FIRST March 2020 by The Malta Independent

FEBRUARY MARCH 2020

SPRING DAWN

STARRING JEREMY SCOTT, VERSACE, DOLCE&GABBANA AND JEAN PAUL GAULTIER PICASSO CELIA BORG CARDONA JANATHA STUBBS MARY BEARD RICHARD GERES NICOLÃ&#x2019; CASTELLINI BALDISSERA DEBBIE SCHEMBRI

EDITORIAL

SIGN OF SPRING

Almond Blossoms ative to Iran and surrounding countries, the almond tree could be found throughout history in the Mediterranean and northern Africa and southern Europe, and more recently in other parts of the world like California. The wild form of domesticated almond grows in parts of the Levant and almonds were one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees appearing in the Early Bronze Age, 3000–2000 BC, such as at the archaeological sites of Numeira, Jordan. Almond trees

grow wild across Malta and this February has been blessed with an abundance of pinkish blooms. Sicily celebrates the season with The Almond Blossom Festival, La festa del mandorlo in fiore, in Agrigento, from end of February to 9th March, with performances, folk music and folk traditions. Thousands of almond trees, in bloom in the Valley of the Temples during this period, are celebrated as harbingers of spring; once the delicate pinkishwhite blossoms appear, spring can’t be too far behind. Photography by Benjamin Balazs.

ON THE COVER. Model Justina Vai (Models M) wears Indigo Blue Dress from Kwaddro. Aldo Earrings. Gloves Stylist's Own. Fendi Clutch Bag Hairstylist's Own. Styled by Adriana Calleja. Photographed by Matthew B Spiteri. EDITORIAL CONTENT AND SALES MANAGER SEAN ELLUL SELLUL@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT DESIGNER CONRAD BONDIN CBONDIN@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PRODUCTION MANAGER ANDRE CAMILLERI ACAMILLERI@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PUBLISHER STANDARD PUBLICATIONS, STANDARD HOUSE, BIRKIKARA HILL, ST JULIAN’S. TEL: 00356 2134 5888, WEB: WWW.INDEPENDENT.COM.MT FACEBOOK FIRSTMAGAZINE PRINTER PRINT-IT. FIRST IS PUBLISHED AS A COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY AND IS NOT TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY. NO PART OF THE PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PRIOR AGREEMENT OF THE PUBLISHER. 3

CONTENTS

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Photo Evan Agostini/Invision/

Gaultier bids the runway adieu on final day of couture. Photo Francois Mori/AP.

Picasso on Paper at The Royal Academy, London. Photo Alberto Pezzali/AP.

Janatha Stubbs interviewed. Photograph Michael Camilleri.

Celia Borg Cardona â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Bank of Valletta 2020 Retrospective Art Exhibition. Photograph BOV.

Secrets of Palazzo Falson Augmented Reality Game.

24 In Love with Dingli Cliffs

CONTENTS

/AP.

[F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H I S SUE 202 0]

Dulux Colour of the Year 2020, Tranquil Dawn.

FASHION WEEK SPECIAL

RED CARPET

SOCIAL COMMENT

The Shut Up Agenda. Mary Beard and the long tradition of women being told to shut up.

Our favourites from the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.

ARTS & CULTURE

Snacking Smarts. What you need to know about snacking for weight-loss. Richard Geres explains.

HEALTH & FITNESS

LONDON CALLING Picasso on Paper. Over 300 works.

EXHIBITIONS

Culture Vulture. Catch these exhibitions if you can.

INTERVIEW

FASHION: SPRING RETROGLAM. Fuschia A-line Dress from Kwaddro. Mohair Textured Coat Models’ Own.

A New Decade, A New Dawn. Dulux Colour of the Year 2020, Tranquil Dawn.

COUNTRY ESCAPE

Yves Klein and the Colour Blue. ALSO: Pantone Colour of the Year: Classic Blue.

In Love with Dingli Cliffs.

ENVIRONMENT

GUILT FREE

Antartica.

What’s in store now.

MAKEUP & BEAUTY

Chanel’s New Makeup Collection. Desert Dream for Spring Summer 2020.

Dar Zero. Photo Guido Taroni, taken from the book Inside Tangier: Houses & Gardens. Image courtesy Vendome Press.

Debbie Schembri‘s healthy comfort food.

THEATRE

Rossini’s Otello at Teatru Manoel this March.

HERITAGE

Augmented Reality Game. Secrets of Palazzo Falson.

FASHION

Spring Retroglam. Stylist Adriana Calleja’s retro inspiration.

Inside Tangier: Houses & Gardens. Step inside the stylish homes of Tangier’s tastemakers with Nicolò Castellini Baldissera.

DESIGN & TRENDS

COFFEE TABLE

COLOUR THEORY

Janatha Stubbs. The 30 Year Story behind Razzett Tal-Hbiberija and Inspire Foundation.

Guilt free comfort food with Debbie Schembri.

FASHION HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS MILAN FASHION WEEK FW2020

MOSCHINO LET THEM EAT CAKE

Jeremy Scott indulged in excess for Moschinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection for FW2020 with a Marie Antoinette meets Dangerous Liaisons look. Pannier-waist mini dresses in denim with embroidered floral trim, worn with biker jackets with golden embroidery and thigh-high boots. French country drapery fabric cut into biker shorts and matching jackets. Scott closed the show with dresses made to look like layered cakes in a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Let them eat cake phrase often attributed to Marie Antoinette. Photography Domenico Stinellis/AP. 6

FASHION HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS MILAN FASHION WEEK FW2020

MASTER OF FLASH

VERSACE

Black power suits with sensuous cut-out slashes across the neckline and mini hemlines. Jackets made from double-bonded textiles, which give a defined shape - hyper-feminine exaggerated shoulders, tucked on the waist and bell-shaped over the hips. This season was also about menswear, as Donatella Versace presented her first-ever co-ed show. Menswear and womenswear were perfectly mirrored, from black business suits to casual sports and knitwear to sleek evening wear. Photography Antonio Calanni/AP.

FASHION HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS MILAN FASHION WEEK FW2020

BLACK&WHITE

Dolce&Gabbana Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana showed a predominantly black and white collection distinguished by cozy, enveloping knits in oversized stitching. Photography Antonio Calanni/AP.

FASHION

L'ENFANT TERRIBLE

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER BIDS THE RUNWAY ADIEU

This January, Jean Paul Gaultier put up his final runway collection, ending the show with Boy George singing “Church of the Poison Mind.” The energetic collection was a greatest hits of his couture. After founding his label in 1982, Gaultier shocked the fashion industry by introducing man-skirts and kilts to menswear. He became known as a designer who fused gender identity and empowered women. It was a bustier which Madonna wore on her Blond Ambition tour in 1990 that helped make Gaultier a household name globally. Photography Francois Mori/AP.

