Gaulitana - Festival of Music - 2027 - 20th Ed.

Defined as “a major festival of classical music” by the UK’s Musical Opinion, - indeed a huge feat for its organiser, the Gaulitanus Choir (a small non-aligned voluntary organisation) - Gaulitana: A Festival of Music will now be in its 20th edition.  

Being held between Easter Sunday, 28th March and Sunday, 25th April 2027, and artistically directed by Colin Attard, one of the country’s most renowned musicians, it is held in various localities around Gozo, Malta, and features a mix of local and international artists, ensembles, choirs and orchestras.

The artistic content in this 1-month-long stretch of public events presents:

• a multifarious programme with a mix of musical styles (orchestral/opera/vocal/chamber/recitals) 
• evening and lunchtime concerts and a lecture-recital
• a concluding thorough OPERA+ Weekend
• the full-scale production of Giuseppe Verdi's greatest tragic drama, Otello, – the festival’s climax on April 24th, featuring world-class artists, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and the Gaulitanus Choir itself (and preceded by a pre-opera talk)
• an exhibition – thus also bridging over to non-musical disciplines.

In parallel, an intensive and very structured GauLearn educational programme (essentially running concurrently) takes place, consisting of:

• illustrated presentations in schools and other venues targeting the broadening of musical awareness & appreciation
• public events scheduled during school hours thus rendering them accessible to schools 
• an ambitious #opera4me project – through the adaptation of the festival’s programmed opera for schoolchildren, theatre experiences and discounted student tickets for the opera night
• the Miriam Gauci Vocal Master Classes (for adult learners), held in later s

A significant corollary is an international programme of events ensuing directly from the festival’s ever-growing international networking, all scheduled as part of the organisation’s broader programme of events throughout the year.

The festival’s philosophy aims at imparting the value of the arts to all the strata of society while targeting a gradual audience growth in all sectors, and hence always looks to attract audiences with different interests, seeks the engagement of its audiences, and reaches out to different communities and audience sectors.

This is achieved by offering all concerts (except the opera) to the general public for free, as well as through an outreach philosophy resulting in the holding of events in various venues and localities around Gozo rather than just sticking entirely to our comfort zone (Victoria), the planning of audience-friendly schedules, as well as the diversification of the artistic content.

The festival's audience consists of Gozo residents (locals or ex-pats), Maltese residents who cross over specifically from Malta, foreigners who come over from abroad specifically for the festival, tourists who happen to be around, as well as schoolchildren.

Reaching its goals has also been enhanced – and actually made possible – by the support of interested stakeholders: the tourism and business sectors, churches, local councils, government agencies, PCOs, together with educational and social institutions.

Undoubtedly, Gaulitana: A Festival of Music has been making a significant direct input on the local cultural ecology, thus also contributing to Victoria, its home city, being awarded the title of European City of Culture 2031.

Truly, being the Gaulitanus Choir’s flagship event, Gaulitana: A Festival of Music was surely a catalyst in helping H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta, shape the words she attributed to the choir in her welcome address during the choir’s Celebratory Concert at San Anton Palace (8/11/2025); indeed, that “the Gaulitanus Choir embodies the very best of what we aspire to as a nation – dedication, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to sharing our cultural heritage with the world.”