Page Status: Pending

Meta qorbot lejn tmiemha s-sena skolastika, l-għalliema tad-drama, Miss Borg, ħasbet biex bħal kull sena, ittella’ reċta. Fiha dejjem kienu jieħdu sehem għadd ta’ tfal minn klassijiet differenti. It-tfal l-oħra, li ma kinux jingħataw parti, kienu jsegwu r-reċta minn fuq is-siġġijiet tas-sala tal-iskola flimkien mal-kumplament tal-għalliema u l-Kap tal-iskola. Il-ġenituri ma setgħux jattendu minħabba li r-reċta kienet tittella’ waqt il-ħin tal-iskola.

Din is-sena, Elise kienet se tieħu sehem fir-reċta għall-ewwel darba. Anki Emma u Danica, li kienu fl-istess klassi tagħha, intgħażlu minn Miss Borg. It-tlieta li huma ngħataw parti żgħira fir-reċta u ma xxennqux għal xi parti prinċipali għax daqshekk kien biżżejjed għalihom biex ikunu kuntenti. Ir-reċta kienet se tkun dwar x’jagħmlu l-għalliema u l-istudenti tagħha waqt il-lezzjoni tal-Matematika; u Elise, Emma u Danica kellhom ikunu tliet studenti minn fost grupp ta’ ħmistax. Għaldaqstant, il-kostum ma kienx se jkun problema għalihom għax kienu se jitilgħu fuq il-palk bl-uniformi tal-iskola stess. Miss Borg tathom l-iskript, li kienet kitbet hi stess bil-Malti, u indikatilhom liema linji kellhom jistudjaw. Fil-brejk bdew joqogħdu ġewwa fil-klassi biex jgħinu lil xulxin jistudjaw il-linji sew.

Ma ridux jaqgħu għaċ-ċajt ħalli darb’oħra Miss Borg terġa’ tagħżilhom għal reċta oħra. Saħansitra, meta Elise kienet tasal lura d-dar mill-iskola, kienet terġa’ tirrevedi l-linji mal-papà, li meta kien għadu tifel, kien l-għors tiegħu jieħu sehem fir-reċti tal-iskola u tal-Mużew fejn kien jattendi. Elise kienet tgħallmet il-linji tagħha kollha bl-amment f’qasir żmien, u meta marret għall-provi tar-reċta, Miss Borg kellha kliem ta’ tifħir lejha, u l-istess lejn sħabha.

Iżda bħal sajjetta fil-bnazzi, jumejn biss qabel ittellgħet ir-reċta, Elise qabdet tagħtas waħda f’waħda, kellha wġigħ ta’ ras taqsam u telgħalha d-deni wkoll. It-tabib wissieha biex tibqa’ fis-sodda sakemm jgħaddilha għalkollox. Kienet belgħet riħ mat-taqlib tal-arja mid-dehra. Sa mnalla kienet laħqet lestiet mill-eżamijiet għax li kieku falliethom kien ikollha tagħmel sajf tistudja biex tagħmilhom f’Settembru qabel is-sena skolastika li jmiss. Xorta ddispjaċieha bil-kbir talli kienet tilfet ir-reċta. Imma ma kienx hemmx x’tagħmel. Anki l-mamà u l-papà xtaqu li Elise ma marditx lejlet ir-reċta, iżda qalulha li aħjar tieħu ħsieb saħħitha, u ma tgħaddasx rasha u tmur l-iskola, ma jmurx ikollha konsegwenzi agħar.

Il-linji tagħha qasmuhom bejniethom Danica u Emma bejn għax kienu jafuhom fuq ponot subgħajhom u bejn għax Miss Borg ma kellhiex żmien biżżejjed biex tqabbad lil xi ħaddieħor minflokha. Però, lil Elise wegħditha li s-sena ta’ wara żgur kienet se tagħtiha parti f’reċta oħra, grazzi għall-entużjażmu tagħha. Għalkemm kien fadal ftit żmien mhux ħażin, it-tifla diġà ħassitha timtela bil-kuraġġ u bil-ħerqa. Fir-reċta li kien imiss, Miss Borg tatha l-parti prinċipali, li daħlet għaliha b’ruħha u b’ġisimha. Tgħidx x’applaws u prosit kbira qalgħet mill-udjenza għaliex ħarġet bl-unuri fuq il-palk daqs l-aqwa attriċi!