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RED CARPET

BEVERLY HILLS CALIFORNIA

THE 2020 VANITY FAIR OSCAR PARTY Red carpet looks from the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party hosted at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. Photography by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP.

1. Amber Valletta in Sant Laurent. 2. Charlize Theron in Christian Dior. 3. Christina Ricci in an embroidered Gherardo Felloni gown with a Roger Vivier clutch. 4. Donatella Versace in green beaded Versace gown. 5. Geena Davis in a black gown with pockets by Romona Keveža. 6. Kate Hudson in a yellow and blue floral jacquard gown, Vivienne Westwood Couture. 7. Kim Kardashian (left) wearing Lee Alexander McQueen’s famed “Oyster dress” from his spring 2003 collection and Kylie Jenner in a beaded Ralph&Russo gown. 8. Paris Jackson in a ball gown from Versace’s Atelier Collection, featuring a full feathered skirt in pink and green tones. 9. Rebel Wilson in an off-the-shoulder gown by Badgley Mischka, with a silver Roger Vivier clutch and Pomellato jewels. 10. Renee Zellweger, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for Judy, in a glittering one-sleeved Armani Prive gown. 11. Sara Sampaio in Armani. 12. Taylor Hill in Ralph&Russo Fall 2019 Couture with silk thread-work, crystals, ruby stones, pearlescent sequins and ostrich feathers. 13. Tom Ford in Blue Velvet Tom Ford. 14. Winnie Harlow in a white sequin tulle marquisette and lace dress from the Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood Spring 2020 collection. 13

LONDON CALLING

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS, LONDON

Picasso and Paper

One of the most important artists of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) worked across a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, ceramics and graphic arts. He also invented a universe of art involving paper, drawing incessantly, using many different media on a broad range of papers. He assembled collages of cut-and-pasted papers, creating sculptures from pieces of torn and burnt paper. This exhibition brings together more than 300 works on paper spanning the artist’s 80-year career. Photo Alberto Pezzali/AP.

icasso and Paper, the most comprehensive exhibition devoted to Picasso’s imaginative and original use of paper ever to be held, brings together over 300 works and encompasses Picasso’s entire prolific 80-year career, focused on the myriad ways in which the artist worked both on and with paper. An immense exhibition with gallery after gallery packed with the artists work. One of the greatest works, Women at Their Toilette (pictured), is an extraordinary collage of cut-out wallpapers with gouache on paper pasted on canvas measuring 4.5 metres in length, executed in Paris in winter 1937-38. Picasso and Paper, at the Royal Academy of Arts, runs until 13 April 2020.

EXHIBITIONS

Celia Borg Cardona – The Bank of Valletta 2020 Retrospective Art Exhibition. The 27th BOV Retrospective Art Exhibition featuring 29 works of art by contemporary artist Celia Borg Cardona runs at the Gran Salon in the National Museum of Archaeology, Auberge de Provence, Valletta until 4 March. “This is a retrospective that shows how Celia Borg Cardona has evolved through the years, showing her true passion. Her sweeping views, often of Maltese landscapes, occasionally unusual and topical subject matter, and extreme viewpoints with energetic lines of force expressed in a bold palette,” says exhibition curator Francesca Balzan. The Red Band, Celia Borg Cardona. Photograph courtesy of Bank of Valletta. 16

EXHIBITIONS

CULTURE VULTURE CATCH THESE EXHIBITIONS IF YOU CAN

In residence at London’s Saatchi Gallery until 3 May, the exhibition Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh commemorates the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, and is the final chance to see these glittering world heritage artefacts before they return to Egypt forever. Photograph by IMG.

Caravaggio-Bernini. Baroque in Rome. The beginnings of baroque in Rome, with starring roles for the painter Caravaggio and the sculptor Bernini. An exhibition of more than 70 masterpieces by Caravaggio, Bernini and their contemporaries. The paintings and sculptures are on loan to the Rijksmuseum from museums and private collections around the world. Caravaggio-Bernini. Baroque in Rome is at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam until 7 June. Bernini, Medusa, 1638–40 Rome © Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali, Musei Capitolini – Pinacoteca Capitolina, Roma, Photo: Andrea Jemolo. ALSO ON VIEW AT THE RIJKSMUSEUM: Operation Night Watch in the Night Watch Gallery; the largest research and restoration project ever for The Night Watch. Get closer to the characters of ancient myth and follow the tale from Helen of Troy’s abduction to the deception of the Trojan Horse and the fall of the great city in The British Museum’s phenomenal exhibition Troy: Myth and Reality. Photography courtesy of The British Museum. Troy: Myth and Reality is at the British Museum, London, until 8 March. The Wounded Achilles, 1825, Filippo Albacini (1777-1858), marble, Chatsworth House. Photograph © The Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth. Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees.

INTERVIEW

THE 30 YEAR STORY

JANATHA STUBBS This is the tale of how one woman created a legacy, positively impacting thousands of people with disabilities in Malta and Gozo writes Dayna Clarke. Not just a story to inspire, this is the story of Inspire. Portrait photography Michael Camilleri.

INTERVIEW

anatha Stubbs is a name that requires no introduction. Thirty years ago, alongside her late husband Paddy, the couple started Razzett tal-Hbiberija, a social hub for people with disabilities in Marsascala. Years later, Razzett tal-Hbiberija merged with The Eden Foundation which at the time offered educational services to people with disabilities. Once merged, they formed The Inspire Foundation that today offers educational, leisure and therapeutic services to thousands of people with disabilities. At home, in the UK, Paddy was in the hospitality business where he owned a large hotel at Sonning-onThames, near Reading. “Since we used to holiday in Torquay, the seaside resort in Devon, he decided to open a restaurant from scratch nearby, at Churston Court. In time, The Court restaurant was named 8th best in the UK,” Janatha recalls. After several years of working relentlessly, the couple decided they wanted to move ahead, and started to get itchy feet. Mr and Mrs Stubbs reminded themselves that when they had got engaged in Bermuda “we had said that we would aim for somewhere sunny to settle. Eventually Paddy suggested Malta, and Janatha was delighted to agree.

