FASHION

THE
THEMONTHLY
MONTHLYMAGAZINE
MAGAZINEFEBRUARY
JANUARY 2010
www.independent.com.mt
FASHION
FOR FEBRUARY
INTERVIEWS:
THE MAGRIS
INVITE US TO
CASA BERNARD
BARITONE ALI RIEGER
AND CURATOR
FRANCESCA BALZAN
THE SOCIAL WHIRL
first
words...
G
oodbye
dear
Alexander!
First bids
British
designer Alexander
McQueen goodbye
on pages 30, 31 and
32. It appears he was
a man of great
sensibility as well as
great talent. Losing
his mother was
probably the last
straw at a period in
his life when there
were too many
pressures and too
many expectations
from others. Those
with great
sensibility do not
Humor Chic The Daily society Portrait by
want to disappoint
aleXsandro Palombo
and he must have
been afraid of disappointing.
I admired his clothes as he had an enormous ability to
imagine the impossible and then execute it. “I don’t
believe in flooding the market with loads of goods that
don’t mean much,” he said once. And he didn’t.
Perhaps it was time for him to die. Who knows? We have
to learn to live with questions.
‘Victims’ of My Favourite Room this month are Georges
and Josette Magri. They are a
great example of a couple who
look in the same direction and
enjoy life doing things together.
They have left their home in Balzan
and are now living permanently in
Casa Bernard in Rabat which they
have restored so beautifully and
filled with exquisite antiques. Take a
peek. The feature starts on page
50.
Enjoy this copy of First which we
have prepared for you.
executive editor
Marie Benoît
design
Conrad Bondin
production manager
André Camilleri
features advertising executive
Claire Gafà
sales coordinator
Christine Spiteri
FIRST is not to be sold separately. It is
published every month as a complementary
magazine with The Malta Independent on
Sunday. FIRST is published by Standard
Publications Ltd, Standard House,
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34
50
07
contents...
05
7 Fashion
30
48 First products
Second Nature – Casual clothes for cold winter days
Shake off the winter blues
16 Fashion
50 Lifestyle
Style – who is wearing what
My Favourite Room – Georges and
Josette Magri in their home Casa
Bernard. Interview and photos
Joe Demanuele
19 Auction sales
Bejewelled – Sale of jewels at Christie’s South
Kensington
58 Culture
Vulture
20 Interview
Our Golden Past – Francesca Balzan speaks to
Marie Benoît about her book Jewellery in Malta:
Treasures from the Island of the Knights (1530 to
1798)
An evening of sheer
delight – Fado at the
Corinthia Palace Hotel
28 Music
Russians celebrate Orthodox
Christmas at the Russian
Chapel in San Anton gardens
60 Social whirl
Singing the winter blues away – Spiteri Lucas
Entertainment with another music production: In
Harmony – Live the Music
62 History
30 In memory
Full of Treasures – A glimpse
at the latest issue of
Treasures of Malta
Death of a Genius – Tribute to British designer
Alexander McQueen
34 Interview
Baritone Ali Rieger speaks to Marie Benoît about his
role in Aleko in next month’s opera of the same
name
64 Our
competition
38 Books
A guide to the Mysteries of Lake Maggiore –
Richard Zahra speaks to its author
43 Opinion
Climate, Science or Climate Evangelism? – Bjorn
Lomborg argues that the public does not take
kindly to being misled
46 Travel
Malta Diary by Anke Jablinski who has been to
Malta 50 times
16
February 2010
19
Our Cover:
Coat by Betty Barclay from
Mei. Earrings and ring by
Dyberg/Kern, umbrella by
Moschino all from Porto
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Fashion
SECOND
NATURE
is the season for
country walks, relaxed
lunches and teas in
elegant hotel lobbies.
Time for comfortable
casual outfits to brighten cold
winter days. Add a dramatic
touch to slick winter coats with
an unusual scarf. Cut a dashing
swathe in a winter white coat
and spotted umbrella. Avoid
looking overly prim – introduce
red in your wardrobe; its allure is
a sartorial tonic for winter
days. Accessories soften
winter clothes. Costume
jewellery gives extra detail
for a gorgeously girlie
look. And is there life
without a good
handbag? February
brings a host of fashion
delights with it.
‘
T
BANISH WINTER BLUES
Dress and matching cardigan
by Max Mara. Silk scarf by
Passigatti, ring and bangles
by Dyberg/Kern, leather bag
by Cosettini all from Porto.
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LIGHT UP WITH OLD GOLD
Jersey twin set, leather belt and suede
skirt all by Max Mara. Necklace and
bracelet both by Bulatti, ring by
Dyberg/ Kern, leather bag by
Francesco Biasia all from Porto.
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PRACTICAL BUT POLISHED
Zip-up jacket and jeans by Max
Mara. Scarf worn as band by
Passigatti, ring and bangles by
Dyberg/Kern, leather bag by
Francesco Biasia all from Porto.
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THE DAY OF THE PYTHON
Jacket and skirt by Betty Barclay
from Mei. Earrings and ring by
Dyberg/Kern, leather bag by
Francesco Biasia all from Porto.
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RAVISHING RED
Jacket by Gil Bret, jeans by Betty
Barclay both from Mei. Umbrella
by Moschino, leather gloves by
Ochre, bangles and bracelet by
Dyberg/ Kern, leather bag by
Ripani all from Porto.
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Valentina Lupo
Credits:
Photography & Styling:
Valentina Lupo 79534766
Model: Daniela Darmanin
Hair: Clinton Chetcuti 77778686
Make-Up: Maureen Spiteri at Sina's
Beauty Salon Tel: 21647858
Location: Speranza Valley
Stockists:
Max Mara: Tel: 21341961
Mei boutique: Tel: 23745031
Porto: Tel: 21372079
WARM WINTER HUES
Coat by Max Mara. Dress
by Betty Barclay from
Mei. Earrings and ring by
Dyberg/Kern, hand-made
scarf by Mary Frances all
from Porto.
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15
Fashion
Style
Sofia in a
Carolina
Herrera creation
at the Screen
Actors Guild
Awards in Los
Angeles also in
January.
AMYAdams in a
lava red silk
chevron georgette
dress by Carolina
Herrera at the New
York premiere of
Leap Year on 6
January.
At the taping of David
Letterman’s Late Show
on January 5th Amy
Adams was seen wearing
a Carolina Herrera grey
mélange belted wool coat
over a mulberry silk
jersey dress.
Paco Rabanne was
appointed Officer of the
Legion of Honour in
January. The Legion
d’Honneur is the highest
decoration in France and
rewards people for civil
and military services to the
Nation. He is well-known as an avantgarde creator with his metal dresses – his
material of choice.
The Spring 2010 Collections of Betty Barclay, Elegance
and Condici will be available at MEI as from tomorrow,
22 February. These brands start the Spring/Summer 2010
season full of vitality, and present relaxed yet smartly
feminine collections. The colours underline the positive
message. This season everything radiates optimism and
nonchalance.
MEI, Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s. Tel: 2374 5031.
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Sofia Vergara in a
dutch blue silk faille
strapless gown with
a ruby duchess bow
by Carolina
Herrera at the 67th
Annual Golden
Globe Awards in
Los Angeles last
month.
Auction sales
A Tiffany Diamond
Single Stone Ring
Estimate: £6,000-8,000
Diamond Scroll
Earpendants
Estimate: £4,000-5,000
A Pair of Art Deco
Diamond Earclips
Estimate: £500-700
A Pair of Aquamarine
and Diamond
Earpendants
Estimate: £1,200-1,500
An Aquamarine and
Diamond Ring
Estimate: £1,500-2,000
Bejewelled
© Christie’s Images Ltd. 2010
Text: Geoff Young Associate Director.
Specialist head of sale.
Sapphire and Diamond ‘Love’
Bangle, by Chopard
Estimate: £2,000-3,000
Citrine, Sapphire and Diamond
Bombe Ring
Estimate: £600-800
T
he sale of Jewels at
Christie’s South
Kensington on
17 March 2010
welcomes Spring,
offering a range of traditional
and antique pieces
complemented by a selection of
modern jewellery. With estimates
ranging from £500 to £6,000 this
sale is sure to cater for all tastes.
These stunning pieces should be
worn and enjoyed. Why not go
along to the viewing at the South
Kensington salerooms on 13-17
March 2010 to try them for size if
you happen to be in London?
A Pair of Jadeite Jade and
Diamond Cufflinks
Estimate: £500-700
An Elizabeth Gage
Astrological Ring
Estimate: £600-800
A Ram’s Head Torc Bangle
Estimate: £500-700
Two pieces of gold jewellery: one harking back to ancient
Minoan civilisation and the other adopting the timeless
signs of the zodiac. From classical to timeless classic, they
are united by their use of animal imagery and all the deeply
entrenched symbolism that entails.
The torc bangle (left) is a remarkable example of
classically-inspired jewellery. The Minoans are known to
have placed great value upon physical beauty and their
clothes and jewellery would have always served to
enhance that. The ram itself had enormous significance
for the ancients, and for the Minoans it stood as a symbol
of fertility. It is also the astrological sign of Aries in a
system which remains in use today.