Ġappuniż ta’ 80 sena sar l-ixjeħ raġel li tela’ fil-quċċata tal-Muntanja Everest

Xi żmien ilu, Yuichiro Miura rnexxielu jitla’ fuq nett tad-29,035 pied, u kiser ir-rekord li kien wettaq ir-rival tiegħu ta’ 81 sena min-Nepal, Min Bahadur Sherchan.

Snin ilu, Yuichiro Miura tela’ l-istess muntanja, iżda ma rnexxilux jegħleb lil Sherchan, sal-quċċata, li meta wettaq ir-rekord, kellu 76 sena.

Mill-quċċata tal-Everest, Yuichiro u ibnu Gota, ikkuntattjaw lit-tim tal-appoġġ tagħhom, biex ħabbrulhom l-aħbar. Yuichiro qal “qed inħossni l-aqwa fid-dinja, iżda għajjien totalment.”

Meta tħabbret l-aħbar, Min Bahadur Sherchan kien qed iħejji biex jipprova jerġa’ jikseb rekord għalih.

Charles B. Spiteri

Teżor enormi ta’ karozzi klassiċi, li jiswew madwar €27,390,400, inkiseb min-neguzjant f’wieħed mill-akbar negozji privati li qatt sar fl-istorja Britannika.

John Collins xtara din il-kollezzjoni impressiva ta’ 27 karozza li jinkludu mudelli bħal Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche u Lamborghini.

Fosthom hemm ukoll Aston Martin One-77 u Ferrari 288GTO, li bħalissa huma fost l-aktar karozzi klassiċi apprezzati għall-ħeffa tagħhom.

Il-maġġoranza tal-karozzi qajla ntużaw, tant li Lamborghini LP500S tal-1982 għamlet biss 500 mil.

Il-kollezzjoni kienet moħbija f’maħżen barra Londra, u kif sar jaf biha, is-Sur Collins ħaffef biex jinneguzjaha.

B’kollox kiseb erba’ Aston Martins, 11-il Ferrari, Jaguar, erba’ Lamborghini, ħames Mercedes u żewġ Porsche.

Numru mill-Ferraris jiswew aktar minn €1.4miljun, waqt li Jaguar E-Type tal-1965, għad għandha biss fuq l-arloġġ, 2,605 mili.

Is-Sur Collins li għandu negozju tal-karozzi f’Berkshire qal li s-sid kien bena l-kollezzjoni tiegħu f’dawn l-aħħar 20 sena. F’salt wieħed iddeċieda li jbigħ kollox f’daqqa. Ikkuntattjawh u qatagħha li jixtrihom.

Jirrakkonta li meta mar jara u fetħulu l-maħżen skanta qatigħ għax immaġina li qiegħed fl-għar ta’ Aladdin. Il-karozzi kollha kienu speċjali.

F’ġimgħa mindu xtrahom, kien ġa biegħ għaxra. Mill-karozzi speċjali li fadallu, għadu Aston Martin DB5, bħall-mudell misjuq minn James Bond u Lamborghini Miura, il-vettura meqjusa minn bosta bħala s-supercar oriġinali Taljana.

During the times of the Knights, plays and theatrical productions were generally held in the great halls of the auberges. Valletta was in need of a court theatre. This problem was finally solved when Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena acquired a site from the Priory of Navarre for the sum of 2,186 scudi. 

It was modelled after the plan of the contemporary Palermo theatre ‘for the honest recreation of the people’. The design is attributed to Romano Carapecchia. Work on the theatre started immediately after the signing of the deed of purchase and it was completed in the short period of ten months. The theatre was given a very simple facade. It had special accommodation for the actors who were generally brought over from foreign countries at the expense of the impresario.

History

The theatre opened its doors on 19 January, 1732, with a performance of Merope by Maffei. Two well known impresarios were Melchiorre Prevost Lanarelli and Giovanni Le Brun. From 1768 to 1770 the impresario was a woman, Natalia Farrugia. During the times of the Knights, the Grand Master appointed a person who used to supervise the management and the theatrical productions.