INTERVIEW

onsequently, the couple relocated, “I must say, Malta was truly a wonderful place to bring up children.” At the time their twins, Joanna and Michael were five years old and Philip, two and a half. So, the Stubbs family sold their businesses and aimed to take a career break. “We bought a place in Ibragg and began to settle. Though Paddy could not stay unoccupied for long, and accepted to run the MCC for quite some years!” Over a period of time we also became interested in helping people with disabilities as there seemed little to do for people with disabilities, with regards to leisure and to socialising. Many were kept in institutions or behind closed doors. Inclusivity didn’t exist. Our aim for Razzett was to become a centre where everyone could get together and have fun, including caregivers. A place where those who attended could invite others and relax together. Surprisingly during our first small social event, we welcomed a young man whose father was a good friend of our family and yet we had never known his son had disabilities!” It took Paddy almost three years to find land on which to build the Razzett tal-Hbiberija, and when he 20

did, it turned out to be a small farmhouse surrounded by a lot of land – too much land it seemed then – but as it happened, the area allowed Paddy to put some of his ideas into practice. He sat up late at night bouncing ideas. The original animal park was his idea, and he supervised the building. “Paddy,” Janatha continues, “lived a very packed and positive life. He had a clear vision. Even back then, among other ideas, he thought of a multi-sensory room – and now we have three!”

What initially started as rooms in an old farmhouse, was to become today’s Inspire, a charity supporting over 1000 children and families. The centre was officially opened on 23 February 1969 – a date chosen by Paddy as it was the original date, many years earlier, when the Stubbs family with their three small children had arrived in Malta. Subsequently, the site in Marsascala has seen many changes over the years “We used to have a train and many more animals, but I guess it just wasn’t so viable” remarks Janatha.

INTERVIEW

“H

owever therapy horses are still an important part of Inspire”. After the war, Janatha explains she “was lucky enough to fall in love with ponies.” She recalls fondly spending every day she could at the stables “even if I did not always ride. It seemed to take up most of my time.” Her love of animals has not faded. She currently has a pair of rescue dogs. Watching them as we had a cup of tea in the garden, one could see animals are also a considerable part of Janatha’s life. “I have always had dogs by my side” she adds. Sadly, Paddy passed away at the age of 62 in 1998, just before the opening of the indoor swimming pool, multipurpose hall and the refurbished therapy centre in Marsascala. “Both his parents died in their 90’s,” Janatha comments. “He always talked about the future of things. After his death, everyone assumed I was going to relocate back to the UK, but by this point, Malta had already established itself as my home, and a place where fond family memories surround me. It was then I took on a more active role within the organisation.”

Janatha is clearly a woman who battles injustices and takes supporting others very seriously. She could have opted for a life of leisure but chose to dedicate it to helping the people of Malta. Janatha is also heavily involved in many charitable endeavours, and has sponsored students studying abroad in the past. Due to her strong public spirit and her belief in service to others, she will never truly retire. “I still am heavily involved in decision making at Inspire and I am excited about the direction it is taking. CEO Antonello Gauci and COO Paula Duomanov have worked hard to secure the future of the charity. We have gained many international stamps of approval on our services, such as NAS accreditation for every programme and adhering to ISO standards. This gives me a great sense of satisfaction.” The Inspire Foundation draws on many years of experience in educational, therapeutic, social and recreational needs of persons with disabilities. They specialise in aiding those on the autism spectrum, having profound multiple learning difficulties and those with behavioural challenges. “The need for fundraising for Inspire is ongoing and required all year round” she adds. Not just financially, Inspire continuously requires the support of the local community and volunteers. For more information follow www.inspire.org.mt

COUNTRY ESCAPE

IN LOVE WITH DINGLI CLIFFS Early spring and despite the lack of rain this winter, the lashings of sunshine have covered Dingli Cliffs in a variety of colourful flowers, herbs and shrubs. Fresh air and bright weather are perfect for an afternoon walk and maybe a quick picnic and tea before sunset. Photography First Magazine.

The name Dingli is believed to be derived from the name of Sir Thomas Dingley, an English knight of the Order of St. John, who owned much of the lands in the surrounding area. Rock-cut tombs dating back to Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman times have been found in the limits of Dingli. Roman baths and other remains were also found in the surrounding area. Far left: The now iconic Dingli Radar has been standing since March 1939. Close by, Saint Mary Magdalene Chapel, commonly known as il-kappella tal-irdum (chapel of the cliffs), was built in 1646 on the site of an earlier one which had existed since at least the 15th century.

ENVIRONMENT

SITUATION CRITICAL

ANTARCTICA RECORD ยบ BREAKING 20.75 C This February 6th scientists at an Argentine research base, called Esperanza, measured a temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius on a peninsula that juts out from Antarctica toward the southern tip of South America. The previous record there was 17.5 degrees Celsius in March 2015. A few days later on February 9th researchers from Brazil claimed to have measured temperatures of 20.75 degrees Celsius on Seymour island, just off the peninsula, breaking the record for the entire Antarctic region of 19.8 Celsius taken on Signy Island in January 1982. Photography James Eades.

ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENT he research base Esperanza sits on a peninsula that juts up toward the southern tip of South America. According to the World Meteorological Organization, over the past 50 years the peninsula has warmed significantly, by almost 3 degrees Celsius. Climate change is heating up the Earth's polar regions Antarctica and the Arctic faster than other regions of the planet, in fact the Arctic is warming more than twice as fast as the rest of the globe. In a report published on the Conversation* by Chris Fogwill, Chris Turney and Zoë Thomas on an Ancient Antarctic ice melt, “rising global temperatures and warming ocean waters are causing one of the world’s coldest places to melt. While we know that human activity is causing climate change and driving rapid changes in Antarctica, the potential impacts that a warmer world would have remain uncertain.” “We found that the mass melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was a major cause of high sea levels during a period known as the Last Interglacial (129,000116,000 years ago). The extreme ice loss caused more than three metres of average global sea level rise – and worryingly, it took less than 2˚C of ocean warming for it to occur.” *Report: ‘Ancient Antarctic ice melt caused extreme sea level rise 129,000 years ago – and it could happen again’, by Chris Fogwill, Professor of Glaciology and Palaeoclimatology, Keele University, UK. Chris Turney, Professor of Earth Science and Climate Change, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, UNSW. Zoë Thomas, ARC DECRA Fellow, UNSW, Australia.

ENVIRONMENT

DESIGN

Silestone worktops for your kitchen. Silestone kitchen worktops have exclusive properties that contribute safety, confidence and hygiene in a space where we spend more time. Silestone has become the skin of thousands of worktops all over the world. The wide range of colours and textures creates a unique environment where you can unleash your creativity. Your kitchen can be a unique space harmoniously integrated with custom-made style thanks to Silestone. See the wide range of colour combinations at Halmann Vella, Mosta Road, Lija. www.halmannvella.com

DEKTON AURA The new trend of marbled colors has invaded the world of design and architecture and, Dekton, has been a pioneer by creating its color Aura inspired in Calacatta and Carrara marble. A veining color that it's presented as a marble imitation with unique properties that improve the ones from natural marble. Dekton by Cosentino is a sophisticated blend of the raw materials used to produce the very latest in glass and porcelain as well as the highest quality quartz work surfaces. The slabs are available from Halmann Vella. 30

TRENDS

1 3 1.