Whether a firm believer in the influence of astrological
phenomenon or not, this astrological ring by Elizabeth
Gage (above right) is a wonderful piece of jewellery; an
ideal gift for a fish-lover or Piscean.
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Interview
Our golden p
THE OPULENT BOOK JEWELLERY IN
MALTA:TREASURES FROM THE ISLAND
OF THE KNIGHTS (1530 TO 1798) IS THE
BRAINCHILD OF FRANCESCA BALZAN,
CURATOR AT PALAZZO FALSON
HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUM, MDINA.
IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH
MARIE BENOÎT SHE MERELY
SCRATCHES THE SURFACE
OF HER EXTENSIVE
KNOWLEDGE
Detail of the
central link of the
Passalacqua
Chain, Carmelite
Church Coll.,
Valletta
J
ewellery of Malta is a beautiful book
produced by Midsea Books for
Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. One would
need a whole magazine to do it justice.
So we have to limit ourselves to essentials.
Francesca and Palazzo Falson were made for
each other. She is the antithesis of a blue
stocking and could easily be a model. The
book is based on her MA thesis and she knows
the subject intimately.
So, what in her view are the most important
functions of jewellery, I ask her, and have they
changed through the ages? She carries her
learning lightly and explains to me that
jewellery is primarily intended as a personal
decoration “the only piece of art you are ever
likely to carry around with you, touching your
skin and somehow enhancing your
appearance.” She goes on to say that it can
and usually does have sentimental value. “It is
a statement of the wealth of its owner. It can
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past
be worn as an amulet. It can be an overt
statement of one’s religion and one’s affiliations
as well as an indicator of office or rank. It is
ultimately a self-conscious declaration of the
wearer. All these uses are as true today as they
were in the past. The only significant difference
is that men tended to collect and
possibly wear more jewellery in the
past. Nowadays, give or take the
occasional football star, jewellery is
predominently worn by women.”
Link of Passalacqua
Chain, Carmelite
Church Coll., Valletta
Rhodes “and from their travels in the
post-Rhodiot period, sourced from all
over Europe. Luckily, images and a
few pieces do survive to help us
understand what these ‘new’ objects
arriving in Malta in 1530 must have
looked like and how they may
have influenced the Maltese
silversmith.”
There are still excellent
Maltese craftsmen who repair
This book focuses on the
and also make jewellery.
years 1530 to 1798. Before the
But is there jewellery which
Knights came to Malta and
is wholly Maltese, designed
brought so much
as well as made by local
sophistication with them was
jewellers?
jewellery of any significance
Francesca replies that this is
Iwanted to
a difficult
know.
question.
Francesca
“Much of the
explains that
jewellery
what we know
which
of the jewellery
survives is
in Malta just
unfortunately not
before the
marked or only
Knights’ arrival
partially
is through
marked, not
descriptions in documents, as
allowing for a precise
very little actual pieces survive.
identification of its maker
She explains. “Typically silver,
and date. Archival
coral and pearls made up
references do not help either
jewellery of that time. Precious
as jewellery is described in a
stones start to get mentioned
one-liner or in terms of the
after the Knights arrive in Malta.
gems or metal it was made
However, the significance
of but generally not where it
attaching, for example, to the
was made. One entry very
marriage ring and the rosary
tantalisingly refers to ‘gioielle
Cross of Passalacqua
was definitively present in prealla
Maltesa’ but stops short of a
Chain. Carmelite
Church Coll., Valletta description which leaves us one
Knights period Malta and would
continue right up to this day.”
step away from identifying what it
could be. Having said that we do
The Knights of Malta came from Rhodes as we
know that certain types of jewellery
all know. Did they bring any jewellery with them? were circulating in Malta in large
Francesca explains that the Knights did bring
quantities, indicating that they were
precious reliquaries and objets d’art from
produced and sold here.”
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Our Lady of Sorrows
Medallion (obverse
and reverse). Private
Collection, Mdina
Coral Rosary.
Private Coll.,
Malta
Snake head bracelet with
heart pendant, Private
Collection, Malta
C
ould Francesca comment on the strong
symbolic associations tied to rites of
passage such as baptism, marriage and
so on which jewellery also carried and
possibly still carries? She has the facts at her
fingertips. “To give one example, betrothal
customs in Malta during the sixteenth century
feature jewellery as an important part of this ritual.
Once the suitor’s offer for marriage was accepted
and a dowry agreed upon, he would
send the future bride a gift of a fish
bearing a ring or jewel in its
mouth. He would later
present an engagement
ring to her on the actual
day of the betrothal.
The ring would have an
engraved motif of two
joined hands denoting
fidelity. That’s two
pieces of jewellery for
the lucky bride!”
And what about coral? “Coral is almost
universally held to turn away the evil eye and to
protect the wearer against all sorts of harmful
influences. This belief is rooted in centuries old
tradition and therefore coral, which incidentally is
also found in Maltese waters, features frequently in
jewellery.”
Did the women, all those centuries ago, wear
different jewellery to what we wear
today?
Francesca points out to me
that they wore what we
normally wear – brooches,
rings, bracelets,
necklaces – and more.
“It is interesting to see
changing fashions in
jewellery through the
centuries. Generally
the fashions in
jewellery adapted to
changes in dress and
hairstyles – no point
wearing earrings if
the ears were entirely
concealed! Moreover
sumptuary laws
regulated what
people could and
could not wear. Portraits and
inventories provide essential
data, for example, what in the hand
can seem like a brooch may well
turn out to be a dress ornament
worn at the top of a stomacher.”
So secular women then went in
Dagger of the
Grand Masters
for even more personal
of the Order of
decoration than we do today.
St John, Louvre
Museum Coll.,
Paris
Â\ {ÉÑx
|à ã|ÄÄ Üt|áx ÑxÉÑÄxËá
tãtÜxÇxáá tá àÉ
à{x {|áàÉÜ|v ätÄâx?
as opposed to mere
intrinsic value, of
jewellery and that the
current trend of trading in
I was fascinated by
old gold for cash will not
something else I had
read in the book: a fossil
result in the destruction
obtained from Maltese rock
of pieces of historic
which was held to have
powerful preventive and curative
importance”
properties, the snake’s eye. Could she
comment on this? “Yes, the so-called snake’s eye
was held to have powerful curative and
preventive properties, which was efficacious
against poison and poisonous animal bites. These
fossils were mounted on rings in such a way that
the fossil would be in constant contact with the
skin, to protect and heal the wearer. Apparently
even Grand Master Verdalle took to wearing one
such ring.”
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Silver filigree reliquary cross, Zabbar Sanctuary
Museum Coll., Malta
A
Section from a ‘Tal-Antaccoli’ type necklace
Â\ tÅ Çx|à{xÜ
t vÉÄÄxvàÉÜ Éy }xãxÄÄxÜç?
nd did secular men wear
any jewellery at all?
“Yes, men most
certainly did wear
jewellery and accessories.
Rings and earrings, buckles
and buttons in precious
metal feature in the
records.”
perhaps the best known of Maltese
jewellery items and is indeed still
very laboriously produced in
Malta. “What few people are
not aware of is its origins. This
type of chain seems to have
been brought to Malta from
Spain or perhaps even
Portugal, but originated most
likely in the East. The origins of
the ‘Tal-Antaccoli’ necklace
are less clear, however this type
certainly gets mentioned in
seventeenth century documents
giving us an indication that it was known
and already referred to as such in bygone days.”
nor particularly keen on
wearing jewellery and
given the fragility of
these old pieces I would
I know that the muchrather tip-toe around
acclaimed ‘Gran Spinat’ is still
them than be made
made in Malta but what about
the ‘Tal-Antaccoli’ necklace? Both
to wear them!”
styles are mentioned in the book.
Francesca comments that the ‘Gran Spinat’ is
Various size links
in ‘Gran Spinat’
type necklaces
Sword of the Grand
Masters of the Order of St
John, Louvre Museum
Coll., Paris
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Gold pectoral
cross, Private
Coll., Mdina.
Late eighteenth century typical
Maltese style gold and seed pearl
earrings. Private Collection.
Malta
Rings of
crowned hearts
from various
Collections
I
could listen to her speak
about her pet subject
for hours. But one more
question: If she had to
choose three pieces of
jewellery about which she
writes in this sumptuous book,
for her personal use, which
ones would she choose and
why? (I had already secretly
made my choice.)
She smiles with a glint in her
eyes: “The short answer is
none of them. I am neither a
collector of jewellery, nor
particularly keen on wearing
jewellery and given the
fragility of these old pieces I
would rather tip-toe around
them than be made to wear
them! What I do however,
love about jewellery is the
way it reflects the social
context of the person who
wears it and that’s why I
have spent so much time
mulling over jewellery.”
Silver dress of the Icon of the
Virgin of St Luke
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Here’s someone who
doesn’t want everything for
herself. She understands
perfectly the importance of
looking after the old and
keeping it in good condition
for future generations. But I
hazard one last question.
