2Cellos open Malta Arts Festival

2Cellos, made up of young Croatian cellists Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, rose to fame in 2011 when their rendition of Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’ took YouTube and the world by storm.

Their incredible fusion of genres, which ranges from classical and film music to pop and rock, breaks all boundaries traditionally associated with the cello and constantly keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

Individually, Sulic and Hauser have been playing the cello since childhood, with both having won many prestigious awards along the way. Now, four years after graduating from the acclaimed Royal Academy of Music in London and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester respectively, Sulic and Hauser have no limits when it comes to performing live, and they are equally as impressive when playing Bach and Vivaldi as they are when rocking out AC/DC.

Since hitting the scene, 2Cellos have also made a name for themselves travelling the globe with Sir Elton John, playing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and George Michael, and performing at the Emmy’s in Los Angeles, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, among many others.

They have also signed a record deal with Sony Masterworks, and their second album, IN2ITION – which is produced by the legendary Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, KISS, Deep Purple) – features an eclectic group of vocal and instrumental guests including Sir Elton John, Steve Vai, Lang Lang, Naya Rivera and Zucchero.

Running until August 2, artists from Croatia, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, South Africa and Russia will join some of the best Maltese artists in a festival with 18 performances and a separate programme of workshops and master classes. Most of these events will be held in some of the island’s most prestigious historical venues, such as the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Pjazza Teatru Rjal and the newly-restored Fort St Elmo. For a full programme of events log on to http://www.maltaartsfestival.org/.