Maltese baritone Joseph Lia is set to headline a special evening of sacred music on Thursday 12th June at 8PM, at the beautifully restored Onorati Oratory inside the Jesuits’ Church in Valletta.

The concert, titled Sacred Arias, is part of APS Bank Valletta Campus Nights and promises a spiritual journey through music, featuring some of the most moving pieces in the sacred classical repertoire.

During the concert, Lia will be joined by organist Natalia Rakhmatulina, who also happens to be his wife and long-time musical partner. Together, they’ll bring to life works by Bach, Durante, Handel, Mendelssohn, Rossini, Caccini, and a special Maltese Ave Maria by composer Joseph Fenech from Naxxar.

The night will see powerful performances like Mendelssohn’s It is Enough from Elijah and Bach’s Quia fecit mihi magna from the Magnificat. Rossini’s dramatic Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus and two interpretations of the Ave Maria—one internationally known and one locally rooted to add emotional weight to the night.

The Onorati Oratory has recently been given a new lease on life thanks to restoration efforts by the Jesuits’ Church Foundation spearheaded by the Very Reverend Canon Dr Nicholas Doublet of Birkirkara.

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At Dar il-Kaptan, a voluntary organisation that provides respite services to persons with disability and support to their families, the Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works, Omar Farrugia, officially inaugurated Marcel Pisani Garden — a new open green space designed to benefit over 240 persons with disability.

Parliamentary Secretary Omar Farrugia stated, “The inauguration of Marcel Pisani Garden at Dar il-Kaptan is not just the opening of a new open space, but a symbolic and concrete gesture that shows how politics can truly be humane when the dignity of the individual is placed at the centre of every decision.”

The garden is named after Marcel Pisani, who was born in 1951 and passed away in 2017 after a battle with cancer. He was the father of two children with disability and dedicated his life to the disability sector. He was also one of the key founders of the first support group for parents of children with disabilities — the National Parents’ Society of Persons with Disability.

The Parliamentary Secretary concluded by saying, “This sustainable investment not only fosters a better environment but also brings with it a sense of respect, inclusion, and better quality of life for more than 240 persons with disability.”

With an investment of half a million euros, the first phase of the project included the redesign of the open space. This involved planting several trees and shrubs, laying new paving to suit the surroundings, and creating walkways throughout the area.

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Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Animal Rights, Anton Refalo, revealed in parliament that 337 dogs were adopted from Animal Welfare during 2024.

A significant increase from cat adoption amount which Minister Refalo also revealed to be 178 cats.

Are you a dog or dog person?

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