How relevant is her study of
jewellery in today’s world?
She is wise for her years and
replies: “This was one area of
Maltese art and history that
had not been looked at
before so I feel my book is a
contribution to knowledge in
this area. But, more
importantly, I hope it will
raise people’s awareness as
to the historic value, as
opposed to mere intrinsic
value, of jewellery and that
the current trend of trading
in old gold for cash will not
result in the destruction of
pieces of historic
importance.
Music
Singing the winter blues away
SPITERI LUCAS ENTERTAINMENT IS BACK IN TOWN WITH YET ANOTHER
SPECTACULAR MUSIC PRODUCTION IN HARMONY – LIVE THE MUSIC. THIS
WILL TAKE PLACE ON 20 AND 21 MARCH AT THE SIR TEMI ZAMMIT
THEATRE, UNIVERSITY OF MALTA, TAL QROQQ
Photos: Bernard Polidano
I
“
n Harmony” is a live, animated and
entertaining show featuring a varied
repertoire of popular and evergreen tunes
chosen from over a sixty year span of Music
history. Hit numbers such as Ain’t No
Mountain High, Lady Marmalade, I Will Follow Him, Tell
Him, That’s What Friends are for, All for Love,
Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love, What a
Wonderful World, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Circle of
Life and Michael Jackson’s Heal the World, just to
mention a few songs, which feature prominently in this
production.
With a repertoire of highly popular tunes, a
talented cast, spectacular lighting and sound,
colourful costumes and a few surprises in store, In
Harmony promises to be one of the main
attractions this theatrical season. This is bound to
be another feather in their cap after Golden Oldies
(2006), The Legends of Music (2007), Welcome to
Hollywood (2008), A Tribute to the Stars (2008) and
Dipinto di Blu (2009),
The show will be staged on Saturday 20 March at
20.00hrs and Sunday 21 March at 18.30hrs at the Sir
Temi Zammit Theatre, University of Malta, TalQroqq.
For this musical show, Spiteri Lucas Entertainment has
assembled a highly talented cast with some of
Malta’s top and most versatile performers such as
upcoming star Raquela, Ludwig Galea, crooner Ivan
Spiteri Lucas, Pamela, Debbie Scerri, Glen Vella,
Nadine Axisa and Neville who is also responsible for a
children’s choir that was chosen following a series of
auditions held throughout the last few months.
Booking is open and tickets can be obtained
from St. James Cavalier Booking Office at Valletta
(Tel. 21 22 32 00) or via email
([email protected]). You can also book online
on www.sjcav.org. Ticket hotline is 9946 8429 or
9989 6638. More information can be obtained by
visiting www.spiterilucas.net.
Spiteri Lucas Entertainment is supported by: Nexos
Lighting Technology, Bestprint Co. Ltd, Bernard
Polidano Photography, Sas-Sitta TV Programme, Cut
Coiffeur Hairstylists, Beautique Parlour, Birkirkara,
Natasha Polidano (Make-up artist), Logografix Signs
and Besteam Audio and Melita Sports.
All artists will be accompanied by a live seven piece
band under the direction of musical director Mark
Spiteri Lucas who is also responsible for all musical
arrangements to be performed throughout the show,
while Keith and Adonelle together with their dance
troupe are responsible for the choreography.
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In memory
Death of a g
BRITISH DESIGNER
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
WAS FOUND DEAD IN
HIS HOME LAST WEEK,
AFTER POSTING
ANGUISHED ONLINE
REMARKS ABOUT THE
DEATH OF HIS
MOTHER. HE WAS
ONLY 40 YEARS OLD
AND AT THE PINNACLE
OF HIS SUCCESS.
T
he circumstances
pointed to a possible
suicide, but there was no
confirmation from police
or McQueen’s publicists.
Authorities said the death was not
suspicious, apparently ruling out foul
play. They did not indicate how
McQueen was discovered.
The Sun tabloid cited an
anonymous source on its website
who said workers found McQueen
hanging in his apartment. The
newspaper gave no further details.
His family issued a statement asking
for privacy.
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genius
M
cQueen is credited with
helping revive the oncemoribund British fashion
industry. His edgy pieces
were coveted and treasured by
stylish women across the globe and
seen on numerous red carpets.
Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour
called McQueen “one of the
greatest talents of his generation. He
brought a uniquely British sense of
daring and aesthetic fearlessness to
the global stage of fashion. In such a
short career, Alexander McQueen’s
influence was astonishing — from
street style, to music culture and the
world’s museums,” she said in a
statement. “His passing marks an
insurmountable loss.”
McQueen did not design for the
celebrities, but they flocked to him
for the sheer audacity of his
creations, which were instantly
recognizable for being dramatic,
exquisitely tailored and oh-so sexy.
A stunning dress for Sandra Bullock?
A special order for Madonna?
Something special for Kate Moss or
Naomi Campbell? All these feats
seemed easy for the quiet, slim,
bearded Englishman who shunned
publicity and laughed off the limelight.
Lady Gaga recently made waves
when she wore McQueen’s spring
2010 lobster-claw shoes in her “Bad
Romance” music video.
McQueen’s mother died on 2
February. Some fashion experts
speculated that his mood may have
also been clouded by pressure to
outdo himself again next month at
his catwalk show in Paris.
News of his death broke at the start
of New York Fashion Week and sent
shock waves through the Bryant Park
tents. A presentation of McQueen’s
secondary label, McQ, had been
scheduled for later Thursday, but it
was quickly cancelled.
After word of his death spread,
one mourner left pink flowers at the
doors of the designer’s London
headquarters. Mourners also
gathered outside his New York store.
“He was a great, great talent who
had lost someone important in his
life,” said Xavier Keane, who placed
the flowers. “I know how he feels
because I lost my mother last year.“
McQueen sounded anguished and
frustrated in recent postings on his
Twitter page. The remarks also
sounded slightly confused.
“i’m letting my followers know the
my mother passed away yesterday if
it she had not me nor would you RIP
mumx,” he wrote.
Shortly afterward, he added: “But
life must go on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Four days later, he was dead.
“If you are a genius, the pressure to
be a genius is always immense,” said
Imogen Edwards-Jones, author of
the Fashion Babylon, a novel on the
untidy underside of the industry.
McQueen helped spark a
renaissance in London fashion,
helping to revive it after the longdormant period that followed the
punk explosion in the 1970s.
He was also responsible for one of
history’s most famous ‘wardrobe
malfunctions.’ He designed Janet
Jackson’s Super Bowl outfit, which
fell open while she was singing,
revealing one of her breasts.
In the usually glad-handing fashion
world, McQueen was known as a
private man who shunned the
limelight. He turned down most
interview requests and did not
cultivate a cult of personality or try
to develop an air of mystery about
his work.
McQueen, a trim, handsome man
with startling gray-blue eyes, had an
easy smile, but did not linger in the
camera’s glare.
On Sunday, he used an obscenity
to describe his “awful week” and
said he had to “some how pull
myself together and finish.”
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31
I
“
n a world where every man and his dog is a
designer, Alexander McQueen was the real
deal,” said celebrated hat maker Philip
Treacy. “His talent was supersonic.”
After a founder’s death, other major labels have
turned to lesser-known in-house talent, as happened
with Valentino; or brought in outside designers, as
happened at Emanuel Ungaro; or even recruited
family, as with Versace.
McQueen made his name first in London, then
wooed audiences in Paris, New York and Milan to take
his place in the upper echelons of the designing
world. He was named British Fashion Designer of the
Year four times, and was recognized by
Queen Elizabeth II in 2003, when she
made him a Commander of the British
Empire for his fashion leadership.
McQueen was the youngest of six children born to
a taxi driver and a teacher. He received his early
fashion training at the Central St. Martin’s College of
Art and Design, long recognized for its
fashion-forward approach and
encouragement of Britain’s talented
young designers.
He learned the finer points of traditional
men’s tailoring at two famous,
conservative Savile Row houses:
Anderson and Sheppard, and Gieves
and Hawkes.
After his Savile Row stint, McQueen
started to develop his trademark, more
theatrical designs, working with several
other brands before first starting his own
label in 1992.
He quickly earned a reputation for
innovation. The company he founded was purchased
by the Gucci Group, and he retained creative control
of his own brand. There were plans for stores in Paris,
Milan and London, as well as Manhattan and San
Francisco.
His runway shows were always a highlight during the
Paris ready-to-wear fashion week.
One of his previous collections included a show built
around the concept of recycling, with models
donning extravagant headwear made out of trash. His
last collection, shown in October in Paris, featured
elaborate and highly structured cocktail dresses.
Critics raved.
“McQueen influenced a whole
generation of designers. His brilliant
imagination knew no bounds as he
conjured up collection after collection of
extraordinary designs,” said Alexandra
Shulman, the editor of British Vogue.
McQueen was known for pushing the
envelope. At his spring-summer 2010
collection, he featured sculptural cocktail
dresses in psychedelic snakeskin prints, with the hooflike platform booties (above) that were worn by Lady
Gaga. The show opened with huge screens projecting
close-up images of a woman writhing among a den
of snakes.