In 1783 the theatre underwent some modifications and redecoration. Natale Marini sent Comm. Scozzini, one of the commissioners of the theatre, a plan and a model of the interior. This included the stage too, as well as scenery and illumination. When the model was displayed before the Inquisitor and many senior members of the Order (Grand Crosses) and Knights, their comments were very positive, so much so that the commissioners decided to add a further sum of money as bonus to the 49 scudi requested by Marini. The top balcony and the boxes which are housed near the stage were added during the early nineteenth century.

Museum 

This theatre includes a museum. It houses a collection of early librettos, a portrait of the theatre founder and some machines used for theatrical productions. One of the attractions of this museum is a rotating display of stage costumes drawn from the theatre’s large collection. A case in point is a scarlet costume and accessories which were used for Verdi’s opera Rigoletto. Other beautiful costumes include a purple dress used for Giordano’s opera Fedora and a girl’s costume used during a nineteenth century pantomime Alice in Wonderland. Both the museum and the theatre are open to the public. 

Luca u Elise kienu mimlijin sa ruħ ommhom bil-ġugarelli. In-nanniet kienu ta’ sikwit jagħtuhom xi teddybear jixgħel u jiċċaqlaq jew xi logħba ġdida tal-playstation. Kull meta l-mamà kienet teħodhom magħha l-Belt ma kinitx tonqos milli tixtrilhom xi trumbetta tal-plastik u xi raddiena żgħira, li tant kienet taffaxxinahom iddur waħidha ma’ naqra żiffa. Dawn il-ġugarelli kienu jdumu sħaħ mill-Milied sa San Stiefnu għax malajr kienu jagħmluhom biċċiet. 

Dan l-aħħar ġara li Elise u Luca kienu xebgħu dejjem l-istess ħajja.  Ma setgħux jifhmu kif it-tfulija tagħhom kienet tfisser biss logħob bil-ġugarelli. Għalhekk riedu jsibu mezz ieħor kif jistgħu jilagħbu u jieħdu gost flimkien. In-nannu Ġużi ma damx wisq ma ħarġilhom b’idea brillanti. Huwa ssuġġerielhom li jagħmlu mħatra bejniethom fuq min minnhom iqum l-ewwel filgħodu. Lil Luca u lil Elise tgħidx kemm għoġobhom is-suġġeriment tan-nannu, l-aktar għax min jirbaħ l-imħatra kien se jingħata ċikkulata bħala rigal. Huma minnufih ftiehmu li jagħmlu l-imħatra tagħhom mis-Sibt filgħaxija sal-Ħadd filgħodu ħalli xħin iqumu jkun hemm il-mamà d-dar, u tkun tista’ tagħtihom iċ-ċikkulata dak il-ħin stess.

Meta wasal il-jum mistenni, u Elise u Luca kienu lesti biex jidħlu fis-sodda u jorqdu, il-mamà qabdet l-iżveljarin minn fuq il-komodina tal-kamra tagħhom, u għafsitlu l-buttuna biex idoqq fis-sebgħa u nofs tal-għada filgħodu. Qalbhom bdiet tħabbat sitta sitta bl-eċitament kbir li kellhom fuqhom. Il-mamà qratilhom storja biex jikkalmaw u jorqdu trankwilli. Ma damux ma għalqu għajn m’għajn, u l-mamà tfitilhom id-dawl, u marret fejn il-papà u ċ-ċkejken Peter. 

Matul il-lejl, Elise u Luca ma stenbħux lanqas darba waħda biss, iżda kif semgħu t-tisfira rqiqa u qawwija tal-iżveljarin, qamu t-tnejn bilqiegħda f’daqqa fuq is-sodda, u għajtu b’leħen wieħed: ‘IRBAĦT’! Il-mamà u l-papà semgħuhom kollox mill-kamra l-oħra, u telqu jiġru maġenbhom. Il-mamà qaltilhom li l-imħatra kienu rebħuha t-tnejn li huma għax kienu qamu fl-istess ħin.

