Young Maltese Singers Feature at InClassica International Music Festival in Dubai
Fresh from their outstanding run at the Malta Classical Music Academy (MCMA), three Maltese singers — soprano Nicola Said, mezzo-soprano Clare Ghigo and tenor Angelo Muscat — were invited to Dubai to perform at the Middle East Classical Music Academy, held as part of the InClassica International Music Festival, where they collaborated with the Kaliningrad Symphony Orchestra and maestro Arkady Feldman in one of the Academy’s series of daily lunchtime concerts.
Nicola Said, Clare Ghigo and Angelo Muscat were three of the most outstanding students at this year’s edition of the Malta Classical Music Academy (MCMA), impressing Academy professor Andriana Yordanova, and spurring the organisers behind the project – the European Foundation for Support of Culture (EUFSC) – to extend an invitation to the three singers to attend another music academy in Dubai, but this time as performers rather than students.
Held at the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel’s famed MusicHall in Dubai, the inaugural edition of the Middle East Classical Music Academy (MECMA) marked the first event of its kind both within Dubai as well as the wider region as a whole. Consisting of dozens of masterclasses in the schools of wind, piano and strings, the MECMA also incorporated a number of daytime concerts throughout every day of its 4-week run, presenting Academy attendees with the opportunity to see a number of talented musicians in live performance.
Said, Ghigo and Muscat were three such artists, with the singers taking to the stage for a special concert alongside the Kaliningrad Symphony Orchestra, who were conducted by the distinguished maestro Arkady Feldman.
Nicola Said
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be here”, Said said, “and I hope to come back. When you get invited to do this kind of thing you just jump at it. It’s really amazing, and I really would like to thank the EUFSC for inviting me to be part of it”.
The appearance of the Maltese artists formed part of the EUFSC’s ongoing drive to help foster and support the growth of young Maltese talent, both through masterclasses and seminars, as well as by providing them with opportunities to expand their experience of live performance, and broaden their level of exposure and their audience.
Clare Ghigo
“It was a really wonderful experience being here and working with this orchestra. They were all very good and extremely professional, and the organisation was just fantastic all throughout. I’m very grateful and feel very lucky to be here”, Ghigo remarked.
Said started off the concert with a rendition of ‘E strano! e strano!’ from Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata along with Manon's 'Gavotte' from Jules Massenet's opéra comique Manon. She was then followed by Ghigo, who delivered an interpretation of ‘Una voce poco fa’ from Il barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini, and the ‘Aria of Siebel’ from Charles Gounod’s
Faust. Finally, Muscat closed off the proceedings with a performance of ‘Pourquoi me reveiller’ from Jules Massenet's Werther, Brindisi from Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata, and ‘Lensky's aria’ from Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin.
Angelo Muscat
“The concert went really well”, Muscat noted. “Everyone was extremely professional. The orchestra, obviously, is very, very good, the conductor was really excellent, and my colleagues were all wonderful as well. It was a very nice experience, and it’s really amazing to be here. I hope I’ll have the chance to come back again in the future.”
Malta’s Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, José Herrera, praised the participation of the three singers, noting that such opportunities are instrumental for helping to bolster Malta’s presence on the international stage.
“The exporting of Malta’s culture abroad strengthens our identity and our presence. Malta is a small country, and obviously, culture is a form of diplomacy, and it’s the best way to promote yourselves. Being present in international concerts and festivals like this will help Malta’s presence and strengthen our opportunities”, he said.
From left: Clare Ghigo, Nicola Said and Angelo Muscat at the MusicHall in Dubai
The Middle East Classical Music Academy was held at the MusicHall of Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel’s in Dubai between the 4th and 23rd of September, under the organisation of the European Foundation for Support of Culture. To remain updated on the Foundation’s latest projects, please visit the official website at http://eufsc.eu/.