The death left the future of the McQueen label in
doubt.
“I’m overcome with grief today with his shocking
passing and my heart aches at the pain he must have
been in,” designer and friend Jeremy Scott said by email, explaining that he was too emotional to speak
after hearing of McQueen’s untimely death.
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Interview
Time for opera
A
BARITONE ALI
RIEGER IS GOING
TO SING HIS WAY
THROUGH
RACHMANINOFF’S
ALEKO NEXT
MONTH AND
MARIE BENOÎT
FINDS THAT HE IS
STEPPING INTO A
WORLD OF
GYPSIES,
BEAUTIFUL MUSIC
AND TRAGEDY
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leko, Sergei
Rachmaninoff’s one-act
answer to Carmen, is a
product of his student days
at the Moscow
Conservatory. It was an étude of sorts,
designed to test his burgeoning
compositional acumen. The Russian
libretto was written by
Vladimir NemirovichDanchenko and is an
adaptation of the poem
The Gypsies by
Alexander Pushkin.
Rachmaninoff’s opera
was written in 1892 as a
graduation work at the
Moscow Conservatory,
and it won the highest
prizes from the
Conservatory judges
that year. Its Moscow
première took place on 9 May 1893.
Tchaikovsky, who was to become his
mentor, had attended this
performance. Aleko’s rhapsodic
Orientalism and lavish melodies
emerge with effortless appeal. Like
Rachmaninoff’s two other operas – The
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– Aleko shows Rachmaninoff finding his
own individual style, independent of
the traditional opera or Wagner’s
music-dramas. Michael Bukinik, a
contemporary of Rachmaninoff at the
Conservatory, recalled the rehearsals
for the opera: “I was a pupil of the
orchestra class, and during the
rehearsals, we not only
admired, but were made
happy and proud by his
daring harmonies, and were
ready to see in him a
reformer.”
The BOV Opera Festival is
this year including Aleko in a
double-bill with Rossini’s
Cambiale di Matrimonio. The
title role is to be sung by a
young baritone Ali Rieger who
is no stranger to Malta and has sung
here a number of times: at the Sala
Isouard, last summer at a local council
festival in Mellieha bay, at the
Waterfront chapel and other venues.
Ali started acting, as a teenager in
Austrian TV productions and at the
age of 15 years he had his first small
part in an Austrian film. “I soon found
out that there was still much I had to
learn; much hard work lay ahead in
order for me to improve my skills.
Talent is simply not enough. But
acting has served me well for a
singer of operas must be able to act
as well.”
So Ali went to acting school.
His first visit to Malta took place
some years ago and “a strong
connection quickly grew as I
learned to appreciate this special
place and its people. Juliette
Bisazza, the well known Maltese
soprano and voice teacher and her
family supported me in my creative
growth. It was beneficial to meet
the Bisazza family, which has such a
long musical tradition. The
generosity I received in Malta
empowered me to promote Maltese
singers, through a recently set up
company Artisti Lirici Internazionali
(ALI) in Milan where I have been
living for several years.”
ALI is very much Ali Rieger’s baby
and is growing stronger with every
concert organised. He explains:
“Well, the original idea was to
launch new talent and singers
through concerts and events in
Milan where I live. After just a few
recitals we were already making
quite an impression on the musical
scene there. Through the
organisation of these concerts we
are also giving an opportunity to
Maltese artists to perform in Italy in
front of different audiences.”
From his comments it is clear that
it is always important for him that
he researches the background to
the role he is playing in detail.
“When you’re doing a role,
whether it is historical or not, you
need to know what’s going on. If
you do Rigoletto you need to know
about the time when it’s set and
the society in which it was written.
How else can you understand what
it’s all about? The audience too,
needs to know what it’s all about
and who’s who. That’s especially
important when it’s an unknown or
an unusual piece.”
Taking the final bow with Soprano
Adriana Yordanova in Tuscany
Ali with Soprano Lydia Caruana during
a reception in Malta
The role of Aleko at the Manoel
Theatre will be his debut for 2010. He
comments: “It wasn’t easy to work on
this part. Even though I have studied
for many years in Latvia and Estonia,
where Russian is the second official
language, I still had to review what I
had studied many years ago. About
a year ago, I was fortunate to find a
Russian coach in Milan who could
help me prepare the role. I wanted to
dive into the language, the culture,
the history behind the text and the
music. As time passed, I became
hypnotized by the beauty that is
contained in Rachmaninoff’s music.
Rachmaninoff was only twenty-yearsold when he composed this opera
and yet he already had an incredible
insight into the human soul.”
love her and to live in her world, only
to discover that she has betrayed
him. Enraged, he kills both her and
her lover. What is most fascinating is
Aleko’s journey which leads him to
this act of violence. Aleko, who in
reality doesn’t possess a very strong
personality, latches on to the young
soul of Zemfira, a woman who he
sees as being free from angst and
social pressures. He convinces himself
that she is the key to his happiness
and purpose in life. When he
discovers Zemfira with another man,
he loses his identity. He finds himself
alone again. This idea of the selffulfilling prophecy that you become
what you think you are really made
an impression on me.”
What are his plans after Aleko?
“This year is a great year for me, full
of new experiences and possibilities.
I am looking forward to working with
Brian Schembri who will be
conducting the Malta Philharmonic
Orchestra and the German opera
stage director Angelika Fenzel and
her colleague, set and costume
designer, Hanne Eckart in the
Manoel’s production of Aleko. The
production manager is the wellknown musician Sara Spiteri.”
Aleko is the story of a young man
who is weary of his boring upperclass life and runs off with a band of
gypsies. He moves in with Zemfira, a
young gypsy, and she bears him a
child. The Old Gypsy, Zemfira’s
father, warns Aleko not to become
too possessive of Zemfira. However,
Aleko kills both Zemfira and the man
he thinks is her lover. The gypsies
cast him out and disown him.
Could he comment on Aleko’s
character? “This opera
communicates something more than
love between two souls which were
once deeply connected. If you were
to look at it from a story book point of
view, Aleko lives in a civilized world
but falls in love with a young gipsy girl.
He is mesmerized by her beauty and
what she represents: youth and
freedom. Driven by his fear of being
left alone, he sacrifices everything to
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In addition to preparing the roles of
Belcore in Donizetti’s L’Elizir d’amore
and Puccini’s Marcello for La Bohème,
two roles which he is scheduled to
play in Catania, Ali Rieger is also
working on parts for both German
and Austrian television productions.
(The 11th Edition of the BOV Opera
Festival is a week-long operatic
bonanza being held at the Manoel
Theatre and starts on 17 March.)
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Working women
MARIE BENOÎT H
ANOTHER VOICE
T
he ‘typical family’ shown in
the advertisements – father
going out to work, mother
staying home (getting her
sheets whiter than white)
and two children, is slowly becoming
not so typical. The statistics of marital
breakdown in Malta are nothing to be
proud of. I have just been watching a
programme on TV 5 about divorce in
France. The statistics there are worse.
One in three couples separate and in
Paris it is worse still for there it is one in
two couples. It is usually the men who
finish up homeless and sometimes, the
economy being what it is, jobless as
well. And in these statistics no one is
counting those marriages which are
marriages only in name: where the
couple live under the same roof but
lead seperate lives; where the woman
stays on as, at a certain age, she
cannot hope to go out and work and
maintain yourself; where the man’s
conscience will not allow him to leave
his wife at any stage, although the
marriage never took off, and so on.
not forget that the average salary
here is dismally low, one of the lowest
in Europe. So, there are women who
may not particularly like what they are
doing but are happy to contribute to
the family kitty and make the life of
those they love more comfortable. As
a result of more women in the
workplace, roles are not as clear cut
as they used to be. But it is up to each
couple to sort this out as although
legislation helps in certain areas, the
circumstances of each couple are
different. It is only the co-operation
between them which is going to be
the basis of a harmonious life together.
There are more and more enlightened
couples who see the benefits of the
contribution of the woman and who
are making a definite decision to run
their lives on an equal, sharing basis.
And it works well for them.
possible and is justifiably proud of her
achievements then, to use the crude
word which all kinds of men use, he
must be a pastizz. I am not going to
apologise for the use of this word and its
implications as it is so widely adopted.
There are others who find it
necessary to challenge the manliness
of those whose wives are smart and
doing well careerwise. He must be
weak, a wimp with not worthwhile
career of his own, they bark, and of
course, he must inevitably be
henpecked. She is no doubt a
belligerent hussy and deserves a good
hiding now and then to show her who
is boss, they argue. The marriage will
not last, they predict, without as much
as the aid of a crude crystal ball let
alone a shred of evidence. She
probably orders him around, they
assume, at the same time blaming
women who work for the
disintegration of family life.
Âg{xÜx tÜx ÅxÇ
ã{É ÉÇÄç yxxÄ áxvâÜx |Ç
à{x|Ü ÜxÄtà|ÉÇá{|Ñ |y à{x
ãÉÅtÇ áàtçá {ÉÅxA
But it is useless to pretend that
the problem of marital
breakdown has a solution… it
is a social phenomenon not a
problem. There are things
that could help but they
appear modest against the
awesome tide of social
revolution around us.
