Festivals Malta, in collaboration with the Arts Council Malta and Family Vella, has announced a three-year project dedicated to three of Maestro Joseph Vella`s more elaborate compositions.

Rewwixta, Opus 54, is an oratorio 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, and will be revived again by Festivals Malta on the 28th of November 2020, at the Mdina Cathedral. 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.

The oratorio Il-Belt Rebbieħa, Opus 50, is scheduled to be performed in November 2021. Il-Belt Rebbieha and Rewwixta are each circa one hour long and both benefit from words written by another giant within the Maltese cultural field, Professor Oliver Friġġieri. A soprano, tenor and choir accompany the orchestra in what promises to be another memorable event. Il-Belt Rebbieha was premiered in 1990 and has not been performed since.

The three year cycle will end with the emotional launching of Valeriana, Mro. Vella`s unfinished opera, based on a libretto by Vince Vella, which shall be performed in the year 2022. This highly anticipated, premier performance will be the culmination of the three year project coordinated by Festivals Malta. It will be a touching tribute to Maestro Vella, being a posthumous realisation of his desire to compose an extensive opera to complement his wide range of works.

The project was launched at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina, as part of an event to also commemorate the second anniversary of Mro Vella’s passing.

Family Vella would like to thank Festivals Malta and the Arts Council Malta for their constant support in also ensuring that the above major works will be digitised.

More information about ‘Rewwixta’ and the upcoming events will be available on https://www.festivals.mt/rewwixta .