DOLCE&GABBANA The Only One Eau de Parfum Intense builds on the floriental legacy of The Only One line with a captivating and alluring new scent. Like the woman it represents, the fragrance is an intricate combination of intense and solar sensuality. Alluringly feminine and irresistibly seductive, its signature lies in the surprising combination of dazzling gold orange blossom contrasted with hypnotising black vanilla. Top notes of sparkling Italian mandarin, crisp green apple accord and golden neroli essence illuminate the radiant floral heart of the fragrance. Notes of dazzling gold orange blossom mingle with the sensual notes of jasmine absolute, and are softly enveloped by creamy, lush coconut essence, which lends a warm and sunny aura to the scent. Smooth, sweet notes of dark vanilla in the base

4 amplify its addictive quality, underpinned by grounding cedar and cashmere woods. Exclusively distributed by C+M Marketing Ltd. Tel: 2142 4079/80

TWEED DE CHANEL. This January, the house which has made the fabric so central to its codes launched its first ever High Jewelry collection dedicated entirely to tweed. An essential element of her wardrobe, Gabrielle Chanel was the first fashion designer to borrow tweed from menswear and adapt it to the womenswear she created for a woman like her - someone who travelled, drove cars, practiced sports. Tweed made a lasting impact on her stylistic vocabulary - in her eyes it possessed all the necessary qualities: carded wool is soft, foamy, comfortable; once uncombed it retains its

irregularities and its natural appearance. Among the pieces, which include necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings, is this TWEED COUTURE bracelet in platinum and pink gold, set with pink sapphires, diamonds, spinels and one 6,72-carat oval cut spinel.

H.A. Intensifier. Reveal fresher and healthierlooking skin with Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier from SkinCeuticals. Its potent blend of pure hyaluronic acid, proxylane, licorice root and purple rice work to boost skin's hyaluronic acid levels, improving skin texture and restoring elasticity. This also makes H.A. Intensifier a physician’s favorite at-home complement to Botox & Filler treatments.

The adidas Archive. The Footwear Collection. The adidas story is one of groundbreaking designs, epic moments, and conceiving the allaround sports shoe, worn by the likes of Lionel Messi, Run DMC, and Madonna. A mecca for sneaker fans, this book presents adidas’s history through 357 pairs of shoes, including one-of-a-kind originals, vintage models, never-before-seen prototypes, and designs from Stella McCartney, Yohji Yamamoto, Parley for the Oceans, and more. The adidas Archive. The Footwear Collection. Concept and photography by Christian Habermeier and Sebastian Jäger. Published by Taschen. Hardcover, 644 pages. € 100. Availability: March 2020.

SkinCeuticals Advanced Skin Care products are exclusively available from Persona in Ta’ Xbiex. 31

MAKEUP & BEAUTY

SPRING SUMMER 2020 CHANEL'S NEW MAKEUP COLLECTION

DESERT DREAM

“I was looking for something poetic, like a memory – a natural filter that makes everything look dreamier,” says Lucia Pica, CHANEL's Global Creative Makeup and Colour Designer. Seeking inspiration for her Spring Summer 2020 collection, she took a photographic trip to the center of an ancient desert in an expedition that uncovered a completely new perspective on colour. Photography courtesy of CHANEL. nitially drawn to the desert for its famous orange dunes, sacred cave paintings and lunar plains, Lucia Pica was soon captivated by the uncanny silence of the vast nothingness she found there, its powerful stillness moving her to reappraise the landscape through fresh eyes. Shifting her gaze toward the quieter hues of the quartzes, basalts and shales scattered across the desert floor, and forests bleached by the relentless sun, Lucia Pica unearthed a muted palette that is surprising new territory for her. DESERT DREAM is characterized by peachy rose tones, cool browns and the romantic undercurrents of mauve, whose shimmering, at times metallic textures echo the desert’s hidden treasures. “It was beautiful in the desert but quite unexpected,” Lucia Pica says. “In the desert, there is almost a universe of one single, dominant colour – mauve – which really came to life with the particular photographic process we used.” Like distant memories, the dreamy Polaroid pictures at the heart of DESERT DREAM lend their sensual soft focus and painterly abstractions to a makeup collection that is perhaps Lucia Pica’s most poetic take on femininity yet. Using the prints’ soft colours to bring subtle emotion to the face – mysterious, mauve intensity to the eyes, planes of warm light on the high cheeks and red-hot desert heat on the lips – Lucia Pica evokes a womanly state of inner calm, self-possession and utter contentment.

FASHION

SPRING RETROGLAM

FASHION

STY LIST ADRIANA CALLEJA GETS RETRO INSPIRED FOR SPRING WITH PRETTY PASTELS AND NUDE TONES PAIRED WITH AVANTE GUARDE COLOUR. PHOTOGRAPHY MATTHEW B SPITERI. HAIR NEVILLE ROMAN Z AMMIT. MAKEUP FEDERICA SPAGNOLI. MODEL JUSTINA VAI (MODELS M). SHOT ON LOCATION AT BAĦAR IĊ-ĊAGĦAQ.

M&S GREEN KNIT SWEATER AND FLORAL SKIRT. COLLAR STYLIST’S OWN. 35

FASHION

M&S GREEN KNIT SWEATER, BEIGE STRAIGHT CUT TROUSERS, DOGTOOTH CARDI JACKET AND PINK CROSSBODY BAG. ALDO LOAFERS AND EARRINGS. 36

FASHION

LC WAIKIKI LIGHT BLUE COAT AND CHECKED TROUSERS. BERET AND NECKLACES STYLIST'S OWN. 37

FASHION

LC WAIKIKI LIGHT BLUE COAT, PINK MOHAIR TOP AND CHECKED SKIRT. ALDO DARK BROWN LOAFERS AND CLEAR SUNGLASSES WITH PEARL DETAIL. PINK TIGHTS STYLIST'S OWN. 38

FASHION

FUSCHIA A-LINE DRESS FROM KWADDRO. MOHAIR TEXTURED COAT MODELS' OWN 39

FASHION

PUNT ROMA BLACK DRESS, MATCHING 60S STYLE JACKET AND HEADSCARF. ALDO BOOTS, SUNGLASSES AND FRAME BAG. PEARL SET AND MESH GLOVES STYLIST'S OWN. 40