It is infinitely more
fortable of course –
com
We are still in a transitional
phase and the indisputable fact is
especially for him.”
women have arrived in the
that
workplace – and not just to make the
coffee and empty the paper baskets.
Some are working because they have
studied hard and cannot visualize
staying at home all day without the
mental stimulation which work they
enjoy gives them. Others – and there
are more and more of these – work
because they have to do so in order
to balance the family budget. Let us
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But the old prejudices still linger. There
is still a false impression that if a man
marries a woman with any ambition
beyond rocking the cradle and making
minestra, he cannot be truly male. If he
‘allows’ his wife to pursue her career,
indeed supports her in every way
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f because of the nature of
her work she happens to
have a higher profile than
his, he is truly to be pitied.
Who wants to be upstaged by a
mere woman, especially if she is
your wife? He can’t be a regular
guy they conclude.
A T-shirt of some ten years ago
sums up their attitude: “Wife
wanted/Look like an angel/Cook
like a gourmet/And bonk like a
rabbit.” As a matter of fact if you will
look around you will find that there is a
certain type of man who dumps his
wife of many years because in her
middle age, she is starting to become
too assertive for his liking. He then grabs
himself either a much younger woman
who is looking for a ‘protector’ or
someone from one of those countries
for whom the choice is between
marriage – any marriage – or a life-time
of misery and poverty. To them
marriage is little more than a business.
en need support
T HAS HER SAY
Men who feel inadequate and lack
confidence are likely to set much
store by being the bread-winners and
might feel that their masculinity is
threatened by a woman earning
money of her own, even if her work is
not particularly high-powered. It can
be even harder if the woman’s work
is more rewarding, better paid or of
high status. There are men who only
feel secure in their relationship if the
woman stays home. It is infinitely
more comfortable of course –
especially for him.
There are women who prefer not to
work and enjoy being at home,
taking life more calmly and looking
after their loved ones full-time. In no
way am I going to cast aspersions on
them. It is a choice they have made
and I respect it. The truth is that many
of them have not had to slog through
years of study so they do not have
the feeling that all those years
have been wasted if they are
not working. As more and
more women qualify
professionally, more and
more of them are going to
want to work.
women. What’s new?
ÂTá ÅÉÜx
tÇw ÅÉÜx ãÉÅxÇ
ÖâtÄ|yç ÑÜÉyxáá|ÉÇtÄÄç?
I
t is hard to believe that men
would be worse off by
becoming more gentle. Nor
would mildness of manner and
social relations make them any
the less manly. True maleness is
never without its vein of
femininity.
I’ll let Jeffrey Richards, Professor
of Cultural History at Lancaster
University have the last word: “It
is time to dethrone the idea that
Real Men are aggressive, loud,
competitive, unemotional,
unexpressive and irresponsible and
begin to shape a concept of Real
Men as sensitive, concerned, tender
and self-aware both in their dealings
with each other and with women and
children. In the recent past such
figures have been dismissed as wimps
and wets. But in the long run if
civilization is to survive and violence be
contained it is the wimps and wets
that must inherit the earth.”
And it is often the ‘wimps’ and
‘wets’ who are sensitive enough to
understand the needs of their
working wives.
more and more of them
are going to want to
work.”
You will find that the
majority of women get most
satisfaction out of their family
rather than out of their job. It
certainly has been that way for
me, although I have always had
jobs that I enjoyed tremendously and
which gave me a window to the
wider world which staying at home
would not have done. But unless you
have to make a choice between
family and profession, a combination
of both is the ideal. The problem is
always one of balance. Women with
a job and a family have to do a
great deal of juggling if they want
both. And they need oodles of
energy. Not everyone can handle life
in the fast lane.
who have a career and are
financially independent tend to love
unconditionally. A relationship to
them is not a meal ticket for life or an
escape from a job which provides
little more than torment. And believe
it or not women with a brain and a
profession can come up with a
decent meal and may even bake
the occasional cake. They may not
be too obsessed about the dust on
the wardrobes and the shine on the
brass for to them their homes tend to
be homes not showcases. There are
many more interesting avenues to
explore than the tops of wardrobes.
They are not harridans but often
sympathise more with their mates as
they understand the hassles of a
working day and may even offer
some worthwhile advice.
There’s even talk of the masculinity
crisis. The public is given the image of
females starving in vain for the
attention of men, and of men, who
egged on and deprived by frigid
seductresses, end by falling into each
other’s arms. This, some are saying, is
why there is so much homosexuality.
Women are demaculating men. By
changing their traditional roles and
no longer pretending to be damsels
in distress women are ensuring that
men feel less virile, less masculine.
Since women can provide everything
for themselves, one acquaintance
told me, men are feeling useless as
women don’t seem to need them
anymore. When the moon is in the
right phase heap all blame on the
But having observed the social
scene for a good many years I find
that the truth is usually very different.
You will find that in most cases when
women have a worthwhile career
and an intellect the chances are that
the marriage is a happy one for it is
based on equality and mutual
respect and fulfillment, as long as the
couple support each other. Women
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Books
The Island of San
Giulio on Lake
d’Orta, where the
mysterious bone
that distracted
pilgrims was
found
A Guide to the
Mysteries of Lake Maggiore
ITALO-FRENCH
AUTHOR,
WILLIAM
FACCHINETTI
KERDUDO, SPEAKS
TO RICHARD ZAHRA
ABOUT HIS UNUSUAL
GUIDEBOOK
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associated with numerous sites
around Lake Maggiore. “I
wanted to write a guidebook
that explores local curiosities,” he
says, “unlike the traditional ones
that focus only on architectural
and historical descriptions.”
The author William Facchinetti
Kerdudo
G
uida ai Misteri del
Lago Maggiore
(Macchione Editore)
is an innovative
guidebook that
steers intrepid and curious visitors
away from the firmly-trampled
tourist trail to discover
overlooked mysterious places
and historical figures that flavour
one of the most celebrated
Italian northern lakes. In his book,
talented author William
Facchinetti Kerdudo capitalizes
on the innate curiosity of human
nature and the lure of the
intriguing tales that are
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William Facchinetti Kerdudo is a
man of many talents. He has
pursued his passions for literature,
music and photography, and
after finishing his studies, he
carved out a promising career in
all three fields. His work was
amongst the winning titles at the
National Award of Creative
Writing of Ivrea, and after
graduating in lyrical music he
authored, composed and
sometimes performed songs that
were played in clubs across
Europe. As a photographer he
set up various personal
exhibitions and was amongst the
winners at the international
awards Quest of Fashion held at
Pitti Uomo, Florence, in 2007.
The Borromeo islands on Lake Maggiore. In his book, the author mentions
many mysteries and curiosities related to these popular destinations
K
erdudo explains that writing
the guidebook involved a
lot of on-site research. He
started off in local libraries
by leafing through old texts, digging
out local legends and mysterious
historical characters. He spent six
months visiting each location to verify
and photograph the sites. Whenever
possible, he also interviewed old
people who were well-acquainted
with local lore.
addition, each site is marked with
practical information such as
directions of how to get there,
whether it is open to the public and if
payment is charged for visiting.
“I am intrigued by stories of the
supernatural,” admits Kerdudo,
“but I did not want to limit my book
to ghost stories, as that would have
been annoying. Historical curiosities
“I wanted to be sure that every
legend, story or character I
mentioned in the book had a
sound base and that the facts I
included were precise,” he
comments. “I used a simple rule. For
an entry to qualify for my book, I
had to confirm it through three
different sources.”
The entries in the book are easy to
find by travellers touring the area as
the author has conveniently grouped
them under the headings of the three
provinces of Novara, Varese and
Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, all of which
border Lake Maggiore. The curiosities
are well illustrated with the author’s
own professional photographs. In
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The she-devil at the Sacro Monte of
Orta, one of the curiosities mentioned in
the book
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and real characters can sometimes
be more interesting than invented
ones. For instance not so long ago,
the well-preserved mummy of a
woman dating from 1793 was
found near a church. That is
certainly not typical of this area!”
Lake Maggiore and its environs are
steeped in Christian myth. Some of
these are well known and have been
much written about. An example is
the much celebrated story of San
Giulio who built his hundredth church
on an island over the scenic Lake
Orta after banishing the evil creatures
that lurked on it.
“A less well-known story related to
this place is that of the dragon’s rib,”
adds Kerdudo. “This large bone was
discovered during the 17th century
when it was washed on the lake
shore. People associated it with the
creatures that had been defeated by
San Giulio and for many years it was
exhibited in San Giulio’s church. Later,
the nuns had to remove the rib from
public viewing as it became so
sensational that visitors came to see it
rather than coming in pilgrimage to
the saint’s shrine.”
The author William Facchinetti Kerdudo
K
erdudo believes that his
guidebook goes some way
to redressing the fact that
many visitors brush over less
glamorous yet still very interesting
locations.
