The Valletta Baroque Festival is described as “a Baroque festival for a Baroque island” by Artistic Director Kenneth Zammit Tabona. Now in its 12th year, it has an impressively ambitious programme of some 30 events packed into three weeks, attracting international performers and audiences to the island every January. Homegrown forces, the Valletta Baroque Ensemble and KorMalta, opened the Festival with a splendid performance of Bach’s St John Passion, performed in the sumptuous setting of Valletta’s historic St John’s Co-Cathedral.
Bach’s St John Passion takes the harrowing events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion, the high drama of the angry impassioned crowds, the desperate disciples and Jesus before Pilate all threaded together by the storytelling Evangelist. Arias reflect on the unfolding events and, in the familiar Lutheran chorales, the story is made personal to the audience. The Baroque orchestral accompaniment is as integral as the voices with some wonderful showcase spots for viola d’amore and viola di gamba with space for the continuo to be creative.
Director Riccardo Bianchi had his soloists sing with the 20-strong KorMalta, adding weight to the angry crowd scenes and the big choruses bookending the work, stepping out for their arias. The trend for Baroque performances has been towards smaller forces and quicker pacing, but Bianchi took things steadily, allowing the work to breathe organically, the big opening chorus almost dreamy with mellow woodwinds before the voices cut through towards the end. While there were a few pauses at points to rearrange the musicians, the dramatic sequences were especially compelling.
Matteo Magistrali was an engaging, pure-voiced Evangelist, placed centrally within the ensemble, his whole body living the role in getting the terrible story across, sensitive to the narrative and visibly moved after Peter’s denials. Continuo from cello, theorbo, chamber organ and harpsichord reinforced his recitatives sympathetically, but following Magistrali as he almost interrupted proceedings at highly dramatic moments, bursting to tell us his vivid tale.
Soloists were impressive, Gillian Zammit’s bell-clear soprano ringing out with two intertwining flutes in “Ich folge dir gleichfalls”, later anguished in “Zerfließe, mein Herze” underpinned with flute and a lovely oboe da caccia. Raisa Marie Micallef’s mellow alto with woodwind contrasted with her final solemn aria “Es ist vollbracht” with its haunting viola da gamba solo and the extraordinary central triumphal section. Nicholas Mulroy held a score but sang off book, bringing an immediacy to his arias, his plangent tenor filling the cathedral. Albert Buttigieg brought sonorous depth to Jesus and Giacomo Pieracci was a gloriously rich-voiced and feisty Pilate.
Bianchi balanced his forces well, shaping the chorales and driving the short impactful choruses along with gusto. Special mentions for Mauro Colantonio for lovely viola da gamba playing (also Baroque flute) and viola d’amore players Sarah Spiteri and Alberto Intrieri. Baroque cellist Jacob Portelli, placed directly in front of Bianchi, was full of inventive continuo, slipping in ornaments and relishing his solo spots. There was no interval (or short sermon) between Parts 1 and 2, only a tuning break which maintained the work’s momentum.
KorMalta, so integral to this work, took on the mantle of angry mob, their reflective commentary balancing their chorales and big choruses splendidly. The building dictated their arrangement on one side of the stage in a slightly closed C shape slightly diminished their impact at some points, but their final chorus “Ruht wohl” was as moving as the final chorale was uplifting, looking forward to the resurrection.
David's press trip was funded by Visit Malta
