Новости за 05.02.2017

Manchester United continued their push for a top-four finish with a comfortable 3-0 victory at champions Leicester City, extending their unbeaten English Premier League run to 15 games. Henrikh Mkhitaryan open the scoring with a cool finish after he galloped onto Chris Smalling's header in the 42nd minute and, with Leicester's defence still recovering, Zlatan Ibrahimovic added a second two minutes later. Juan Mata stroked home their third goal after some delightful link up play with Mkhitaryan in... Читать дальше...

It could not be otherwise. As far as I know, there has never been a performance of an oratorio performed at the Oratory of St John’s Co-Cathedral dealing with the very subject depicted by Caravaggio in his masterpiece at the back of that historic space. Composer Stradella, who was also to come to a sticky end, composed his San Giovanni Battista in 1675. The piece is a setting of the final phase of the saint’s life, climaxing in the latter’s beheading. Just like in any oratorio, the action has to be imagined, hinted at by the music and the text.

Midsea Books, in collaboration with the Department of History of Art at the University of Malta, have produced a festschrift to celebrate Mario Buhagiar’s outstanding lifetime academic achievements. This sizeable volume was produced on the initiative of Charlene Vella, who edited the book. Titled At Home in Art: Essays in Honour of Mario Buhagiar, the book has been prepared to honour the legacy of Buhagiar and his love for the art and history of Malta. It is also a fitting manifestation of gratitude... Читать дальше...

Gabriel Jesus underlined his impressive early form at Manchester City with two goals in a 2-1 win over Swansea City but his sparkling emergence has cast doubt over the starting role of talismanic forward Sergio Aguero. The 19-year-old Brazilian again started ahead of the Argentine and turned in another eye-catching performance full of vim and vigour that culminated with a stoppage-time winner. His double took his tally to three goals and two assists in four league and cup games since arriving at... Читать дальше...

As the world this weekend unites to raise awareness about cancer, Sarah Carabott found out – from one patient and two nurses – that positivity and knowledge go a long way towards helping patients fight their illness and the anxiety that it causes. When her first chemotherapy cycle was over, Antonella Rogers threw in the towel, having decided it was not worth fighting anymore. However, in a reversal of attitude, she soon started to use her unfortunate situation for the good by meeting other people... Читать дальше...

Albert Storace is enchanted by a performance by members of the Rotterdam Ensemble during Din l-Art Ħelwa’s annual celebration concert and during various other engagements. Din l-Art Ħelwa’s (DLĦ) annual cele­bration concert was the 51st and comprised a concert and dinner at St John’s Cavalier, Valletta. This was courtesy of Umberto di Capua, Ambassador to Malta of the S.M.O.M. Before the excellent dinner was served, the spacious barrel vault of the cavalier’s main chamber rang to the sound of string music. Читать дальше...

France's far-right party leader Marine Le Pen told thousands of flag-waving supporters chanting "This is our country!" that she alone would protect them against Islamic fundamentalism and globalisation if elected president in May. Buoyed by Trump's victory and Britons' vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen's anti-immigration, anti-EU National Front (FN) hopes for similar populist momentum in France. With hitherto favourite Francois Fillon, a conservative, embroiled in scandal over his wife's job and rising centrist star... Читать дальше...

For the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and the Amadeus Choir celebration of the Fab Four, Johnathan Cilia speaks to Wayne Grima about the upcoming tribute concert to The Beatles. For many, The Beatles are the quintessential musical outfit. Part rock, part pop, all fab, these four Liverpudlians heralded an age of celebrity mania and artistic experi­mentation, hitting the musical mainstream on a massive scale rarely seen before. Decades after their heady rise in the Swinging Sixties, constantly courting... Читать дальше...

Posters accusing Pope Francis of attacking conservative Catholics have appeared around Rome this weekend and are being swiftly covered up by city authorities. Put up during the night between Friday and Saturday by mystery activists, the posters featured a picture of a stern-faced pope and the slogan: "Where's your mercy?" The text accused Francis of several interventions targeting conservatives, including what the posters called "the beheading of the Knights of Malta". This was a reference to an... Читать дальше...

As Adrian Buckle’s new play, Unintended, prepares for its premiere next month, Jo Caruana chats to British actress Joyia Fitch, who’ll be flying down to join this pioneering production. Most creatives will tell you they’re constantly looking for their next hit. For an actor, one play leads to another, while a producer is already on the hunt for their next production while still working on the first. This is very true of Unifaun’s well-known artistic director Adrian Buckle, whose past plays have... Читать дальше...

BIRKIRKARA 2Herrera 16, Andelkovic 18GZIRA UNITED 1Cohen 83 pen Birkirkara edged past Gzira United to keep their flickering title hopes alive. The Stripes lived up to the billing that they had the qualities to repeat their first round success against Gzira United. The early indications suggested a comfortable victory for Birkirkara who jolted Gzira United with a two-goal flurry in two minutes but a well-taken goal by Andrew Cohen seven minutes from time threw the Maroons a glimmer of hope. Gzira... Читать дальше...

Astra Theatre has announced the principal cast for the upcoming musical Evita scheduled for March. Evita follows the tour-de-force experience of Grease last April – the first-ever live musical produced at this theatre. Cathy Lawlor will star in the iconic role of Eva Peron opposite local tenor and actor Joseph Zammit in the role of Che, with renowned actor Edward Mercieca taking on the role of Juan Perón. Evita, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and written by Tim Rice, narrates the story of Eva Perón, wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. Читать дальше...