“Everyone has heard of the leaning
Tower of Pisa,” he says. “Yet few
people ever notice the leaning
church tower at the small hillside
village of Massino Visconti, which
perched at 465 metres above sea
level, offers splendid vistas of Lake
Maggiore. In addition, if you
wander inside you will find a very
curious detail that is very easy to
overlook. There is a fresco of the
crucifixion in which Jesus is depicted
completely naked. This is a very rare
example of its kind as at some point in
history, nude depictions were
covered on the Vatican’s order.”
By means of his innovative
guidebook, the author wants to draw
the visitors’ attention to unusual and
interesting details around them, which
without direction would certainly be
overlooked.
“Every year, thousands of visitors
flock to the Borromeo Palace and
gardens on Isola Bella, and many
remain open mouthed when they see
the splendid Flemish tapestries on
display,” says Kerdudo. “Yet few
observe that the weavers included
tiny saucy details, like for example, a
mule copulating with a leopard. This is
very out of the ordinary considering
the austerity of that age. An even
Saint Francis. It goes to show that the
artists of the time had a mischievous
sense of humour that has been
passed on to us through the
centuries.”
William Facchinetti Kerdudo’s book
evokes the unique, magical feel of
Lake Maggiore and its environs, a
region that has inspired writers and
artists with its blend of natural
wonders and rich history intertwined
with ancient legends. Filled with
passion and an unquenchable
desire to find out about the
mysterious and intriguing, the
author is looking forward to more
projects. His new book, Milano,
misteri e itinerari insoliti tra realtà e
leggenda (Casa Editrice Polaris
SRL), has just been published and was
an immediate success. As a result, the
author will soon be wandering further
than the limits of Lombardy to
unearth more intriguing secrets. He
has been commissioned to write
guidebooks about the mysteries of
Turin, Venice and Prague that are
due to be published by 2010. And
staying on the theme of mystery and
intrigue, his first romanzo giallo
(detective novel) will soon be on the
bookshelves too!
Man dressed as a woman at the Sacro
Monte of Orta, another curiosity that
seems at odds with the austere age
during which these works were
produced
better example can be seen at the
Sacro Monte near the town of Orta
San Giulio. Amongst the hundreds of
statues depicting the life of Saint
Francis of Assisi, there is one of a very
masculine man dressed in women’s
clothes, and another of a she-devil
dangling her droopy breasts above
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Opinion
Cartoon by Paul Lachine
Climate Science or
Climate Evangelism?
T
AS GEORGE W. BUSH AND TONY BLAIR LEARNED THE
HARD WAY, BJØRN LOMBORG ARGUES, THE PUBLIC
DOES NOT TAKE KINDLY TO BEING MISLED ABOUT
THE NATURE OF POTENTIAL THREATS.
he after-the-fact
revelation that the
reasons for invading
Iraq were vastly
exaggerated – and in
some cases completely
fabricated – produced an angry
backlash that helped toss the
Republicans out of power in the
United States in 2008 and may do
the same to Britain’s Labour Party
later this year.
A similar shift in global public
opinion is occurring with respect
to climate change. The process
picked up momentum late last
year, after hackers leaked
thousands of e-mails from a top
British research facility showing
that some of the world’s most
influential climatologists had been
trying to disguise flaws in their
work, blocking scrutiny, and
plotting together to enforce what
amounts to a party line on
climate change. More recently,
the United Nations’ respected
advisory group, the
Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPPC), has been
deeply embarrassed by the
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revelation that some alarming
predictions contained in an
influential report that it released in
2007 have little or no scientific
basis.
Although none of these lapses
provides any reason to doubt that
global warming is real, is manmade, and will create problems
for us, these challenges to the
IPCC are taking their toll. Indeed,
recent surveys show that the
public is growing steadily less
trusting of the scientific consensus
on global warming.
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43
T
he biggest headlines
about IPCC errors
concern a claim about
melting Himalayan
glaciers that it made in its 2007
report on the likely impacts of
climate change. “Glaciers in the
Himalaya are receding faster than
in any other part of the world,” the
report noted, adding that “if the
present rate continues, the
likelihood of them disappearing by
the year 2035 and perhaps sooner
is very high.” As it happens, this
prediction was not based on any
peer-reviewed scientific research
but was lifted from a report by the
World Wildlife Fund, which was
repeating an unproven
speculation by a single researcher.
on any peer-reviewed science.
Nonetheless, he explained, “we
thought that if we can highlight it, it
will impact policy-makers and
politicians and encourage them to
take some concrete action.”
The concrete action that they had
in mind was getting governments to
mandate drastic cuts in carbondioxide emissions. Activists have
been pursuing this approach to
tackling global warming without
success for nearly 20 years, most
recently at last December’s failed
climate summit in Copenhagen.
The problem is that it is too
expensive a solution for politicians
and the public to swallow easily
–which is why many well-meaning
climate scientists have apparently
concluded that instead of relying
on reasoned discussion, they might
as well try to scare us witless.
This lack of scientific basis did not
stop countless global-warming
activists from citing the glacier
prediction at every opportunity.
When the Indian government
suggested last year that the
Himalayan glaciers were in better
shape than the IPCC claimed,
the IPCC’s chairman,
Rajendra Pachauri,
dismissed India’s objections
as being based on
“voodoo science.”
supposedly found that global
warming had doubled damage
costs over the past 35 years. In
fact, when this study was finally
published, it stated categorically
that there was “insufficient
evidence” to link the increased
losses to global warming. In other
words, what Working Group II
reported was plain wrong.
Elsewhere in the 2007 assessment,
Working Group II claimed that “up
to 40% of the Amazonian forests”
were at imminent risk of being
destroyed by global warming. The
basis for this claim was a single
report from the World Wildlife Fund
that itself cited only one study,
which didn’t even look at climate
change, but rather at the impact
of human activities like logging
and burning. In similar fashion,
Working Group II claimed that “by
2020, in some [African] countries,
yields from rain-fed agriculture
could be reduced by up to 50%.”
Much quoted since, this alarming
statistic turns out to have been
based on a single,
unreferenced bullet-point
from a report by an
environmental think tank.
Âg{x
hÇ|àxw atà|ÉÇáË
ÜxáÑxvàxw twä|áÉÜç zÜÉâÑ? à{x
\ÇàxÜzÉäxÜÇÅxÇàtÄ ctÇxÄ
on Climate Change (IPPC),
has been deeply embarrassed
There are numerous other
by the revelation that some
Earlier this month, the
examples of similar
alarming predictions
Indian government reacted
shenanigans by Working
to the revelations about the
Group II. Yet, aside from a
contained in an influential
baseless nature of the glacier
grudging admission that its
report that it released in predictions
claim by announcing plans to
about Himalayan
2007 have little or no glaciers were “poorly
establish what amounts to its own
“Indian IPCC” to assess the impact
substantiated,” the IPCC has yet to
scientific basis”
of global warming. India’s
environment minister, Jairam
Ramesh, declared: “There is a fine
line between climate science and
climate evangelism. I am for
climate science.”
Consider what the IPCC had to
say about extreme weather events
such as intense hurricanes. The cost
of such events in terms of
destroyed property and economic
disruption has been rising steadily.
Every peer-reviewed study has
shown that this is not because of
rising temperatures, but because
more people live in harm’s way.
Climate evangelism is an apt
description of what the IPCC has
been up to, for it has exaggerated
some of the ramifications of
climate change in order to make
politicians take note. Murari Lal, the
coordinating lead author of the
section of the IPCC report that
contained the Himalayan error,
admitted that he and his
colleagues knew that the dramatic
glacier prediction was not based
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Nonetheless, in the IPCC’s
influential 2007 assessment of
climate change, the panel’s
Working Group II (charged with
assessing the potential impact of
global warming) chose to cite one,
then-unpublished study that
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acknowledge – much less
apologize for – any of the lapses.
If the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change is to do to its job
properly, it must own up to all of its
missteps and clean house. Nobody
expects it to be infallible. But
neither should we tolerate its
attempts to scare policy-makers
rather than inform them.
• Bjørn Lomborg is Director of the
Copenhagen Consensus Center at
Copenhagen Business School and
the author of Cool It: The Skeptical
Environmentalist’s Guide to Global
Warming.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2010.
Travel
Malta diary
A
“
nd another thing”
Ms Christa called out to
her class at the end of her
lesson, “Anyone interested
in an airline ticket to
Malta, 2-week return, flight only?”
Without giving it a second’s thought I
called out: “I’ll take it!”
I had always loved travelling, and with
the exception of the then communist
block countries, I had been practically
everywhere in Europe.
Everywhere except Malta…
These were the Easter holidays of 1987. I
did not know much about Malta, as I
packed my stuff into my backpack. A
couple of t-shirts, some underwear, shorts,
swimwear, sunglasses and a toiletry bag. I
liked travelling light. I wanted to be free. I
wanted to rent a car to enjoy my newly
acquired driver’s licence, and enjoy the
sensation of being my own boss.