FASHION

INDIGO BLUE DRESS FROM KWADDRO. ALDO EARRINGS. GLOVES STYLIST'S OWN. FENDI CLUTCH BAG HAIRSTYLIST'S OWN. 41

SOCIAL COMMENT

THE SHUT UP AGENDA Mary Beard and the long tradition of women Professor Mary Beard’s 2017 book Women & Power: A Manifesto is a short, sharp analysis of women in the West and their ongoing struggles for a voice in the public domain. Based on two lectures delivered in 2014 and 2017, Beard chronicles some of the major obstacles women continue to face, framing her analysis through the lens of the legacies of ancient Greece and Rome, writes Marguerite Johnson, Professor of Classics.

n her first essay, Beard provides some examples from antiquity to illustrate the social and gender dynamics inherited in the West. In short, she traces the long heritage of women being told to shut up. Beard’s first example is Penelope. A main character in Homer’s Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of the epic’s eponymous hero Odysseus. A hero of the Trojan War, Odysseus spends 10 years at Troy and then another 10 years trying to return to his home in Ithaca, where Penelope and their adolescent son Telemachus wait. In a scene from Odyssey Book One, Penelope enters the communal (read male) space of her husband’s palace and complains about a song that is being performed by one of the entertainers. Telemachus immediately orders her to return to her chambers and resume women’s work. He further reminds her that stories are the preserve of men. Men engage in public discourse. Women face exclusion from it. This is not the only example of silencing women in the Homeric epics. In Book One of the Iliad, thought to be composed at least a generation earlier than the Odyssey, Zeus is confronted by his wife Hera who challenges him on a matter concerning the course of the Trojan War. In an assertion of his divine authority, Zeus demands Hera’s silence and threatens her with violence if she persists in opposing him. In both instances, the message is clear. As Beard observes, “right where written evidence for Western culture starts, women’s voices are not being heard in the public sphere”. On Telemachus telling his mum to “zip it”, Beard points out that

SOCIAL COMMENT

ABOUT MARY BEARD. DAME WINIFRED MARY BEARD, IS AN ENGLISH SCHOLAR AND CLASSICIST. SHE IS A PROFESSOR OF CLASSICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, A FELLOW OF NEWNHAM COLLEGE, AND ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS PROFESSOR OF ANCIENT LITERATURE. SHE IS WELL KNOWN FOR HER POPULAR TELEVISION SERIES ON BBC2 INCLUDING POMPEII: LIFE AND DEATH IN A ROMAN TOWN; MEET THE ROMANS WITH MARY BEARD AND HER CURRENT TELEVISON SERIES, SHOCK OF THE NUDE. IMAGE SOURCE: INSTAGRAM.COM/CRAWFORDARTGALLERY.

“as Homer has it, an integral part of growing up, as a man, is learning to take control of public utterance and to silence the female of the species”. It may seem incredible that some 2,500 years since the Homeric epics, women are still silenced in public. But the myths of Archaic Greece continue to maintain relevance to modern reality. Even when women occupy a public platform, they are regularly met with verbal and written ripostes. WE’RE STILL BEING SILENCED. In 2017, Tony Abbott told Ray Hadley on 2GB that Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins should “pull her head in” after her organisation recommended that Commonwealth Government contractors aim for at least 40% of female employees as part of a strategy to address workplace gender imbalance. “Pull your head in” means, essentially, shut up and mind your own business. Abbott’s reprimand mirrors Telemachus’ command to Penelope to pull her head in and retreat to the private (female) sphere. In Scotland, meanwhile, in 2016, then UK Independence Party leadership candidate, Raheem Kassam, tweeted about the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon: ‘Can someone just, like … tape Nicola Sturgeon’s mouth shut? And her legs, so she can’t reproduce’. In Canada, in the same year, MP Michelle Rempel described how a male parliamentary colleague had once asked that she refrain from speaking until she was “less emotional”.

Originally published on The Conversation. Marguerite Johnson is a Professor of Classics, University of Newcastle, UK.

being told to shut up Beard also recounts the myths of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, including the tales of Io “turned by the god Jupiter into a cow, so she can cannot talk but only moo”, “the chatty nymph” Echo “punished so that her voice is never her own, merely an instrument for repeating the words of others” and Philomela, who is raped and silenced by her violator, who cuts out her tongue after she tries to scream out the crime. These may seem like frivolous tales of make-believe. But like all myths, legends and fairy tales, they contain subtle layers of meaning both for the ancients who invented them and for those today who experience their content in new forms. Beard, no stranger to virtual threats similar to those meted out to Philomela, has opened a public space for women to name and to challenge their silencing. By detailing examples from the past to illuminate the present, she has shown us how far women in the West have come. But compellingly, she has also shown us how close we are at times to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Women & Power’s most important contribution to the current advances and failures of feminism in the West is its encouragement of contemplation and understanding. To reflect on the silencing of women addresses urgent feminist issues of the 21st century, including the low number of cases of domestic violence, sexual harassment and assault that are reported to authorities, the opposition to the public voice of the #MeToo movement and the vileness of trolling. Beard reminds us that women need to claim the public space and speak. To scream, yell and rewrite the script we have been assigned to deliver since the mythical age of Penelope. 43

HEALTH & FITNESS

SNACKING SMARTS

What you need to know about snacking for weight-loss If you go to most gyms and ask someone who is into training for nutrition advice, be it a trainer or a keen fitness enthusiast, you will likely get the advice to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks per day. Eating every 2-3 hours is the mainstream advice given. Most people who provide this advice are just passing on information they have heard from other people, without being aware whether this is in fact the most appropriate method to eat writes Richard Geres, Fitness Consultant & Registered Nutritionist. he proposed benefits of frequent meal consumption are based on two misleading beliefs. The first is that athletes and bodybuilders, who promote this way of eating, have different objectives in terms of the desired outcome than the average person that is looking to lose some weight. Frequent feedings of protein are associated with increased muscle synthesis, which is always a primary objective in athletes. Frequent ingestion of moderate quantities of carbohydrates also increases glycogen repletion, which is the primary source of energy for athletes while engaging in their sport. Therefore, for athletes, eating frequently makes sense. The second reason is based on some studies showing that following consumption of a meal, the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s metabolic rate is slightly elevated due to the thermic effect of food digestion. This means that the body expends energy to digest food, and this can amount to approximately 10% of calories ingested. However, this temporary metabolic increase is offset by the extra calories consumed from the meal, therefore not providing any benefit at the end.

