UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
KOPERATTIVA KULTURALI
UNIVERSITARJA
EVENINGS ON CAMPUS
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Evenings on Campus, the Summer festival for cultural events, is in its 16th edition. It comprises
five films, two literary evenings, one Italian play, a contemporary dance and one musical event.
The activities, which will commence on the 4th August and finish on the 30th August, will be held in
Valletta, at the Old University Courtyard and all start at 2030hrs. The venue we chose this year
is not just central but it will provide a historical backdrop to all our events.
The activities will be held outside, but, unlike an open piazza where anyone can stop and look on,
the unique courtyard will help create the intimacy necessary to build a link between the artist and
the viewer.
When the festival originated, cultural events were not very numerous and the campus at tal-Qroqq
used to be deserted in summer. Since then Evenings on Campus has become a regular and
appreciated addition to Malta’s summer cultural life. One of the main objectives has always been to
animate campus by involving the students, lecturers and staff and to offer a venue to whoever felt
they had a talent, whether it was artistic or organisational. Students’ ideas were always accepted
with enthusiasm and made possible through funding by the University of Malta with the Koperattiva’s
resources, expertise and contacts.
FILMS
Every Monday evening throughout August (04, 11, 18, 25) (€5)
This year’s films are of the ‘Ensemble’ genre and include some true cult movies. Most ensemble
films centre on a single character or location; it is their connection to either the location or the person
that makes their story valid in the ensemble. The strong characteristic of these films is the ability of
the directors to create a dynamic between one story and other until the stories draw a tighter circle,
become closer and finally become one.
11
18
25
04
EVENING WITH DOUGLAS DUNN
Thursday, 07 August (€8)
Professor Douglas Dunn was born in 1942 in Scotland. He is currently
Professor of English and Director of St Andrew’s Scottish Studies
Institute at St Andrew’s University. He became a Fellow of the Royal
Society of Literature in 1981 and is a regular contributor of articles and
reviews to newspapers and journals including the Glasgow Herald,
the New Yorker and the Times Literary Supplement.
Dunn’s first collection of poetry, Terry Street, was published by in
1969, and Love or Nothing appeared in 1974. His other poetry books include St. Kilda’s Parliament
(1981), and the acclaimed Elegies (1985). Secret Villages, a collection of short stories, was published
in the same year. More recent publications include a collection of short stories, Boyfriends and
Girlfriends (1995), and three poetry collections, The Donkey’s Ears (2000), The Year’s Afternoon
(2000) and New Selected Poems 1964-2000 (2002).
Dunn has received innumerable prizes and
awards for his works. In addition to his collections of poetry and short stories, Dunn has edited
various anthologies and critical works. He has also written several television and radio plays, and
has published a translation of Racine’s Andromache (1990).
Douglas Dunn lives in Scotland. He was
awarded an OBE in 2003.
This evening, with readings by Prof. Dunn, of his poetry and prose is being organised by the students
of the English Dpartment under the guidance of Dr Ivan Callus. The students, who have reached
their final year, have organised similar poetry evenings before.
30TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING OF MIDNIGHT EXPRESS
Friday, 08 August (€5)
This screening is being held to celebrate the 30th anniversary since the film
was released. A discussion will precede the screening during which a panel
will discuss different themes such as the actors, filming locations and music
that resonate throughout the film. The film has a very special place for many
residents in Valletta since it was filmed in the capital city and many residents
worked as extras. It is timeless in its subject as it is an unforgettable look at how innocence is lost in
prison and what one must do in order to survive and get home.
Nominated for six 1978 Academy Awards, and winner for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original
Score, Midnight Express is led by the powerful direction of Alan Parker with a powerful performance
by its lead actor Brad Davis and supporting actors John Hurt and Randy Quaid.
LA MANDRAGOLA
a free adaptation from the play by Niccolò Machiavelli
presented by the Compagnia Balagàn
in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura
Wednesday, 13 & Thursday, 14 August (€8)
This adaptation of the play La Mandragola by Niccolò Machiavelli, brings together, using intrigue and
comedy, the main themes of the play by the well-known 16th century playwright. The aim is to follow
the Italian tradition of taking an erudite text and presenting it to a general audience in a fresh and
amusing way using masks and the physicality of the actors.
The characters are those typical of the Commedia dell’Arte: young lovers, older people who oppose
their love, boastful masters, clever servants who manage to turn every situation to their advantage.
The show has an open scenario and the play will be characterised by the use
of musical interludes and noises ‘off’ in the form of musical and percussion
instruments. The basic needs of Man will be emphasised: hunger, love,
power, sex (in the form of double entendres) whilst the involvement of the
audience will also be encouraged. The dialogue and action will be quick in
every sense, light and rhythmic.
