Joseph Lia To Perform Sacred Arias At Onorati Oratory In Valletta

Jun 4 2025 Share

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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New Garden Open Space At Dar il-Kaptan For Over 240 Persons With Disability

Jun 4 2025 Share

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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Animal Welfare Sees 337 dog Adoptions in 2024

Animal Welfare Sees 337 dog Adoptions in 2024
Jun 4 2025 Share

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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Opposition Leader Bernard Grech Calls for Manoel Island to Become a National Park

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech Calls for Manoel Island to Become a National Park
Jun 4 2025 Share

Opposition leader Bernard Grech took to instagram to drop his concerns regarding recent news on Manoel Island.

In a video he said, “As long as there is still a chance and no development has taken place yet, let us do our best to transform Manoel Island into a national park, as 29,000 people who signed the petition are calling for. The Nationalist Party understands the frustration of the residents of the localities surrounding Manoel Island, who are now fed up with the situation. I remind you that our country today is not the same as it was 25 years ago when the concession was granted, based on an agreement between the two sides of Parliament.”

 

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Grech also mentioned that, following calls made last week, the Prime Minister now appears to be moving in the same direction.

Grech concluded, “We are determined that, together with the Maltese people, we will see this beautiful dream of turning this site into a park enjoyed by families become a reality.”

#MaltaDaily