NO EVIDENCE

Although the belief in the benefit of eating 5-6 meals per day is widespread, there is no real 44

evidence to support this. On the contrary, numerous studies have clearly shown that there is no benefit in snacking regularly and that spending longer periods of time without consuming food actually provides significant benefits, especially to overweight, obese and diabetic patients. A study by the University of Nottingham demonstrated an increase in metabolic rate after prolonged fasting by men and women. In another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a group of men and women followed a 22-day programme in which they ate normally one day and fasted the following day. The results showed no significant difference between metabolic rates on the feeding days versus the fasting days. In a Dutch study, 10 men were fed 7 meals per day for one week, followed by another week during which they consumed only 2 meals per day. The energy intake from food was identical in both weeks, but in one week, their food allowance was divided into 2 larger meals, while in the other week it was split into 7 small meals. Their metabolic rates were measured at the end of each week, and no significant differences between the groups were observed. In a 12-week study conducted in Prague, 54 diabetic patients were split into 2 groups, where one group consumed their daily energy allowance in 7 meals,

while the other group consumed 2 larger meals of the same energy value. At the end of the study, the group that consumed their food allowance in 2 meals showed more weight-loss and better blood sugar reduction than the group that ate 7 meals per day.

HABITUAL SNACKING

Including snacks between your meals can work as a weight-loss strategy, however you have to be disciplined enough to quantify the number of snacks you consume throughout the day, and this is where many people go wrong. Snacking is often tied habitually to activities. Employees who spend extended hours working on a computer often associate the need for snacking when working, even though they may not really be hungry. This type of snacking increases the likelihood of overconsuming food while at work, which may result in weight gain over time. TV watching is also often associated with snacking and many people who attempt to lose weight identify snacking while watching TV as s problematic habit. Some people who are under stress or extremely busy at work may tend to consume moderate to low amounts of food during work times, but embark on binge snacking once they return home. They blame their weight problem on the large portion size of their dinner, but forget to consider the vast amounts of snacks they consume before and after

dinner, which dramatically increase calorie intake.

HOW TO SNACK WISELY

The ultimate goal of any weightloss programme is to achieve a caloric deficit. Therefore, if you include snacks in your eating plan, make sure that the calorific content of such snacks does not increase your total daily calorie allowance for that day. Eating more snacks throughout the day also means that the portion sizes of your main meals have to be smaller. If you limit your intake to 2-3 meals per day only, your main meal portion size can be larger. Whether you prefer to eat larger meals and fewer snacks or prefer to consume more moderate-sized meals and snacks is a matter of personal preference, however, you need to ensure that you remain within your calorie allowance for the day. If you snack frequently and aim to lose weight, one of your first strategies can be to reduce the amount of snacking between meals, before even attempting to modify your main meals. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be surprised how your weight may start to drop. Lastly, snack only when really hungry, and not due to boredom or out of habit.

COFFEE TABLE

INSIDE TANGIER HOUSES & GARDENS Italian interior designer NicolĂ˛ Castellini Baldissera joins forces with fashion and interiors photographer Guido Taroni to step inside the stylish homes of Tangierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tastemakers. This vibrant coffee table book whisks you away from Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains to Tangier in Northwest Morocco, an artistic playground which has long been a haven for literary and artistic black sheep from around the world. Inside Tangier is a look at the houses and gardens of this foreign land, celebrating a play of colour and pattern, texture and nature. Photography by Guido Taroni, courtesy of Vendome Press. Antiques dealer Gordon Watson's Dar Ouezzane. Photo Guido Taroni.

COFFEE TABLE

white-walled city perched between Africa and Europe, the Moroccan port of Tangier has long been a haven for literary and artistic black sheep from around the world, seducing generations of writers, artists, designers and eccentrics, from Henri Matisse to Paul Bowles and Barbara Hutton. Now, a new generation of Tangier residents are synthesising the colours, patterns and material culture of their adopted home to create an aesthetic all of their own. The stories of these exceptional properties, and their unconventional inhabitants, provide a rare insight into the sometimes bohemian, sometimes extravagant, but always stylish, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tangerineâ&#x20AC;? lifestyle. Inside Tangier takes the reader into the homes of taste making residents, from English antique dealer and collector Gordon Watson to shoe designer Bruno Frisoni, to the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and antiques dealer Christopher Gibbs, Madison Cox, Veere Grenney and interior designer Frank de Biasi. What links their eclectic residences is an attention to detail, a willingness to take risks, and an unbridled creativity that reflects the spirit of Tangier itself.

Left: Dar Zero, designed by interior architect Charles Sevigny and owned by Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani. Photo Guido Taroni. Above: La Di Dar, owned and decorated by Gavin Houghton. Photo Guido Taroni. Below: The central living space in Tebarek Allah, owned by Umberto Pasti and Stephan Janson. Photo Guido Taroni.

The chalk-pink living room in Sarah Wheeler's Lalla Yenou. Photo Guido Taroni.

BOUT THE AUTHORS. Nicolò Castellini Baldissera is the great-grandson of renowned Italian architect Piero Portaluppi and an accomplished interior designer in his own right. His commissions have taken him across Italy, to Paris, Gstaad, Tangier, South Africa, and New York. Based in London, he has had a home in Tangier for over a decade. Milan-born photographer Guido Taroni has shot campaigns for some of Italy’s leading fashion houses and regularly contributes to a variety of noted publications 50

including Architectural Digest and Cabana. Taroni’s first book – The Interiors and Architecture of Renzo Mongiardino: A Painterly Vision – was published in 2017 by Rizzoli. Inside Tangier: Houses & Gardens. By Nicolò Castellini Baldissera. Photography by Guido Taroni. Foreword by Hamish Bowles. Introduction by Umberto Pasti. Published by Vendome Press. Hardcover with jacket, 360 pages, 250+ colour illustrations, 235 x 305 mm, GBP £60.

Surfacing the most beautiful spaces

Private Residence DEKTON QUARTZ - AURA

www.halmannvella.com

HALMANN VELLA LTD, The Factory, Mosta Road, Lija. LJA 9016. Malta T: (+356) 21 433 636 E: info@halmannvella.com

COLOUR THEORY

A NEW DECADE, A NEW DAWN Discover the inspiration behind the Dulux Colour of the Year 2020, Tranquil Dawn, and see how it can transform your home.

very year Dulux paint colour specialists at the firm's Global Aesthetic Centre assemble a team of top international design experts to discuss new global design trends. These insights are then transformed into one key paint colour trend that will have an impact on homes all over the world. Four beautiful palettes are then created around the Colour of the Year, with a mood and style to suit everyone. 2020 and the start of a new decade is a fresh start and quite literally a new dawn. In an increasingly hectic and digital world, there is a desire for meaning and kindness, and inspired by the colours of the morning sky, an inspiring new shade has been created – Tranquil Dawn. This versatile colour of 2020 changes according to the tones that it’s used with – it can work in different ways in a warm, neutral, soft or bright palette. Tranquil Dawn sits somewhere between green, blue and grey – just like the fleeting beauty of a morning sky – making it a perfect colour trend for 2020.

