Hi,

we are on perfect timing this week, so let me add the header image just down here (tell me if you like it, please!) and let's start!

We look at the stage stage at Teatru Manoel this week, to never miss a good occasion to show up in a nice dress or shirt (please!). And on the weekend, Ta' Qali National Park turns into a full-day outdoor: food, makers, drinks, and music from noon all the way to 11pm.

THIS WEEK IN MALTA

- Amelie - The Musical opens at Teatru Manoel in Valletta this Friday evening, with shows running Friday, Saturday and Sunday - book before they fill up.

- Eight Maltese metal bands go head-to-head this Saturday at The Garage Music Club in Zebbug, competing for a slot at Wacken Open Air 2026 - one of the biggest metal festivals on the planet.

- May is shaping up to be a strong month for art in Malta, with multiple gallery shows open across Sliema, Attard, Valletta and Mqabba - a good week to pick one and actually go.

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK: AMELIE - THE MUSICAL AT TEATRU MANOEL

Three nights, one of the most beloved French stories ever put to screen, now live on stage at Malta's national theatre in Valletta.

If you know the film, you know the world: Paris in warm amber, a girl who quietly changes other people's lives while struggling to connect with her own. The stage version keeps all of that feeling and adds live music, colour, and the kind of theatrical energy that a screen can't replicate. Teatru Manoel is an intimate venue - no bad seats, not in m experience - so even if you're not a regular theatre-goer, this is a comfortable entry point. Three performances this week: Friday and Saturday at 20:00, Sunday at 16:00. Book directly through the link down and don't leave it to the weekend.

Details: 8 May (20:00), 9 May (20:00), 10 May (16:00) - Teatru Manoel, Valletta - you can book it from here.

WHAT'S ON: 3 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK

1. POPP DAY OUT: SPRING 2026 - a full Saturday in Ta' Qali with craft drinks, street food, a makers' market and live music that builds from afternoon into the night.

  When: Saturday 9 May, 12:00-23:00

  Where: Ta' Qali National Park, Ta' Qali

  Cost: Price TBC - check the link below

  Tickets/info: here.

  Why go: Eleven hours of outdoor hang with no particular agenda - come for the food, stay for the music, leave when you want.

2. WACKEN METAL BATTLE MALTA 2026 - eight local bands fighting for a real shot at Wacken Open Air, which makes this more than just a gig.

  When: Saturday 9 May, 17:00

  Where: The Garage Music Club, Zebbug

  Cost: 20 EUR ones still available.

  Tickets/info: here.

  Why go: The stakes are genuine - whoever wins goes to Germany - and that kind of pressure makes for a seriously charged night.

3. STORM PETRELLE LIVE AT STOREROOM - an intimate debut concert at one of Ta' Xbiex's smaller live music spaces, with new and reworked songs about love, insecurity and the bigger questions.

  When: Saturday 9 May, 21:30

  Where: Storeroom, Ta' Xbiex

  Cost: 7 euros online, 10 euros at the door

  Tickets: here.

  Why go: Small room, debut show, low ticket price - if Storm Petrelle is going places, this is the night you'll remember going first.

Tip: Save or screenshot this section so you've got your week sorted in 10 seconds.

COMING UP - BOOK AHEAD

1. L-AQWA 20 TAL-MALTIN - an open-air concert in St George's Square where the 20 most-voted Maltese songs from 1975-2005 get performed live with orchestra, one night only.

  When: Saturday 30 May 2026, 20:30

  Where: St George's Square, Valletta

  Tickets: 15 euros (Blue tiered seating) / 20 euros (Orange area), reserved seating

  Book: here.

  Note: Reserved seating and a one-night format means this one sells down steadily - worth grabbing your spot this week.

2. SUNNY SIDE FESTIVAL MALTA 2026 - five days of house, techno and electro across UNO Malta stages plus beach and boat parties, kicking off in just over a week.

  When: Thursday 14 - Monday 18 May 2026

  Where: UNO Malta and various coastal venues across Malta

  Tickets: Weekend pass from approx. 145 euros; boat party from approx. 40 euros; after party from approx. 35 euros

  Book: here.

  Note: It starts in ten days - if you're going, sort your pass this week before individual events sell out.

WHERE TO GO: NUNZIO'S BREAD BAR IN GZIRA

A proper artisan bread bar and deli that opened in Gzira earlier this spring, filling a real gap in a neighbourhood that needed a spot like this.

Go for a slow weekday morning - good bread, deli-style food, and none of the crowds you'd get in Sliema or Valletta. It's the kind of local daytime spot worth building a routine around.

Location: Gzira

Hours: Daytime hours - check their social pages for current times

Find them on Instagram: here.

GET INVOLVED: SOUP KITCHEN OFM VALLETTA IS LOOKING FOR MEAL SERVICE VOLUNTEERS

The Franciscan soup kitchen on St Ursula Street in Valletta has been serving weekday lunches to people experiencing poverty and homelessness for years - one of the quieter, more consistent bits of community work in the capital.

They need hands to help prepare and serve lunches during the week. It's practical, it's regular, and it's the kind of volunteering where you see the direct impact of showing up.

How to join: Visit here or head to 40 St Ursula Street, Valletta, to find out more and register your interest.

QUICK HITS

- The "Brief and Never Ending" group exhibition at Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema is open daily through 23 May, roughly 10:00-19:00 - a good weekday option if you want art without the weekend crowds.

- Save the date: Malta International Arts Festival runs 12-21 June 2026 across Valletta and Floriana, with a mix of free and ticketed events covering theatre, dance and music - the programme is up at here (if the website loads) and worth a browse now.

- Local gem: The "Echoes of Now" sculpture exhibition by Chris Ebejer is on inside the Oratory of the Immaculate at the Jesuits' Church in Valletta, free to enter and running until 7 June - bronze, marble and terracotta work in a restored oratory space is a combination that's hard to beat for a quiet hour in the city.

YOUR TURN

Know a great event, venue, or community project that should be here next week?

-> Just hit reply and tell me in 1-2 sentences.

Question of the week:

What's your go-to spot for a slow weekday morning in Malta - coffee, something to read, no rush?

-> Hit reply - I'll feature the best answers (first name only) next week.

Cheers,

Simone

MaltaLife - bringing Malta's best to your inbox every Monday

Instagram: @maltalifenews

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