If you love big orchestral music, keep the evening of Friday 27 November free. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra brings two Beethoven symphonies to Teatru Manoel in Valletta as part of its Beethoven200 programme, a series that runs through the 2026/27 season with more concerts planned in Malta and Gozo next year.
What you will hear
The programme pairs the start of Beethoven’s symphonic journey with the work that changed everything:
- Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21: bright, witty and full of energy, written when Beethoven was still finding his own voice after Haydn and Mozart.
- Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55, “Eroica”: longer, bolder and more dramatic, often called the piece that opened the door to the Romantic era.
The concert is conducted by Wolfram Christ, the German conductor and violist who spent many years as principal viola of the Berlin Philharmonic. Hearing both symphonies in one night is a nice way to feel how quickly Beethoven’s style grew.
The venue
Teatru Manoel is one of the oldest working theatres in Europe, and its gilded wooden boxes make any concert feel special. It is small and intimate, so the sound is close and warm. If you are coming to Valletta for the evening, the Christmas lights of Christmas in Valletta will already be switched on by then, so it is worth arriving early for a walk along Republic Street.
Practical tips
- Date and time: Friday 27 November 2026, starting at 19:30.
- Tickets: booked through Teatru Manoel’s box office. Prices were not published on the orchestra’s page at the time of writing, so check when you book.
- Getting there: Teatru Manoel is on Old Theatre Street, a short walk from Valletta Bus Terminus. Parking inside the city is limited, so the bus, the Sliema ferry or a ride-hailing car is easier.
- Arrive early: the theatre’s narrow entrance gets busy in the 15 minutes before the start.
Looking for more music this month? The Bruckner 7th concert at Mdina Cathedral on 20 November makes a lovely pair with this evening. For more ideas, see our guide to indoor things to do in Malta and our first-time visitor’s guide.