About the Oratorio: The year was 1807, Britain was slowly taking control over the Maltese Islands. Compared to the last years under the Knights' Rule and to the disastrous blockade against the French, the Maltese were doing quite well. The Maltese were tapping the economic advantages arising out of Napoleon's boycott of British goods on the Continent. A certain Dun Tumas Zammit of Gudja collected enough funds to commission the statue of SANTA MARIJA that is still taken in procession round the village streets of Gudja every 15th August. The artistic statue was sculpted out of wood by Vincenzo Dimech in1807.

The above Oratorio was staged at Gudja on Wednesday 31st October 2007. The Oratorio was part of the official celebrations marking the second century from the commissioning of the statue of  Santa Marija at Gudja. The activity was indeed an evening of History, Culture and Music.

The picture on the left shows Mario Gatt (on the right) who researched and wrote the Oratorio; Dr Marisa Abela (in the middle) who adapted the reasearch and poem into lyrics, and Mro Tony Pace (on the left)  who composed the Oratorio's original music.

Alexandra Ellul (seen with Mro Tony Pace in this picture) sang the Contralto solo parts. Together with Soprano Joanne Mifsud, Alexandra represented female villagers of Gudia in the Oratorio's script.

The libretto in fact adopts a historical approach, tracing  man's presence on the Maltese Islands with special reference to the inhabitants of the old Parish of Bir Miftuħ. The story presents an overview of Maltese History as seen by different personalities; the Basso (Alfred Camilleri) represented personalities hailing from Gudja; the Tenor (Arthur Micallef) represented other non-local personalities like the Curates and Parish Priests of Bir Miftuh and Napoleon. Female villagers, as already said, were represented by Soprano Joanne Mifsud and Contralto Alexandra Ellul.

An innovation in the oratorio was the inclusion of the Corangeli seen in this picture taken after the performance in front of Dimech's famous statue. From left to right: Stefan Caruana (Tenor) Tiziana Mifsud (Soprano) Sarah Mifsud (Contralto) Deborah Pace (Soprano) Roberta Fenech (Soprano) Jonathan Sciberras (Baritone). Singing mainly a cappella,  the Corangeli aptly invoke the help of Santa Marija throughout the turbulent patches of Maltese history besides joining the other soloists during some parts of the Oratorio.

The Oratorio LEJN MARIJA MTELLGĦA S-SEMA by Gatt, Abela & Pace was staged by a massed choir consisting of the The Sine Macula Choir of Safi directed by Tony Pace seen in this picture on the right, and the Assumpta Est Choir of Gudja directed by Stefan Caruana (seen on the left).

Orchestra, soloists and choirs were under the direction of Tony Pace.

The two choirs, SINE MACULA of Safi and ASSUMPTA EST of Gudja, protagonists of the whole event, warming up their voices in the Parish Hall before the performance.

This was the logo of the Centenary
Celebrations adopted by
the organising committee;
flowers by Rennie & Donia Scicluna

Joanne Mifsud (Soprano) and Alexandra Ellul (Contralto) at one of the duets they sang during the Oratorio - photo by Mario Ellul.