“Echoes of an Unheard Opera: The Legacy of Giuseppe Camilleri”

On the 27th of May 2023, Mikiel Anton Vassalli College (MAVC) launched the project Ġawhar Misjub — which translates to Discovered Gems — a celebration of operatic works by late Maltese composers.

Among the featured figures is Giuseppe Camilleri (1903–1976), born into a highly musical family. He studied under his father, Ferdinando Camilleri (1859–1942), founder of Cappella Camilleri, the principal musical ensemble serving Sliema’s Stella Maris and Sacro Cuor parishes.

A talented pianist and accomplished conductor, Giuseppe Camilleri also held the role of bandmaster of the La Valette Band. Remarkably, at just 22 years of age, he was appointed Maestro del Coro at the Teatru Rjal in Valletta, where he conducted operas and met renowned composers such as Riccardo Zandonai and Ottorino Respighi, as well as celebrated soprano Maria Caniglia. These artists also praised Camilleri’s compositions.

His musical style is often described as that of a modern Puccini, known for his lyrical and expressive melodies. Camilleri composed a range of sacred music, an operetta titled Shalti Nar, and his only opera, Monna Bianca — a work that, until now, has never been performed.

Through Ġawhar Misjub, MAVC pays tribute to Camilleri’s exceptional gift for vocal writing and his dedication to melodic beauty, bringing long-overlooked treasures of Maltese operatic heritage into the spotlight.

The main objectives of such multi-disciplinary arts productions produced by Mikiel Anton Vassalli College, is to serve as an artistic educational environment where students of the visual and performing arts can take part in the actual live productions alongside professionals in the sector – thus bridging the studies/education with the performing arts industry.