Back to What's onWonder Women
Friday 9th January 2026
Teatru Manoel Main Stage
Spanish Baroque & Traditional Music
Performed by Forma Antiqva
A tribute to the pioneering women of modern theatre in 18th-century Spain — entrepreneurs, producers, and fearless singers who conquered the stage and asserted their worth with strength and determination.
Chirping of the Nightingale
(Children’s event for families)
Sunday 11th January 2026
Teatru Manoel Main Stage
Baroque
Performed by Lautten Compagney
Musicians blend historical tradition with modern styles, creating vibrant, imaginative reinterpretations of old melodies for young audiences.
Nemici d’Amore – Lacrime, Follia e Passione
Sunday 11th January 2026
Teatru Manoel Main Stage
Baroque
La Terza Prattica with Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli (Soprano)
One performer becomes eight operatic rivals through seamless costume changes, live metamorphosis, and bold musical reinterpretations for plucked instruments.
A Vivaldi Celebration
Saturday 17th January 2026
Teatru Manoel Main Stage
Baroque
A selection of Vivladi concertos including the Concerto for 4 Violins by virtuosos Charlie Siem and Carmine Lauri, Anna Kosinska and Samuel Cutajar and cellist Maximilian Hornung.
The Quattro Stagioni Extravaganza
Sunday 18th January 2026
Teatru Manoel Main Stage
Baroque
Vivaldi’s set of concertos depicting the Four Seasons is the most famous and iconic work in the Baroque repertoire and performed by virtuosos like Maximilian Hornung, Charlie Siem, and Carmine Lauri, this concert will surely be the jewel in the crown of the festival.
The Roots & Branches of Neapolitan Music
Saturday 24th January 2026
Teatru Manoel Main Stage
Baroque
Performed by Arianna Art Ensemble, directed by Giacomo Biagi
In the 18th century, Naples shaped Europe’s music with its expressive style, master composers, and far-reaching cultural influence.
Pelopida
Friday 23rd and Sunday 25th January 2026
Teatru Manoel Main Stage
Baroque Opera
Pelopida: A Recently Rediscovered Opera by Girolamo Abos
Conductor – Giulio Prandi
Assistant Conductor – Giacomo Biagi
Stage Director – Brett Nicholas Brown
Costume Designer – Luke Azzopardi
Set Designer – Anthony Bonnici
Lighting Designer – Moritz Zavan Stoeckle
Orchestra – Arianna Art Ensemble
Festivals Malta in collaboration with Teatru Manoel presents Italo-Maltese composer Girolamo Abos’ Pelopida, a recently rediscovered opera. For this reprise that has been hundreds of years in the making, this piece will be under the baton of Maestro Giulio Prandi and will be accompanied by a Maltese creative team with Luke Azzopardi as costume designer and Anthony Bonnici as set designer.
Inspired by the life of the Theban general Pelopidas, charting his rise from exile to revolutionary hero, the opera is set against the backdrop of political turmoil in ancient Greece. It follows his courageous fight to overthrow tyranny and restore freedom to his city. With themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and justice, Pelopida captures the spirit of resistance in the face of oppression.
