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The Society has performed in a number of countries as follows:
The "Banda Kristu Re" of the Socjeta Filarmonika G.M. Fra Antoine De Paule, was invited by the Festa San Gorg Association to participate in the feast of Saint George organised by this association in Toronto, Canada. Friday, April 28th - 7.30
p.m. The band marched from the Malta
Band Club to St. Paul's Church in Dandas, Toronto playing festive marches and
hymns dedicated to St. George. It was accompanied by the statue of this Saint
and a number of Maltese immigrants.
Saturday, April 29 - 6.00 p.m. The Banda Kristu Re participated in a Grand Ball held on the occasion of the feast of St. George at the Trinity Club in Mississauga. Monday, May 1 - 7.00 p.m. A memorable day for the Banda Kristu Re. It performed a very successful concert at the Square One Plaza Shopping Centre in Mississauga. The musical works selected for this program included Typewriter, Fantasia in Do Minore, Glasnost, Bugler's Holiday, Trumpet Wild, Yesterday, Beauty and the Beast, and Pablito a march by the band's director Archibald Mizzi. At the end of the concert the Maltese, the Canadian and the U.S. National Anthem were played. Tuesday, May 2 In the evening, the band visited the Melita Social Club in Dandas, Toronto where it entertained all those present by playing a number of Maltese festive marches. Thursday, May 4 In the evening the Banda Kristu Re was welcomed by the Malta Band Club of Dandas, Toronto, where it played Maltese marches from its vast repertoire. Friday, May 5 A historic day for the Banda Kristu Re. By participating in a Grand Ball organised by the Festa San Gorg of Detroit, it became the first Maltese band to play in the U.S.A. The band performed a musical program and played a number of marches. During the tour the Banda Kristu Re was conducted by its Director Mro. Archibald Mizzi and Mr. Joseph Caruana, one of its bandsmen.
Monday, August 19 In the morning the band traveled to Linz where it visited the President of Upper Austria Dr. Josef Puhringer. The band played the Maltese and Austrian National anthems and "The King" a popular march by Mro. Archibald Mizzi. The Maltese contingent was later invited to lunch by Dr. Puhringer. In
the evening the Paola band gave a concert at an open theatre in Linz. In the
presence of the mayor of the city and under the direction of Mro. A. Mizzi the
band performed the following musical works:
In the evening the Banda Kristu Re visited the city of St. Willibald where the Maltese bandsmen gave a good account of themselves during a concert which the Paola band gave together with a local band.
A golden day in the history of Banda Kristu Re. The band participated in the program organised by Wien Kultur to commemorate the 1000th Anniversary of the foundation of the Schonbrunn Palace by performing a concert in this famous palace. The music selected for this concert included Wild Jagd, Conquest of Paradise, Czardas, A White Shade of Pale, Tom Jones in Concert, Tribute, Maltesina and the Radetsky March. At the end of the concert the performance of the Paola band was acclaimed by the audience, so much so that the Radestky March had to be repeated.
After a memorable visit to Mozart's house in Salzburg, the band gave another successful concert in the picturesque village of Mondsee where it was welcomed by the Mayor Bruno Gritzky.
The Paola band traveled to Munich where, in the evening, it performed at the Olympia Park.
In the morning the Banda Kristu Re gave a concert of modern music in the Stadtplatz, the main square in Eferding, after being welcome by the "Cultur Presidentin" Mrs. Rosemarie Doplbauer. After the concert the Maltese contingent, led by the band's President, Mr. Joseph Boffa, paid a courtesy visit to Eferding's Mayor Mr. Holz. Later in the day
the band returned to Andorf where it gave its last concert of this very successful
tour. During this tour the band was directed by Mro. Archibald Mizzi and the soloists were George Debono (clarinet), Kevin Abela (trumpet), Paul Spiteri (euphonium) and guest bandsman Frans Gumpinger (trombone).
