Two rarely performed one-act operas by Christoph Willibald Gluck, La Corona and Il Parnaso Confuso, are being staged for the first time in Malta as part of the Valletta Early Opera Festival..
Now in its third edition, the festival continues its mission to challenge audiences with early operatic works often overshadowed by mainstream repertoire.
Following past productions of Mozart’s Apollo et Hyacinthus and Il Re Pastore, this year’s festival brings La Corona and Il Parnaso Confuso to life with a fresh creative vision.
The two operas were composed in 1765 by Gluck, best known for his revolutionary Orphée et Eurydice, for the daughters of Empress Maria Therese. Though differing in tone and setting, the operas are united by their elegant mythological storytelling, rich vocal writing, and Gluck’s early vision of opera as both spectacle and emotional truth.
In Il Parnaso Confuso, the muses of Mount Parnassus bicker over who should perform at a royal event. Set in a world of witty rivalry and creative vanity, the opera is a satire of artistic ego and courtly pomp. This production draws aesthetic inspiration from the opulence of the Roaring Twenties, referencing The Bright Young Things and salomania.
Immediately following, La Corona offers a tonal shift. Centered on Atalanta, a fearless huntress chosen to slay a deadly boar, it celebrates female heroism and moral clarity. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this production references the fashion and resilience of wartime Britain, including visual nods to Queen Elizabeth’s mechanical service, balancing strength with grace.
Under the musical direction of Mro Giulio Prandi, with assistant conductor Giacomo Biagi (conducting on November 9) and the return of the Arianna Art Ensemble, this double-bill is directed by Brett Nicholas Brown.
The creative team also includes celebrated Maltese designer Luke Azzopardi and set designer Anthony Bonnici, who was part of the creative team behind Malta’s pavilion Urna at the 2025 London Design Biennale. Lighting is designed by Moritz Zavan Stoeckle, one of Malta’s foremost lighting designers.
The cast features some of Malta’s most distinguished opera talent alongside rising voices, including Gillian Zammit, Caterina Iora, Cledia Micallef, Gabrielle Portelli, Francesca Aquilina and Bettina Zammit.
La Corona and Il Parnaso Confuso take place on Friday and Sunday. For more information and tickets, visit www.festivals.mt/veof.
The Valletta Early Opera Festival is organised by Festivals Malta in collaboration with the Manoel Theatre. This event is also supported by the Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government, and is sponsored by Schweppes and Bortex.
