Menhir Qala Folk Group

The Menhir Qala Folk Group, a traditional Maltese dance and song folk group from Qala, Gozo has been invited to participate in an lnternational Folk Festival which is being held in the town of Kralyevo in Serbia next September 2007.

The Menhir Qala Folk Group, presently made up of 17 dancers, 1 musicians and a soloist soprano singer, will be going abroad representing Malta for the third time since its formation last September 2003. The first time to go abroad was in July 2005 when the Gozitan folk group was invited to participate in the 3rd edition of the Mediterranean Folk Festival MIFF held in Val Piran, Slovenia where other foreign folk groups participated, amongst them from Italy. Portugal and Greece. Last year, in September 2006, the Menhir Qala Folk Group went to Lanciano, Italy as part of the town-twinning agreement between the towns of Qala and Lanciano with full collaboration of the Municipality of Lanciano and the Qala Local Council. This year, the Menhir Qala Folk Group is also going abroad from the 10th till the 17th September 2007 to the town of Kralyevo, Serbia as part of a collaboration and co-operation agreement between the towns of Qala and Kralyevo and the Municipality of Kralyevo and the Qala Local Council In fact both Mayors of the towns, Mr Paul Buttigieg for Qala and Dr Babic for Kralyevo. will be signing a document for special co-operation and collaboration through exchanges of local groups from both towns for the future.

During the visit to Kralyevo, the Menhir Qala Folk Group will give three performances in public with the participation of the three local folk groups and other foreign folk groups invited for this festival. Two other performances, one in a typical traditional Serbian restaurant and another in the 100 years old railway station of Etno are also included in the program. During the visit in Kralyevo, the Menhir Qala Folk Group will also visit the capital city of Belgrade, the Coronation Church, the Kotlenik and Stolovi Mountains. Another special event will be the tasting of Serbian and Gozitan cuisines, being held in the town-hall of Kra1yevo.

During their stay in Kralyevo, the Menhir Qala Folk Group will perform with ‘live' music several traditional Maltese dances and songs, from their vast repertoire, such as the 'Il-Menhir', 'Ir-Rummiena'. ‘Il-Lament'. 'L-Ghonnella' and 'n-Ballata tal-Bjut', while Ruth Portelli, the soloist soprano singer, accompanied by the musicians will sing several traditional MaItese songs, among which the groups' original songs - 'Wirt il-Qala', 'il-Bajja ta’ Hondoq', and 'Il-Menhir'.

The Menhir Qala Folk Group will be representing the Maltese islands for the third consecutive year abroad, apart from being invited to participate in several local and national events and festivals. A very special forthcoming event, is the 2nd edition of the Qala International Folk festival - QIFF which is being held in Qala this year from the 27th till the 30th September, while also giving performances on Saturday 28th in Mellieha and St Julians. The two foreign folk groups participating in the QIFF, this year are the Shumen Folk Song & Dance Ensemble from Bulgaria and the Danaj Folk Ensemble from Czech Republic together with other local folk groups and bands. This festival is hosted by the Menhir Qala Folk Group, in full collaboration with the Qa1a Local Council.

Email this page to a Friend

Back to Homepage: Please Click Here