Aħna Refuġjati: ‘a next generation opera in Maltese’

Grab your tickets now! 

Aħna Refuġjati: the brand new and original opera, staged and scripted entirely in Maltese, is about to bring a feast of sound and visuals to The Granaries in Floriana on the 31st August and 2nd September. Grab your tickets now!

The production, which is part of the Valletta 2018 Cultural Programme, will be tackling contemporary issues through a winning combination of dynamic music and a timeless story.

The themes – war, immigration, and the often overlooked narrative of refugees in crisis – are topical and challenging. But the story’s core, as it follows the trials of a family torn apart by war, remains raw and heartfelt. These themes will all be presented through the classic, timeless medium of opera, with the participation of a number of highly-acclaimed local and international artists.

The stellar line-up includes soprano Miriam Gauci, counter-tenor José Hernàndez Pastor, tenor Joseph Zammit and mezzo-sopranos Clare Ghigo and Federica Falzon in the leading roles. Gauci and Pastor will be in the roles of parents Shari and Eleja, while Zammit, Ghigo and Falzon will play Hamid, Saja and Darit, the couple’s three children. The cast also includes tenor Nico Darmanin in the role of Karl, a young volunteer; sopranos Ruth Sammut Casingena and Nadia Vella, in the roles of Fatima and Diva, bass-baritone Louis Andrew Cassar in the role of Mirani, an activist, and baritone Joseph Lia in the role of an officer.

Composed by Mario Sammut and Richard Merill Brown, this will not be your average opera inside a theatre with a live orchestra, but a truly dynamic work. With the sounds of 184 instrumentalists virtually created by Mario Sammut inside his studio, the music of this opera is completely engineered thanks to the help of servers and advanced musical equipment, making Aħna Refuġjati a ‘next-generation opera’ experience.

Aħna Refuġjati recounts the story of Eleja, his wife Shari, and their three children aged 20, 18 and 10, who flee from their war-torn village in Syria after witnessing atrocities during the civil war, in hopes of a better life in Europe. The opera follows the family’s struggles with crossing borders, the lack of basic human rights, racism, separation and loss, on a journey motivated by hope.

Although the opera is scripted entirely in Maltese, surtitles will be shown in both English and Maltese, therefore allowing all audiences to follow along.

The opera is being produced under the musical direction of Richard Merrill Brown and direction of Mario Philip Azzopardi, with stage design by Antoine Farrugia.

Follow the journey of a family that flees an unsafe homeland in search of a better life. Aħna Refuġjati will be held on the 31st of August and on the 2nd of September at 21.00, at the Granaries in Floriana.

To book your tickets visit tickets.valletta2018.org

Aħna Refuġjati is being organised by the Valletta 2018 Foundation in collaboration with the Floriana Local Council, the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation, the Armed Forces of Malta, Transport Malta and Mad About Video. It is part of the Valletta 2018 Cultural Programme.