The dance aspect of MIAF will be a leading feature of this year’s programme.
The 14th edition of the Malta International Arts Festival (MIAF), taking place between 28 June and 14 July, features an impressive line-up of dance for this year’s audience.
The dance showcases will exhibit an enchanting array of different styles, including flamenco, contemporary and even performances accompanied to electronic music for the avant-garde enthusiast – all in keeping with the running theme of ‘water’ that underlies this year’s festival.
“The programme will navigate through the varied practices that have evolved in our contemporary Europe, and their different dance languages,” says Paolo Mangiola, artistic director of ŻfinMalta. “Each artist will bring their unique voice, aesthetic, and individual take on dance, choreography and storytelling in the most unconventional and surprising ways.”
As a public cultural organisation that celebrates the fusion of local and international artistic talent, the MIAF’s opening dance event, Ilħna Mediterranji (Mediterranean Voices), will feature a double-bill from two award-winning international choreographers, Jacopo Godani and Jorge Crecis “created with the Maltese at heart,” says Mr Mangiola. It will take place on the Main Stage, Boat Street (Il-Fossa), Valletta on Sunday 30 June at 9pm.
“The combination of these works is unique and unprecedented, as they both demand incredibly high intensity of physicality,” expresses Mr Mangiola about the choreography. “It offers an experience to the audience that is simultaneously accessible, entertaining and thought provoking.”
The audience will revel in the interdisciplinary collaboration of contemporary music and dance at the M.A.D Music and Dance event. The dance element of this production portrays three new choreographies by Gil Kerer and Zoe Camilleri set to music for four-hands piano (two pianists on one keyboard) by Karl Fiorini, Veronique Vella and Alex Vella Gregory. M.A.D. also features three major 20th century works: Mysteries of the Macabre by György Ligeti – a tour de force for soprano and chamber orchestra, this work exemplifies Ligeti’s cartoonesque virtuosity of composition and his use of irony, wit and absurdity; Sextuor by Guillaume Connesson will engage the audience with it’s up-beat rhythmic pulse; Façade Entertainments by William Walton portrays a series of poems by Edith Sitwell recited by Chris Dingli over an instrumental accompaniment.
Likewise, Israel Galván will be performing flamenco that has mesmerised audiences around the globe, in the production FLA.CO.MEN.
As if that isn’t exciting enough, the festival will also present unique performances on a Turkish gulet, acting as a floating stage around the Island. Silk’n Beats/Tempesta, a double-bill programme featuring choreographer Abel Hernández González, will take place on 8 July. Message in a Bottle will exhibit a choreography by Pamela Kerr the following day as well as on 14 July. Last but not least, on 10 July, Minn Taħt l-Ilsien will showcase dance artist Florinda Camilleri choreographed by Lucía Piquero.
Rounding off the week, Dance Hybrid will hold an informal performance of an intensive week of dance masterclasses for experienced, pre-professional and professional dancers on 12 July.
Tickets for the above productions are now available. For more information and to view the full programme of the Malta International Arts Festival 2019, please visit www.festivals.mt/miaf or www.facebook.com/MaltaArtsFestival/