DESIGN NOTES 1. Create a warm and expressive living space with paint colour trends 2020 In this warm and creative living room, rich and saturated green colours, including leaf green and teal, combine to create an intense mood. The Colour of the Year 2020, Tranquil Dawn takes on a calming role in this palette, providing a pale contrast shade that brings balance to the look. With hand-crafted wicker, mouth-blown glass and floral motifs, this room offers a way to reconnect with the past but in an up-to-date setting, creating a cosy and inspiring atmosphere. 2. A calm and tranquil bedroom This bedroom is the perfect antidote to hectic modern living, as the everyday hustle and bustle has been pared back to the beautifully simple essentials. Walls painted in Tranquil Dawn take on a muted minimalist interior design effect when combined with a wall and ceiling painted in the same tone, acting as a frame and canopy to the bed. Elemental materials including linen, wood and marble, left in their natural state, create a room for rest and renewal. 3. Soft sandy tones create a laid back living room Unlike other shades of green paint, the versatile Tranquil Dawn seems to subtly shift its tone depending on the shades that it is combined with. When used with a sandy tone, it creates a relaxed and nurturing space for focusing on well-being and positive interactions. Comforting fabrics, cushions and throws, warm woods and mood-boosting indoor plants complete this light and airy look. 4. Bright shades bounce off black and white This kitchen features a cool, confident look where graphic black cabinets, contrasting white tabletops and a vibrant yellow wall stand out against a calmer strip of Tranquil Dawn. In this mix, Tranquil Dawn takes on an offbeat pastel effect, bringing a greater depth to the look. With colourful furniture and playful accessories, the mood is upbeat and sunny.

Discover Tranquil Dawn and the full palette of Dulux paints at Vee Gee Bee San Gwann, KHS Mega Store Zabbar, C Chircop Qormi and PM Hobby Mriehel. For more info phone on 2138 9690 or visit dulux.co.uk 53

COLOUR THEORY

Yves Klein, IKB 191, 1962, private collection (source Wikipedia).

beyond dimensions

Blue ‘Blue is beyond dimensions... blue suggests the sea and sky, and they, after all, are in actual, visible nature, what is most abstract.’ Yves Klein (1928–1962) source TATE (Twitter)

he French artist Yves Klein began making monochrome paintings in 1947 in a rejection of the idea of representation in painting and an attempt to attain creative freedom. Klein did not give titles to these works but after his death in 1962 his widow Rotraut Klein-Moquay numbered all the known blue monochromes IKB 1 to IKB 194, in a sequence which did not reflect their chronological order. IKB stands for International Klein Blue, a distinctive ultramarine which Klein registered as a trademark colour in 1957.

PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR 2020: PANTONE® 19-4052 Classic Blue For 2020 the Pantone Color Institute has reached back in time to calming, confident Classic Blue as its colour of the year; a timeless and enduring hue elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking. “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on,” says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser-like clarity, the colour re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience. Image courtesy of the Pantone Color Institute.

GUILT FREE

HEALTHY COMFORT FOOD THE FOLLOWING THREE RECIPES ALL UTILISE SIMILAR INGREDIENTS TO GIVE Y OU A HOST OF HEALTHY OPTIONS TO TREAT Y OURSELF AND Y OUR LOVED ONES. BY HAVING AN ARRAY OF VERSATILE RECIPES AT Y OUR DISPOSAL Y OU CAN TURN EVEN THE SIMPLEST INGREDIENTS INTO A VERITABLE FEAST. BY TREATING THE SAME INGREDIENTS WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND A FEW HERBS AND SPICES, WE CAN CREATE THREE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MEALS SAY S MEDITERRANEAN CULINARY ACADEMY 'S DEBBIE SCHEMBRI. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN LA ROSA.

GUILT FREE

Spiced Chorizo and Lentil Stew This hearty dish makes for the most satisfying ending to a long, cold winter's day. By complementing the core ingredients with a number of spices and cooking them together you can achieve a hearty stew in minutes with the complex flavours of something that has been cooking for hours! serves 2 1/4 butternut squash 70g beluga lentils 70g chorizo 1 spring onion, sliced fresh chili to taste 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp ground coriander 1tsp ground ginger 1tsp ground cinnamon 2tbsp chopped coriander stalks

Butternut Squash and Lentil Salad As far as salads go this one is anything but boring. Packed full of flavour from the tangy citrus, the earthy yet sweet butternut squash and heat from the chorizo and chilli. A melange of contrasting and complementary colours, flavours and textures. serves 2 1 butternut squash all the seeds from a butternut squash 70g beluga lentils 1 orange 1 lemon 70g chorizo 1/3 small loaf stale bread, torn roughly 1. Preheat oven to 215Â°C. Divide the butternut squash in half. Chop half into 1 inch cubes, lay on a baking tray lined with baking paper, season with salt and olive oil, coating evenly. Toss the seeds in olive oil, season with salt and lay on the same tray. Roast for 20 minutes or until the squash is coloured and tender and the seeds have crisped up. Allow to cool. 2. Rinse lentils under cold water. Transfer to a pot of water and simmer until tender, for approximately 25 minutes. Drain and season with salt when still hot. Allow to cool. 3. Using your peeler shave the other half of the butternut squash into ribbons. Place in a bowl, zest half your orange over it and mix. Segment your orange, squeeze and juice from what remains. Set aside but pour any juice onto your squash. Add in a squeeze of lemon juice and some finely chopped fresh chili. Season with salt and a drizzle of oil. Allow some time for the flavours to combine and the acid to soften 58

1/3 spring onion, finely chopped fresh chili to taste ground chili to taste 4 sprigs mint mustard to taste salt olive oil

the squash. 4. Chop the chorizo into 2cm cubes. Add a drizzle of oil to a sautĂŠ pan and fry gently until the chorizo releases its oil and crisps up. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the chorizo from the pan, set aside. 5. Add the bread to the pan, coat in the chorizo oil and season with salt and chili powder to taste. Half way through the squash cooking time open the oven and add to the same tray. Bake until crispy. 6. Pick the mint leaves off the stalk. Chop half roughly and add to a bowl along with the spring onion, mustard and any dressing from the shaved butternut squash. Add in the lentils, roasted butternut squash and chorizo lardons. Mix thoroughly. Stir through half of the shaved and marinated squash. 7. Build your salad spooning the lentil and squash mixture onto a plate and top with the remaining squash ribbons. Garnish with the toasted bread, orange segments, seeds and mint leaves.