This week in our churches we will be celebrating the feast of St Paul’s shipwreck. As usual, the Mass readings will be chapters 27 and 28 of the Acts of the Apostles. Chapter 27 is all about the voyage and shipwreck, and many researchers refer to this chapter to better understand ancient seafaring. Listening to the reading, we are all impressed by the adversity encountered by the 276 people on board. We understand that they survived this violent storm by divine intervention, and I do not dispute this. Читать дальше...

I must have been about 12 or 13 years old when I first became acquainted with Helmut Newton. The internet being in its infancy at the time, I had come across a black and white book at a local bookshop containing some of the most striking pictures I had ever seen in my young life. Newton’s photos were not only riveting, but the downright sexiness of the (sometimes) artless posing of his subjects conveyed a particular naiveté that appealed to me. This juxtaposition of sex and innocence with fragility... Читать дальше...

Malta registered the fourth worst result in retail trade amongst EU countries in December 2016. While retail sales across the EU increased by 2.3%, retail sales in Malta shrunk by 0.7%. Eighteen countries out of the 22 Member States that submitting their data fared better than Malta, the Nationalist Party said today. Shadow finance minister Mario de Marco and Robert Arrigo, spokesman on small business said a closer look at the data points to an even worse situation. With a 9.5% decrease, Malta registered the worst decrease in food sales. Читать дальше...

Mothers considering an abortion should be taught how to love and helped to choose life over death, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said today. During his homily at a Mass to mark Jum mil-Ħajja, Mgr Scicluna also urged the authorities who were responsible for the introduction of the morning after pill “to have the courage” to give potential users the “full information” about all the effects of such medicinal products. He said that now that Malta was at the crossroads, before such a decisive decision,... Читать дальше...

The government and its privatisation unit, currently conducting negotiations on the private takeover of the Marsa horse racing track, are refusing to give details on who they are dealing with. Although negotiations have been going on for nearly a year with the Marsa Race Track Consortium – the only bidder submitting a proposal following a public call – there seems to be no definite agreement yet, while the companies and individuals behind the consortium have not yet been announced. Confirming that... Читать дальше...

Joseph F. Grima:The Fleet of the Knights of Malta. BDL, 2016. Giovanni Bonello The fortunes of the Order of St John ebbed and flowed dramatically over the thousand years of its existence, particularly during its Maltese period, when it was enjoying its highest profile ever on the world stage. Even when international criticism over its very raison d’etre, its politics and its achievements started gathering momentum, its small, dashing, thieving fleet held the respect of most observers of the maritime scene. Читать дальше...

Romanians resident in Malta held an anti-corruption protest outside their country's consulate in Valletta today, even as the Romanian government scrapped a decree that would have shielded dozens of politicians from prosecution for corruption. The government rolled back its plans after the biggest protests since the fall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989. The Romanians who live in Malta carried the Romanian flag and placards against the head of the ruling Social Democrats (PSD) Liviu Dragnea, who is undergoing trial. Читать дальше...

With their constant desire to make football “better” I suspect the people that run the game have started to forget one golden rule – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The latest – and apparently impending – change to the sport is going to come in the form of sin bins. Football’s rule making body, IFAB, will be considering the introduction of sin bins during a meeting next month. And the word on the street is that they will be given the green light. For those of you who don’t know what a sin bin is, it is basically a naughty step for footballers.

I do not think that in the Manoel Theatre’s long history there has ever been such a concentration of dazzling coloratura and bravura singing in one evening, as there was when two prime donne  ‘confronting’ each other by re-enacting the real rivalry and true life joint appearances of soprano Francesca Cuzzoni and mezzo-soprano Faustina Bordoni. When the Cappella Gabetta, under the direction of Andres Gabetta, opened the evening with the overture to Pollarolo’s Ariodante, there was no mistaking the... Читать дальше...

I have been a runner for most of my life and, as would be expected, I am now experiencing a knee problem. It appears from an X-ray that there is no bone issue, so it must be soft tissue. The knee is a very complex part of our body and each interconnecting part is vital to the smooth movement of what really props up our bodies. I have looked at the options for someone with a knee problem.  They are not always as rosy as they appear. Joint replacement, or ‘arthroplasty’, as doctors term it, is justifiably regarded as miracle surgery. Читать дальше...

A tweet by the women's section of the European Socialist Party praising minister Chris Cardona for his support of feminist causes was an insult for Maltese women in view of the reports that the minister had visited a brothel while on official business, the PN women's movement said today. Dr Cardona, as PL deputy leader, had attended the opening of a meeting of the PES council in Malta.  The least that the Party of European Socialists could have done was to condemn Dr Cardona rather than praise him for his feminist cause, the PN said. Читать дальше...

JackieDirector: Pablo LarraínStars: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta GerwigDuration: 200 minsClass: 12KRS Releasing Ltd In Jackie, Natalie Portman and Chilean director Pablo Larrain come together to lift the curtain slightly on the enigma that was the iconic Jackie Bouvier Kennedy, wife of assassinated US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The film offers us a hitherto unseen insight into a woman who, as Larrain himself states, was stylish, desirable, sophisticated… and one of the most photographed women of the 20th century. Читать дальше...

Archbishop Charles Scicluna had what he described as “a frank” discussion with parish priests over guidelines dealing with Catholics in complicated relationships. The discussion formed part of the regular monthly meeting Mgr Scicluna has with parish priests. The matter was on the agenda following the controversy that erupted after the guidelines were released last month. Mgr Scicluna and Gozo Bishop Mario Grech drafted the guidelines to help priests implement chapter eight of Pope Francis’s exhortation Amoris Laetitia, the Joy of Love. Читать дальше...