As the plane approached the island, my
heart beat faster when I caught sight of
the archipelago: a golden yellow tint on
the rooftops, the likes of which I had never
seen before. It almost made me feel I was
visiting Africa, had it not been for the
numerous church-tops, which were clearly
recognisable, even at that altitude. The
primitive streets seemed wide and empty
of traffic, and the surrounding sea a
glittering turquoise.
At Luqa Airport a friendly welcoming
lady gave me a garland, a “What’s On”
brochure and told me “Welcome to sunny
Malta!”
ANKE JABLINSKI
HAS COMPLETED
50 VISITS TO
MALTA. SHE
WRITES OF HER
EXPERIENCE AND
HOW CHANCE
BROUGHT HER
TO MALTA FOR
THE FIRST TIME
IN 1987
Anke’s favourite
temple Mnajdra, 1993
The smell struck me – it was a mixture of
salt, sea and gasoline, some kind of herb,
together with an earthy smell. It was a
smell so unique and particular to Malta –
one which I would never forget.
A taxi driver offered his services and
asked me if it was my first time in Malta. He
started laughing when I told him that it
was and wanted to rent a car. “Ok, ok,
how old are you?” he wanted to know.
“Twenty four” I said, which was a good
thing, since one can’t get a rented car
unless one is over 20.
Twenty minutes later I was getting into an
old, rickety, blue Honda with no mirrors
whatsoever and a yellow number plate at
a car-rental shop. The car looked like it
could fall apart any minute, but it was
super cheap and it was love at first sight
for me, just like my first impression at the
airport.
A walk among the flowers at Gnejna Bay, 1989
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I happily drove along the curvy
coast road through Sliema and St
Julian’s until I came to a small Hotel in
the region of Spinola bay, where I was
welcomed with a smile and an
“alright?” I would stay in that hotel
another eleven times.
These first two weeks in Malta made
me happy. I just loved the sense of
humour of the people, who made me
laugh more than I ever had. I loved
the streets without traffic lights, and
the roundabouts where everyone
was careful how everyone else was
driving. I loved the villages with the
big churches and the small chapels,
the bastions of Mdina, Valletta and
the Three Cities, and the Knights’
Watch-towers. I also loved the English
pubs, the colourful balconies and
luzzi, the racing horses in the streets
and the saltpans by the sea, the cliffs
and rocks, where one could
sunbathe before jumping into the
sea.
What really got me spellbound
however were the Mnajdra and
Hagar Qim temples. In those days
Mnajdra was not fenced in, and I
stayed for hours there by the temple
staring into the sea. Later I would also
visit the Hypogeum and the Ggantija
temples.
When I reluctantly flew back to
Berlin, I decided that after finishing my
compulsory education I would choose
archaeology, history and English as
my specialisations.
These would fit nicely in my plans, for
I wanted to go back to Malta, and
maybe do my studies over there.
Life, however, has a knack of not
going according to plan. Although I
did get my certificates translated into
English, and I did apply to join the
University of Malta, in the end various
reasons kept me in Berlin.
In the next three years I had visited
Malta twelve times already, and it was
then, in 1990, that I found a Maltese
guy in Berlin who would help me learn
some malti. He remains to this day
one of my best friends in Malta.
Although I did not end up studying in
Malta, I did write a book about the
Maltese islands and a few short stories,
and my artistic streak made me paint
scenes and take pictures of anything
and everything like someone with an
obsession.
On Anke’s 20th visit at Tarxien temples, 1994
Since I have walked around a lot, I
have come to know almost every
nook and cranny of the island. I am
always amazed that I can still discover
new details that I had never seen
before, which give me inspiration to
paint or more frequently to take a
picture. By now I have taken over
4000 photographs of Malta, Gozo and
Comino.
Since my first visit I have stayed in
various towns and villages, in different
types of accommodations. I have
stayed in hotels, private residences,
studio flats and farmhouses, in St
Julians, Sliema, Gzira, Marsaxlokk,
Marsascala, San Gwann, Marsalforn,
Qbajjar, Xlendi, Xemxija, Gharb, Bahar
ic-Caghaq, Qrendi, Mellieha, Marfa,
Valletta…
Â\ {täx
uÜÉâz{à Åç á|áàxÜ? Åç
ÅÉà{xÜ? Åç {âáutÇw
tÇw ÅtÇç yÜ|xÇwá
International Airport.
With the closing of the year 2008, it is
my 50th visit. A lot has changed, not
just the airport. There are traffic lights
now, and safety belts are compulsory,
and the roads have tarmac. There are
showy hotels and high-rise buildings,
more people and cars, traffic jams
and bad air. The Euro has replaced
the Lira, and motorboats took the
place of many luzzi and dghajjes.
There are supermarkets everywhere,
and the sense of humour has
dwindled. And I can’t smell my
beloved Malta-smell anymore. All the
temples have been fenced in, for
some had been vandalised. These are
signs of our times, and not particular
to Malta.
So I sit in Armier bay, relaxed, looking
at the fishermen, listening to the birds
twittering with Comino in the
background. I drink a lager and prosit
myself on my 50th trip to Malta, for my
love for Malta remains, now and
forever.
Nowadays besides running a
copy-shop I have decided to also
launch a Malta-shop, where
paintings of Malta adorn the walls
and a slide show of photos I have
taken in Malta and Gozo plays on a
screen. Besides being able to buy my
photos and paintings, the shop also
offers visitors the opportunity to buy
Kinnie, La Valette wine, a Maltese
cookbook, and my own book
Zufluchtsort Malta – a mixture of a
travel guide and autobiography of my
experiences on the Maltese
archipelago.
with me to Malta, and
all of them liked it a lot.
I love Malta, it is my
second home”
I have
brought my
sister, my mother, my husband and
many friends with me to Malta, and all
of them liked it a lot. I love Malta, it is
my second home, and I love showing
it to other people to get them closer
to it.
When I land in Malta nowadays, a
rented car would usually be waiting
for me in the much bigger
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Lifestyle
My
Favourite
room
JOSETTE AND GEORGES MAGRI AT THEIR HOME,
CASA BERNARD, IN RABAT
Photos: Joe Demanuele www.joedemanuele.com • Tel: 21647250
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W
alking down any Maltese street with
the limestone walls and the
wooden balconies, one
gets very few clues of
what lies on the
other side of the often
crumbling façades. Important
houses were for hundreds of
years built defensively for
fear that corsairs or an
invading Ottoman army
might carry off the
owners to be sold into
slavery. So, very often
the façade gives little
indication of what lies
beyond. An
ostentatious façade
which attracted
attention could be
dangerous for its
owners. Inside, however,
can be very different from
what the passer-by expects.
Casa Bernard in Rabat is a
case in point. It’s façade is
unpretentious and belies what is
inside once the threshold is crossed
and one goes through the iron-studded front door. It
is probable that the architect is Girolamo Cassar
since at the same time he was building the
St Augustine Priory and Church
nearby.
Â\à |á t
ÑÄxtáâÜx yÉÜ âá àÉ
ÄÉÉ~ tyàxÜ à{x {ÉâáxA
The name of the house –
Casa Bernard – was chosen
because in 1723
Dr Salvatore Bernard
who was of French
origin, starting living in
this palazzo. He was
appointed medical
superintendent to the
Santo Spirito Hospital
and was personal
physician to the
Grand Master.
In fact Casa Bernard won
an award from Europa
Nostra in 2006 in the
Special Mention Category
for its splendid restoration.
It was acclaimed as “an
exercise in good taste and
The Bernards, who
were
a family of doctors,
as one of Malta’s hidden
lived in the palazzo until
gems, full of the
the second quarter of the
20th century when the house
charm of bygone
was in the hands of the
Bonavias, from whom Mr and Mrs
days”
Magri bought it.
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C
asa Bernard can be
described as a 16th
century palace but
there has been a
gradual evolution over the
centuries starting off from Roman
times. There are traces of Roman
arches in the cellar, part of
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which is now utilized as a family
chapel.
The Magris took over the palazzo
in 1993 and restored it with love
and attention to detail. This work
lasted a few years after which
they decided to open Casa
z
s
i
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Bernard to visitors, simply to give
an idea of how an aristocratic
Maltese family home functioned
through the ages. Its many
historical features date from the
Roman period to the Medieval
and to the time of the Knights of
St John.
T
his magnificent house
has a fascinating history
and tours are conducted
by the owners
themselves who are very
knowledgeable and point out
features and tell stories of some of
the beautiful objets d’art which
they have either collected or
inherited.
Georges and Josette who are
teachers by profession, retired a
couple of years ago and now live
permanently in Casa Bernard.
Sitting in their favourite room, the
magnificent drawing room on the
‘piano nobile’ I do not get the
impression that I am in a museum
because the house feels so lived
in. As we talk about our pets we
move on to the sadness that
descends on one upon the loss of
a beloved dog or cat. We move
on to the topic of cremation and
Josette remarks that she was
present during one cremation. I
ask her to tell me more and
Georges gets up and brings back
a framed photo. In it is their son
Max when he was still a toddler
and with him an African teenage
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girl. “That is Gennet, ” Mr Magri
says. “She was originally from
Ethiopia”. In the photo I can
recognize the small pretty features
typical of the people who
populate one of the world’s most
ancient countries.