Imbagħad, marret fil-kċina, qabdet iċ-ċikkulata mgeżwra fil-fidda vjola, fetħitha, u qasmithielhom f’biċċtejn kbar. Luca u Elise kiluha f’nifs wieħed, u qamu jiġru mis-sodda biex iħejju ruħhom għall-quddies tad-disgħa. Dakinhar, il-mamà u l-papà ħassewhom tassew kuntenti li ħadd minn uliedhom ma kien rebaħ l-imħatra waħdu għax kieku ħoll xagħrek u ġib iż-żejt. L-imħatri għaċ-ċikkulata bejn Elise u Luca baqgħu jsiru ta’ spiss, u maż-żmien anki Peter beda jieħu gost jidħol għalihom meta kiber ftit.

The Mediterranean Conference Centre at Valletta was built by the Knights as a major hospital, known as the ‘Sacra Infermeria’. It was considered to be one of the major buildings in the new capital city. Its construction began in 1574 according to plans by Gerolamo Cassar.

At first the Sacra Infermeria included a courtyard and two main wards built at right angle to each other. The Old Ward or Great Ward was built along the St Lazarus curtain overlooking the Grand Harbour. The smaller ward was known either as Saletta or Small Ward. The other rooms were used for patients with specialised cases or contagious diseases. These rooms were reached through a covered and balustrated passage.

A decision was taken to enlarge the building. This occurred during the grand masterships of Rafael and Nicolas Cotoner. The large ward was extended and became known as ‘Sala Grande’. In the old ward, niches were created. Each niche provided facilities for two patients. These were used as latrines or as patients’ dressing rooms. Other additions were made to the building such as spaces for the new pharmacy and the residential quarters for the hospital staff. A series of internal staircases connected the two floors and the basements.

The beds of the sick were placed inside the halls and it was also here where the knights used to serve the poor sick persons in silver items. The drugs were kept in majolica jars made in Caltagirone (Sicily). The walls were covered by woollen tapestries in winter and paintings by Mattia Preti in summer. The patients with acute cases were placed along the right side of the ward while those with chronic cases along the opposite wall. The ceiling was covered with timber supported by wooden corbels.

Under the ‘Sala Grande’ there is an underground ward known as ‘Sala del Magazzeno Grande’ (Grand Magazine Ward known now as La Valette Hall) where galley slaves (buonavoglie) and sailors who needed hospitalisation were kept. Part of this area served as storage too. Its roof is cross vaulted with bosses of coats-of-arms of Grand Masters Jean L’Evesque de Cassiere and the Cotoner brothers. Below this ward there is another basement with plain ceiling supported by stone arches springing from the ground.

During French and British rules this building served many needs. It served as a military hospital, Police Headquarters, for theatrical productions, a school, a general elections vote counting centre and an examination centre. It became known as Knightshall. It was badly damaged during the Second World War, AND remained in A dilapidated state for many years. Then it was decided to adapt this historic and architectural gem to the needs of a conference centre. Its halls have been cleverly adapted to offer an ideal venue as a modern conference centre.

The Mediterranean Conference Centre is made up of nine halls. The La Valette Hall is used for banqueting. The main court yard was turned into a theatre (Republic Hall) with a seating capacity for 1,000. The Mediterranean Conference Centre also houses an audio-visual presentation – ‘The Malta Experience’ and a permanent exhibition of the Order of St John.

F’aċċident li ma jitwemminx, kelb tat-triq f’Oman, sab u salva tarbija tat-twelid meta ġarrha f’ħalqu mid-deżert sa ġiet salvata min-nies. L-awtoritajiet f’Oman fetħu investigazzjonijiet wara li dan l-aċċident seraq l-attenzjoni tal-pajjiż kollu, bl-Għarab jaqsmu bejniethom l-informazzjoni permezz tal-internet.

L-istorja seħħet f’Kharbika, Oman. Raġel li kien qed isuq rota lemaħ kelb mitlub miexi fit-triq b’xi ħaġa f’ħalqu. Imbagħad lemaħ qtar tad-demm fit-triq u għalhekk mar qrib tal-kelb biex jarah mill-qrib. Ma setax jemmen lil għajnejh. Il-kelb kellu tarbija tat-twelid, li ma kinitx ilha mwielda aktar minn ftit sigħat u kienet għadha bil-kurdun imwaħħal.Ir-raġel ħaseb li l-kelb kien se jiekol lit-tarbija, u li seta’ jagħmel għalih, iżda hekk kif inġemgħu aktar nies, il-kelb deher jitlaq lit-tarbija minn ħalqu. In-nies skantaw bir-reazzjoni tal-kelb, l-aktar għax kien kelb mitluq! Huma qalu li l-ħarsa f’għajnejn l-annimal kellha elf tifsira…. “Għinuh” jew “x’dinja krudila.”

