The Artists

Jacob Portelli is the resident harpist of the Archdiocese of Malta, a position he has held since 2020. He is a founding member and violist of the Cordia string quartet, which regularly performs at private and state functions. In 2016 Cordia performed for HM Queen Elizabeth II during the Commonwealth Day celebration at Marlborough House, London.

Jacob holds an LRSM in harp and violin and a Diploma in viola. He plays the Baroque violin and Baroque cello, and is a member and leader of the continuo section of the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble. In 2020 he released four studio albums: Kinnor, Nevel, The Christmas Song and We Three Kings. His performances have taken him to cities including Athens, Caltagirone, London and Torino.

Francesca Aquilina is a Maltese soprano recognised for her expressive musicality, warm tone, and versatility across operatic repertoire. She has recently represented Malta internationally, performing at the Maltese High Commission in Berlin.

She is a dedicated member of the Opera Nova Project, where she recently performed Pamina in The Magic Flute, and will sing the title role in Suor Angelica in May. Her recent appearances also include Atalanta in La Corona for the Three Palaces Festival.

Francesca holds a Master’s degree in Opera with First-Class Honours from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where she studied with Suzanne Murphy and was coached by Sharon Richards and Angela Livingstone. She also holds a First-Class Honours Bachelor of Music degree from Edinburgh Napier University, and continues her vocal studies in Malta with Gillian Zammit.

Her repertoire includes roles such as Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Despina (Così fan tutte), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Eurydice (Orpheus in the Underworld), and Nella (Gianni Schicchi). While at RWCMD, she performed leading roles including Tina in Jonathan Dove’s Flight, as well as Papagena and First Lady in The Magic Flute.

Her professional engagements include appearances with Winterbourne Opera, Welsh National Opera, Clonter Opera, and the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble, performing across the UK and Europe. In Malta, she has appeared at Teatru Manoel as Gianetta (L’elisir d’amore) and Amour (Orphée et Euridice), and as a soloist with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.

A committed interpreter of Baroque repertoire, Francesca collaborates regularly with the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble and the Abos Project, and has premiered works by Maltese composers. She continues to perform in both operatic and concert repertoire in Malta and internationally.

Althea Troisi completed her Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Music at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in 2022. From 2018 to 2022, she worked at the Latvian National Opera where she sang the roles of Soeur Mathilde in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites and Tisbe in Rossini’s Cenerentola.

Althea participated in international festivals including the Sigulda Opera Festival in 2019 (Latvia) and the Breath of Baikal Festival in Irkutsk (Russia) where she sang the role of Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma. Locally, Althea sang the roles of Sorceress (Dido & Aeneas) and Public Opinion (Orpheus in the Underworld) at the Teatru Manoel.

Althea is a scholar of the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation and Ms Janatha Stubbs.

Jeremy Grech is a local artist and tourist guide who has been performing for almost a decade. His passion for storytelling and history led him to found Theatourism, the marriage of theatre and tourism, through which he has staged theatrical tours at Teatru Manoel, the Mosta Rotunda and other localities.

His notable theatre roles include Sette (Teatru Malta), The Bard’s Farewell (ŻiguŻajg) and Ellie (Teatru Manoel). Known locally as Il-Pirata, he is also a drama tutor specialising in Commedia dell’Arte, trained professionally at Teatru Manoel under Denise Mulholland, at the Drama Centre, and with theatre veteran Narcy Calamatta. His aim as a performer is to make theatre and history more accessible to a wider audience.