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Sunday, August 17th The Banda Kristu Re visited the picturesque Austrian village of Pollham where it was welcomed by the local band. In the afternoon the Paola band made its first appearance of the tour by giving a concert in the open air. The music works selected for this concert included Swedish Quadrille and polonaise, Beelzebub, Spanish Trumpet and Morricone's Melody. The young Maltese soprano Rosabelle Bianchi, accompanied by the Band, sang Vilia from the Merry Widow and Summer Time from the opera Porgy and Pess. The program came to an end with the band playing "Kurt" and "The King", two typical Maltese festive marches by Mro. Archibald Mizzi.
Tuesday, August 19th
Wednesday, August 20th The band from Paola performed a
grand concert at the magnificent theatre of the historic city of Tulln. After
the concert the Mayor of the city entertained the Maltese contingent to dinner. Thursday, August 21st On this day the Maltese contingent travelled far to the picturusque village of St. Johann in Tirol, a village frequented by many tourists. On a bandstand in the main square the band gave a concert which was appreciated by the crowd that had gathered in the square.
Early in the afternoon, the Paola band's official program came to an end with the band giving a concert in the garden of an old people's home in Vienna
Mr. Fortunato Ferro presented the programmes. Return to top of page
In 1999 the City of Marseilles was celebrating the 26th century anniversary of its foundation "La Massalia". The committee set up by the Office De La Culture De Marseilles to organise special events to mark this very special occasion for France's second largest city, invited representatives of various countries to participate in these celebrations. Mr. Miqueu Montanaro came Malta to prepare a Maltese band for this important cultural event. After hearing the Banda Kristu Re playing he chose the Paola band to perform in Marseilles on Saturday June 19th for "La Massalia". Mr, Joseph Mifsud, the Maltese Director responsible for Culture, found no objection to this decision. On the contrary, his intervention eased the band's trip to Marseille.
Monday June 14th - 8.00 p.m.
Tuesday June 15th The second function of the Banda Kristu Re was a musical program in Septemmes les Vallons, a village not far from Marseilles. This concert was held in the presence of a sizeable audience led by the Mayor who congratulated the Band on its fine performance and presented it with a memento.
Saturday June 19th - 7.00 p.m. - The Highlight of the Tour A walking parade was one of the various cultural activities organised by the "La Massalia" to mark the 26th Century Anniversary of the founding of Marseilles. The 2000 participants, divided into thirteen groups walked from the Boulevard Longchamp to the Esplanade St. Jean where each group passed on a gigantic stage. Banda Kristu Re was placed in group No. 1 called "The Tambourinaires" made up of 270 participants. The Paola Band marched smartly all the way playing the "Ballada Maltese" composed by Mro. Montanaro for this special occasion. Over 300,000 people watched this grand parade which was given great publicity by the French media and was shown direct on TV station France 3.
Sunday June 20th The band's last performance of this tour was a musical program in the village of Bouc Bel Air. It has been planned to hold this concert in the open air at the Place de l'Hotel De Ville but as it was too windy it had to be held indoors.
During the tour the band was under the direction of Mro. Archibald Mizzi and it performed musical works by Lehar, Morricone, Gerschwin, Elton John and Mascagni. The audiences enjoyed also the Ballada Maltese by M. Montanaro and Mro. Mizzi's festive marches.
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The Maltese contingent crossed
the border to pay a visit to the Hungarian city of Sopron, the city of monuments
and music. There it was welcomed by the local band. Some time later, on a
bandstand in the main square of the city, the Paola band performed a musical
programme which ended triumphantly with the two bands forming a mass band to
play the "Hungarian March", "The King" and the
"Radetsky March". These three marches were played under the direction
of the conductors of the two bands.
A concert in the church of Ste.
Marguerite was the Band's first appearance in Marseille,. In a packed church the
Maltese musicians were at their very best and were warmly applauded by the
audience after every musical work they performed. Amongst those present were a
number of people of Maltese descent.