Jidher li l-kelb kien qed iqarreb lejn sptar (jew jipprova jsib wieħed) biex iwassal lit-tarbija fis-sala tal-emerġenza. It-tobba baqgħu perplessi għax ma emmnux lil għajnejhom, peress li t-tarbija ma kinitx feruta u min jaf il-kelb kemm kien ilu jżommha f’ħalqu.
Mirakolożament it-tarbija ġiet salvata!

Waqt li l-awtoritajiet fetħu investigazzjoni,biex jaraw x’wassal għal dan l-abbandun, il-pulizija ċċekkjaw l-isptarijiet kollha għax ħasbu li l-kelb seta’ seraq lit-tarbija minn xi wieħed mill-isptarijiet, iżda l-ommijiet kollha kellhom it-trabit tagħhom. Ebda tarbija ma kienet nieqsa.

Madankollu, xhieda fl-ispatrijiet qalu lill-pulizija li aktar kmieni, tifla marret fl-emerġenza u ma riditx lit-tabib jinvistaha, kemm-il darba kien se jagħmel xi referenza għat-twelid. Għalhekk ħarbet. 

Il-Pulizija hi tal-fehma li din it-tifla taf tkun omm it-tarbija. Wellditha u ħallietha xi mkien fejn in-nies ma setgħux isibuha, iżda l-kelb sabha u kien jaf fejn għandu jmur biex isalvaha!

U minn dan kollu jirriżulta wkoll li anki fl-aħrax tad-deset, il-klieb jistgħu jitqiesu bħala anġli neżlin mis-sema.

At the entrance of Valletta, next to the new House of Parliament, stand the ruins of the Royal Opera House. This ‘Teatro dell’Opera’ was built in 1861 on the site of a demolished house, known as ‘Casa La Giornata’, the residence of the Turcopilier of the Auberge d’Angleterre (English Auberge). 

There were several reasons which led to the building of a new Opera House at Valletta. The Manoel Theatre had become too small to house an ever increasing number of people. The Manoel’s stage became too small to stage certain type of operas such as those of Rossini, Donizetti, Puccini and Verdi. The number of tourists visiting the island was increasing, some wanted to visit this theatre for an opera night. The need for a new bigger theatre was being felt and an English architect Edward M. Barry was chosen for the project. The facade of the Opera House was typically Corinthian and it had a colonnade on all its sides. Its cost amounted to £60,000 which was a huge sum of money at the time.

An attraction of this theatre was the salon, which was placed over the entrance hall. This hall was lit by five large windows. The theatre’s painting-room and the workshops were on the roof. As the Opera House was one of Valletta’s attractions, the local government tried its best to manage this ‘musical heaven’. The day to day running was left in the hands of a committee which was appointed by the government of the day. By time the new theatre started to be very popular with both the Maltese and the families of the British servicemen who were stationed in Malta. The village elite used to dress up in their best attire and hire a ‘karozzin’ (Maltese traditional horse-driven coach) to take them to Valletta to watch an opera at this theatre.

History

The Royal Opera House opened on the night of 9 October, 1866, with Bellini’s famous opera ‘I Puritani’. Month after month, year after year, the opera seasons went on uninterruptedly, even during the First World War. There was only one exception; that is a brief interruption from 1874 to 1877 following a fire. This incident had destroyed the theatre’s interior fittings and decorations. It was reopened on 11 October, 1877, with Verdi’s new opera Aida. The theatre became more beautiful with boxes in five tiers and a pit which could accommodate more than 1,000 persons.

The Second World War brought the end of a long story of famous operas, composers’ visits and resonant voices. During this great war, one direct hit from an air attack brought the theatre to its knees. There were many attempts to rebuild the Royal Opera House. In the end it was decided to convert the site into an open-air theatre known as Pjazza Teatru Rjal.