Springtime Serenade

Barocco Foundation, in collaboration with Din l-Art Ħelwa, is delighted to present a lunchtime concert on Tuesday 6th May at 12:30pm at Our Lady of Victory Church in Valletta. This recital features tenor Stanley Joe Portelli, accompanied by the accomplished pianist Maria-Elena Farrugia. Together, they will take the audience on a musical journey spanning the English countryside, the splendour of the operatic stage, and the intimacy of the French and German art song traditions.

The programme opens with Linden Lea (A Dorset Song) by Ralph Vaughan Williams, a pastoral gem that evokes the serenity of the English countryside. From there, Portelli performs Dalla sua pace from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, an aria that reveals emotional vulnerability. The baroque flair of Vivaldi follows in La Tiranna avversa sorte from Arsilda, regina di Ponto.

The concert then moves into the rich textures of the French mélodie with Duparc’s Chanson Triste, a melancholic yet elegant piece, and Fauré’s Nell, which combines lyrical warmth with expressive intensity. Portelli then brings charm and light-heartedness to Quanto è bella, quanto è cara from Donizetti’s comic opera “L’elisir d’amore”, in which the lovesick Nemorino marvels at the beauty of his beloved.

The programme continues with the hauntingly beautiful Allerseelen by Richard Strauss, a Lied that speaks of love and remembrance. Roger Quilter’s setting of Shakespeare’s Come away, death adds a touch of English melancholy. The concert concludes with one of opera’s most iconic arias—Verdi’s La donna è mobile from “Rigoletto”, a brilliant and energetic finale.

Springtime Serenade: will be held at Our Lady of Victory church, Valletta on Tuesday 06th May 2025 at 12:30pm. Entrance to the concert is at a suggested donation of 10 euro.  One can obtain the tickets prior to the concert from the venue itself or by email: baroccobookings@gmail.com/baroccomalta@gmail.com or phone 79680952