JEKK
il-holm taghna sehh
ILLUM
Friday, 22 August (€5)
An extraordinary evening is being held on the 22nd August. It will consist of well-known guests who
were young thinkers and artists in the 60’s. These young people, inspired by the Beatles and the
60’s revolution, were imagining the future and, with their initiatives in literature, music and theatrical
abilities, left their mark on Maltese history. All the guests will be Maltese and will include Oliver
Friggieri, Lillian Sciberras, Frans Sammut, Francis Zammit Dimech, who started the Four T’s, Charles
Xuereb and others. Some will participate in person while others will be present through the use of
multimedia. We would like to recapture the thoughts of these literary and musical figures and shall
be reading some of their work which represents the 60’s in Malta at its most important moment.
VANESSA & THE O’s
BEANGROWERS
Saturday, 23 August (€8)
Its been nearly 10 years since Beangrowers first exploded onto the local
scene with their debut single “Astroboy”. During this time the band has literally
been going places. With 4 albums under their belt, the band has worked with
several international record labels, releasing their music in the UK, USA,
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Australia and even Korea, all the
while touring extensively and building an international fanbase. During this
time they have shared the stage with such greats as Tindersticks, Elbow, Deus and Stereophonics.
Award-winning director Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club, Wings of Desire) is a fan and even
used the song “The Priest” (from their 2006 album, “Dance Dance Baby”) for his movie “Land of
Plenty”, alongside David Bowie and Leonard Cohen. The band’s music has also been used for
other films such as “Liebe Deine Nachste” and “Passing Summer”.
Following their first ever USA appearance in 2004 the band did not look back and started making
inroads in the USA market. Championed by the likes of KCRW radio’s influential tastemaker Nic
Harcourt, the band wowed audiences at their SXSW appearances and legendary New York Club
Sine’. The band’s music has also been used for popular TV series “Ghostwhisperer” and “Wildfire”
as well as a number of commercials.
Beangrowers have come to be known for their unique style, an infectious mixture of guitar-based
pop and quirky keyboard sounds. While that can still be heard on their new album “Not In A Million
Lovers”, there’s also a noticeably more mature element, both lyrically and musically. The band looks
forward to their forthcoming North America release via acclaimed record label Minty Fresh (The
Cardigans, Waterboys, Veruca Salt)
www.myspace.com/beangrowers
Vanessa Contenay-Quinones is French, Paris born and bred. She grew up loving the sounds of
the 60’s found rummaging through her dad’s record collection … Gainsbourg, Birkin, Hardy, and of
course Dutronc. She went to London during the 90’s, released an album as Espiritu on Heavenly
Records, remixed the B52’s and collaborated with A Guy Called Gerald.
In 2004 she met up with Lou Reed in a NY studio to record an electro/pop version of the Velvet
Underground’s classic “Sunday Morning”. It was the first time that Reed recorded in French! In
2005 she started a band called The O’s with ex Smashing Pumpkin
James Iha. Vanessa & the O’s debut album “La Ballade d’O” was
Rough Trade’s album of the week and was desribed as “a fantastic
album of european cool with breathy vocals over music that sounds
like The Concretes, Stereolab or a more modern take on the
Velvet Underground…”, and by leading French music journal Les
Inrockuptibles as an “..amazing album of ultra pop, between Bardot
and the Velvets”. Vanessa was also guest vocalist on Scott Walkers
album “The Drift”, his first release in 11 years.
In 2007 Vanessa & The O’s contributed a track to the Ennio
Morricone tribute album ‘We All Love Ennio Morricone’ alongside
Bruce Springsteen, Metallica and the Maestro himself.
DANCE MODERN/CLASSIC (€8)
Friday, 29th and Saturday, 30th August
Two highly qualified Maltese artists, who lecture abroad, Ms Christina Camilleri and Ms Maria
Cassar, will be leading a project together with five young, foreign dancers. The choreography for the
contemporary and classical dance to be performed is an original project,
created solely for Evenings on Campus.
The medium of PERCEPTION’ is an innovative
dance project that portrays contemporary ideas in
the dance world. It is an exploration of movement
inspired by the human senses. Choreographers
Christina Camilleri and Maria Cassar merge together
two different dance genres to create a fusion of
classical and contemporary techniques. This dance
project represents the collaboration of Maltese as well
as dancers from UK and Ireland. Working with 20th
Century music, contemporary composers of our time gives this collaboration
an exquisite touch. The audience is asked to come, support and participate
as an artist would in front of an blank canvas.
With the support of
Vodafone; Agenda; Exotique;
Bookends; NewsKiosk & at the door