On 4th November 2022, Maestro Joseph Vella`s ‘Rewwixta’ (Opus 54) was performed at the Mdina Cathedral as part of Festivals Malta`s “Three Palaces Festival.”

‘Rewwixta’ is a one-hour long cantata for four soloists (soprano, mezzo soprano, tenor and baritone), and was performed under the baton of Maestro Josef Debrincat with the participation of the Bel Canto Choir and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

Family Vella is delighted to have witnessed a full house turn out for the event. ‘Rewwixta’ is one of Vella`s major works and was revived following Family Vella`s fruitful collaboration with Festivals Malta, after the premiere performance 30 years ago. It was penned by another giant within the Maltese cultural field, Professor Oliver Friġġieri, and thereafter set to music by Maestro Vella.

In critic Albert G. Storace`s words, “This was an exhilaratingly glorious experience……Both Vella and Friggieri were very patriotic, which made their collaboration very meaningful…… Vella’s music allows different elements to be given a voice…..It was a glorious performance by all the team. It was received with a standing ovation and an encore of the part of the finale.”

This cantata will be followed by another oratorio ‘Il-Belt Rebbieħa’ (Opus 50), which was premiered in 1990 and has also not been performed since. ‘Il-Belt Rebbieha’ will be the Three Palaces Festival`s closing event, to be performed on the 12th November 2022 at St. Lawrence Parish Church, Birgu. Tickets for ‘Il-Belt Rebbieha’ may be purchased via the Festivals web page.

The collaboration between the Vella Family and Festivals Malta will also include an emotional launching in May 2024 of Mro. Vella`s unfinished opera ‘Valeriana’. This highly anticipated, premier performance 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. More details will be provided at a later stage.