwar?
BLAT: The Island Fortress is the latest project by the Mikiel Anton Vassalli College [1] with the Head of College Network Victor Galea as the executive producer, in conjunction with the artistic platform City of Humanity.
This opera-film was composed by Dr Reuben Pace with lyrics written by Gorg Peresso and Amy Borg.
The film was written and directed by Alan Fenech. BLAT is a Professional production, produced by soloists, musicians and Professional artists.
The college students were also involved in the process, thus being able to get involved with the industry in which they might eventually engage.
This was a unique opportunity for the students, as it served, as a bridge between the academic world and the entertainment industry.
Some of those involved include Umberto Buttigieg and Ken Scicluna who were respectively in charge of the costume designs and production, Marco Bartolo who assembled the opera-film and Althea Palombi Corlett who was in charge of the choreography. Rodney Gauci was the director of photography. Nicola Said, Angelo Muscat, Astrid Cacciatore, Louis Cassar, Claire Ghigo, Charles Vincenti u Ken Scicluna were the main actors.
Kristy Mercieca, a student from the MAVC Gozo VPA School designed the project logo.
Several educators from the Malta School of Music lead the teaching of music among who are Mro Riccardo Bianchi and Marouska Attard who taught the young and adult choirs; Godfrey Mifsud, Mauro Farrugia, Joseph Camilleri Jr., Joe Debono and Gjorgji Cincievski taught the musical instruments involved and the recordings in a professional studio. Dr Andriana Yordanova taught voice performance to some of the soloists.
BLAT, the first opera-film in Maltese will be available to the public this coming Summer.