1/3 lemon 3 pieces orange peel 1tsp sugar 1 tin canned tomatoes 2 sprigs thyme 200ml water flaked almonds to garnish salt olive oil

1. Rinse lentils under cold water, drain and transfer to a pot with water. Simmer until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Drain and season with salt when warm. 2. Chop the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes and the chorizo into 1cm cubes and set aside. 3. In a deep pan add a drizzle of oil. Add the chorizo and spring onion and allow to colour briefly. Add in the butternut squash, the dry spices, fresh chili and coriander stalks. Allow to cook in the oil for a couple of minutes. 4. Add the thyme, orange peel and lemon to the pot, season with salt and stir thoroughly. 5. Pour in the tin of tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook for around 20 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender and the sauce has reduced by a third. Add water if necessary. Add the sugar and stir. 6. Add the cooked lentils and allow to cook for another five minutes before turning off the heat. Remove the thyme stalks, orange and lemon. Check the seasoning and garnish with the flaked almonds and fresh coriander.

GUILT FREE

Chorizo and Squash Frittata This recipe is scaled down for 1 omelette in a small pie pan but can just as easily be made to fit a larger vessel. Absolutely delicious piping hot, this frittata also makes an incredible snack served at room temperature the day after. serves 1 1/4 butternut squash 20g beluga lentils 50g chorizo, cubed 2/3 spring onion, thinly sliced 1/3 small loaf stale bread, torn 4 eggs coriander to taste, roughly chopped salt olive oil

1. Rinse lentils under cold water, drain and transfer to a pot with water. Simmer until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Drain and season with salt when warm. 2. Preheat oven to 215Â°C. Cut the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes. Season with salt and coat with oil. Spread evenly on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until tender. 3. Fry the chorizo in a little oil until the oil from the chorizo has released and it has crisped up. Turn off the heat and drain. 4. Line a pie dish with baking paper. Layer the bottom with butternut squash, spring onion, chorizo, lentil and coriander. 5. Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with a pinch of salt and whisk lightly with a fork. 6. Pour the egg mixture over the contents of the pie dish. 7. Season the bread with salt and olive oil and push the bread into the egg mix so that half is submerged and the remainder protruding. 8. Lower the oven temperature to 180Â°C and bake for 15 minutes or until set. 9. Turn out of the dish and allow to cool slightly. Mediterranean Culinary Academy will be showcasing these recipes as well as a number of other healthy and delicious recipes in a hands-on workshop this March. For more information visit www.mcamalta.com or email contact@mcamalta.com 59

OTELLO THEATRE

A new and captivating version of Gioachino Rossini’s Otello will premiere at Teatru Manoel this March in a night full of passion and drama, with virtuoso Rossinian singing in a stunning Venetian atmosphere. Photography Mark Zammit Cordina.

Top: Emilia (Francesca Sartorato) and Desdemona (Valentina Mastrangelo). Right: Iago (Roberto Jachini Virgili) and Otello (Cliff Zammit Stevens).

ossini’s Otello is based on a French adaptation of the story Othello, ou le More de Venise by Jean-François Ducis, and premiered at Teatro del Fondo in Naples December 1816. Although it might be a lesser-known work of Rossini, it is still a milestone in the development of opera as musical drama. Set in Venice, the main place of action for the Teatru Manoel version is the iconic Venetian Ca’ d’Oro, with costumes based on the beautiful designs of Cesare Vecellio and created by historic costume tailor Gelsi. Against this backdrop, a tale of love, betrayal and heroism unfolds. The production is directed by Vivien

Hewitt and conducted by Marco Mencoboni. A young and vibrant cast with Italian and Maltese talent will bring the opera to life with Cliff Zammit Stevens as Otello, Roberto Jachini Virgili as Iago, Valentina Mastrangelo as Desdemona, Nico Darmanin as Rodrigo, Francesca Sartorato as Emilia, Albert Buttigieg as Elmiro, Alan Sciberras as Lucio/Gondolier and Stanley Joe Portello as Doge. They are supported by KorMalta and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Otello by Gioachino Rossini at Teatru Manoel. Performance dates: 1, 3, 5, and 7 March 2020, 7:30 pm. For more information and tickets: teatrumanoel.com.mt

HERITAGE

Augmented Reality Game

SECRETS OF PALAZZO FALSON

Enter into a world of fantasy inspired by the artefacts of Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum with the new augmented reality (AR) game, Secrets of Palazzo Falson, an innovative app launched through a joint partnership between the Vodafone Malta Foundation and Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. The AR game invites visitors to unlock the mysteries surrounding the death of the game’s lead protagonist Lady Caterina. It is a fully inclusive AR game with Maltese and English narration; it is also text based for the benefit of the hearing-impaired community. Photography courtesy of Palazzo Falson. he idea for Secrets of Palazzo Falson began with a fictional story written by Greek Author, Eleni Papadopoulou. 'It started a couple of years ago when I wanted to do a project related to a Maltese museum. Palazzo Falson was very open to conduct my research in the museum and during the process I learned a lot of stories and legends about the museum, including some ghost stories.’ The Palazzo’s long history and the myths surrounding its past residents were the initial inspiration for Eleni. She wrote a dark love story set in the medieval era which

engages the player to follow the different characters of the game and solve the mystery using the AR app on a smart phone or tablet device. The app was designed and developed by local tech company, Mighty Box. The overall supervision of the technical process was overseen by Marvin Zammit. ‘The app is based on AR which means that you can point your smart device at your surroundings and things will pop up on your screen which are not there in real life. So, you’ll see paintings being animated, characters will talk to you and objects will move. The technology is particularly innovative because it works without specially printed markers, which would interfere with the aesthetics of the museum. Instead we use the actual environment of the Palazzo itself.’ 'This is a very exciting project that gives the opportunity to use innovative technology in the museum and enhance the visitors experience', says Palazzo Falson’s curator, Caroline Tonna. 'The AR game involves the personal interaction of the visitor with the real objects in our collections that are given a different interpretation and perspective'. Secrets of Palazzo Falson can be downloaded on a smart phone or tablet upon purchase of a ticket at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum in Mdina. Suitable for ages 12+. Use of own headphones is recommended. The entrance ticket also entitles the visitor to tour the museum. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm (last entry 4 pm). For more information tel: 2145 4512 or email bookings@palazzofalson.com.