So who was Gennet and why
did she come to mind as we were
talking of cremation? The story,
says Josette, started some 30
years ago. She always liked to
give a helping hand to Sister
Agnes who at the time had a
home for single mothers in Balzan.
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t was only a few minutes away from where
we lived and I would regularly drop in and
do what was required, be it baking a cake
or doing some fund-raising.” Josette had
noticed a 12-year-old African girl there who
seemed very frightened and out of place in a home
for grown up Maltese women. Sister Agnes asked
Josette if she could teach the girl some English and
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from then on a relationship between the Magris and
the girl started to develop. Gennet would sit in during
Josette’s English lessons and she quickly became
fluent in English. As it was apparent that Gennet was
here to stay, Josette decided to teach her Maltese
too. Unlike most Maltese children Gennet received
her first Holy Communion when she was 14 and her
confirmation some time later. Little by little she
became part of the family and Georges and Josette
took on the role of foster parents. She lived with them
and was like an older sister to their son Max. But she
got paid for babysitting him and no expense was
spared in her upbringing. She was sent to the best
private school and bought the nicest clothes. “She
was like a daughter to us,” Georges comments.
Unbeknown to them she had been saving all the
money that she received and had accounts in
England and Malta. Eventually she moved to England
where she was diagnosed with cancer while still in her
thirties. She refused treatment but told the Magris
about her bank accounts. Georges urged her to write
a will to at least leave her money to some
orphanage in Ethiopia or to the Good Shepherd
Convent where they had first met her. Her money,
they pointed out, would help children like her who
had been abandoned. However in the same way
that she refused treatment, she also refused to write a
will. Unfortunately therefore her money went to the
Maltese and British states. “She could have helped so
many other children,” Josette remarks, pensively. In
England where she passed away, a few months later,
she was cremated and that is how Josette and
Georges came to experience a cremation
ceremony.
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t is cold and the February wind is howling
outside so Georges lights the fire, a welcome
gesture. Centuries ago the simple act of lighting
a fire and keeping a fireplace clean would
have been carried out by a retinue of servants but
times have changed and few noble homes can
nowadays afford the luxury of a posse of servants.
“We have a lot of free time now”, Josette remarks,
“and it is a pleasure for us to look after the house. In
fact Casa Bernard won an award from Europa
Nostra in 2006 in the Special Mention Category for its
splendid restoration. It was acclaimed as “an
exercise in good taste and as one of Malta’s hidden
gems, full of the charm of bygone days.”
I almost reluctantly leave this charming couple who
are blessed with a generosity of spirit as well as many
other qualities. It makes a change to meet people
who have so much but yet are authentic in every
way.
www.casabernard.com
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57
Culture vulture
An e
Antonio Pinto Basto,
Maria Ana Bobone
and show producer
Miguel Capucho
Maria Ana Bobone, Mr Bruno Bobone,
H.E. Antonio Ramalho Ortigao, Marquis
Anthony Cremona Barbaro
The Portugese ambassador Antonio
Ramalho Ortigao, Mr Nuno Martins
and Mrs Martins
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M
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Ambassador of Portugal presenting flowers to
Maria Ana Bobone
n evening of sheer delight
T
he Embassy of Portugal in
collaboration with Pinto
Basto Ltd. organised a
Fado night at the
Chameleon Suite, Corinthia
Place Hotel, Attard last December.
Fado which means destiny or fate, is
characterized by mournful tunes and
lyrics, often about the sea or the life of
the poor.
The first part of the show consisted of
an impeccable performance by Maria
Ana Bobone who also gave her very
personal interpretation of fado. The
second part of the evening consisted
of a great performance by Antonio
Pinto Basto who celebrated his 35 year
of ‘marriage’with Fado in 2007.
Without doubt, the concert
reached its peak with a duet by
Maria Ana and Antonio. The concert
was under the direction of Miguel
Capucho.
The audience which consisted of
several Porthugese living in Malta,
packed the suite and showed their
heartfelt appreciation by much
clapping. During the reception which
followed there was much praise for the
musicians as well and Maria Ana and
Antonio mixed with the guests, who
were delighted to meet them.
This was another cultural event
supported by Banif Bank (Malta) plc
and the Instituto Camoes – Portugal’s
cultural institute.
Mrs Fenech Adami, Dr Edward Fenech Adami, The Portugese
ambassador, The ambassador of the USA Mr. Douglas Kmiec,
former ambassador Sally Novetske
Mrs Annette Braun, The German ambassador.
Mr Bernd Braun, Mrs Emma Mifsud Bonnici
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Social whirl
Brigadier Vassallo , Dr Claude Busuttil
and Dr Antonio Espinosa Rodriguez
Baron S. Testaferrata Moroni Viani, Mr Silvio Bonett,
two guests and Mr Joe Mifsud
Apostolic Nuncio to Malta Tommaso Caputo
Mons George Mifsud Montanaro and his sister
Mr Brian Blackburn, Mrs Marceline Blackburn,
Mr Gordon Mather and Mrs Julia Mather
Mr Gerald Grech
and guest
The French ambassador and Mme. Rondeau
The young
Latvians singing
in the chapel
The Latvian group
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Mrs Gita Furber
de la Fuente
Dr Lydia… Fr Marius Zerafa
The Russian ambassador,
Mr & Mrs Carmelo Abela
and the Apolostic Nuncio
Mr Albert Storace and
Ms Joyce Guillaumier
Ms Marika Mizzi, Mr Alex
Caruana Soler, Capt. Mark Mallia
Russians celebrate
Orthodox Christmas
Judge Joseph Filletti
Photos: Joe Demanuele
O
n the 7 January a
ceremony hosted
by HE The
ambassador of
Russia to Malta,
Andrey Evgenievich Granovsky,
was held at the Russian Chapel at
San Anton Palace.
A young group wearing their
national costume came from
Latvia to sing to those who
attended the ceremony. The
chapel was filled to capacity. A
reception was held afterwards in
the spacious and beautiful
reception area of San Anton
Palace.
The Russian
ambassador to Malta
Mrs Irina
Medvedeva
Mr Albert Gauci, Dr Olga Gauci and Ms Marie Louise Gangi
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61
History
The Gozo Siddeley
after restoration
Descent of the Holy Spirit, Alessio Erardi,
1719, St Mark’s Church, Rabat
A fireworks machine
Full of treasures
I
THE LATEST ISSUE OF TREASURES OF MALTA, PUBLISHED
BY FONDAZZJONI PATRIMONJU MALTI IS A VERITABLE
TREASURE HOUSE FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN THE
HISTORY OF THESE ISLANDS.
n this issue J.C. Sammut and E. Azzopardi
comment on the important recent discovery
of the first coin known to
have been minted in Malta
by its Arab rulers in their
article: A unique medieval Fatimid
gold coin of Malta. Krystle Farrugia
brings out the high quality of the
building of the Carmelite church
in Mdina, and of the artistic works
it contains in her article An artistic
appreciation of the Carmelite
Church, Mdina which is beautifully
illustrated. Carmen Depasquale
writes a detailed account of the
passage of the famous Cippi, so
important for deciphering of the
Phoenician alphabet and which is
in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Judge Giovanni Bonello and his sister, Mrs Anna
Xuereb recently donated a painting by Philippo
Paladini to the National Collection in memory of
their father. Alessandro Debono, writes an
indepth piece about it.
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There are many more interesting articles in this
volume of Treasures of Malta which is edited by
Dr Paul Xuereb. I particularly
enjoyed reading the lively
account of the First motor car in
Gozo written by Judge
Giovanni Bonello. The 1904
Siddeley was bought by
Marietta, Caroline and Carmela
Spiteri and is still in existence in
the UK. How’s that for women
with vision?
Another interesting piece is by
Willian Zammit who writes about
an 18th century machine used
in Malta for fireworks displays.
As from this issue Treasures of
Malta will include a new series
of prints from the Albert Ganado Collection.
There are letters, a cultural calendar and so
much more which is of interest to the cultivated
man and woman.
Treasures of Malta is available at leading
booksellers.
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competition
question:
Who features in My Favourite Room
this month?
Answer
Name
this month’s competition
Address
You could win one of the following prizes:
One of three Avon products courtesy of Nova Company Ltd.
A Police set of body essentials – eau de toilette and body cream for ladies
courtesy of Charles de Giorgio Ltd.
A Pupa prize courtesy of Medimports
A Pot luck prize
Last month’s winners are:
One of three Avon products: Tania Busuttil of Valletta; Maria Borda of Balzan and
Noelene Mifsud of Mosta
Two John Frieda products: Josephine Cauchi of Sliema
A Pupa Fragrance: Mary Grech of Zabbar
A Pot luck prize: Marthese Mamo of Birkirkara
Postcode
Telephone Number
E-mail:
CLOSING DATE
15 March 2010
Send your entries to:- ‘FIRST’ competition,
Standard Publications Ltd, Standard House,
B’Kara Hill, St Julian’s, STJ1149