Unlocking the Everlink

How did the idea for the show first come about?

Kate Decesare (Group Marketing Manager, Eden Leisure): We at Eden Leisure are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways of using our cinema space and have in fact been using our theatres to host live international stand-up comedy events, and also exhibit alternative content other than the regular Hollywood fare; we’re also very keen on supporting and promoting the arts which we started a few years back by showing live operas and ballets on screen from some of the world’s greatest opera houses and live art exhibitions on screen from galleries and museums from around the globe.

I felt that a joint project with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra would allow us to do both: to use our theatrical space in an innovative way and to help promote the arts. I contacted Sigmund Mifsud, chairman of the MPO, and we chatted and brainstormed possibilities over coffee… Sigmund and his team then came up with this wonderful production.

We felt that this should be a production geared towards families and the youth.  It’s a wonderful and innovative way to introduce Malta’s youth to classical music, something which is generally felt is reserved for an older demographic. We at Eden Leisure have access to this market with our radio station 89.7 Bay (which is top among 12-49 year olds), and have many young people coming to our venues – this enables us to get the message across to the right people in the right way.

What makes Eden Cinema 16 the ideal venue for this show, and how does it differ from other live performance venues on the island?

KD: The Everlink takes full advantage of the fact that cinema 16 is a large auditorium which can house a large orchestra and an audience of over 700, and it uses our high definition digital projectors allow to portray this charming story in high definition on the big screen.  It is in fact, the ideal venue for an audio-visual presentation or event.

Unlike other performance spaces, at our cinemas the infrastructure is all (or nearly all) in place for a large-scale audio-visual production. We also have the ability to promote the product to a large audience and being situated in Malta’s entertainment hub means that before or after the show, families can enjoy a meal or a drink, go shopping or even book a game of bowling.

Malcolm, how did you set about devising the story, and did you take the multimedia aspect of it (and the venue) into consideration?

Malcolm Galea: This project was a great opportunity for me to experiment with a multi-layered storytelling technique. I put the story together by drawing upon the things that would excite my children and combining them with my darkest fears as a father. The result should be a story that has an appeal as a straightforward adventure while also concealing a terrifying undercurrent for those who dare to dive deeper.
My starting point was Reuben Pace’s music, which set the tone and pace of the story. The unique manner in which the story will be portrayed (visual projections accompanied by a live orchestra and narrator at a cinema) also played a significant role in the way that the story is told.

Reuben, speaking as the composer for The Everlink, what kind music can we expect during this performance?

Reuben Pace: The music is not an arrangement it is original music composed by yours truly. The musical style is akin to contemporary film music but with a touch of art music to it. Having said this the score is quite melodious and makes full use of the orchestral instruments. There are various influences in the music, from that of late Romantic composers such as Richard Wagner (1813-1883) to early 20th century composers like Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), minimalist influences as well as influences from such non-classical styles as heavy metal and swing. All these are combined in a seamless manner to offer the ear a unique experience.

What kind of age group will the show be targeting?

KD: The Everlink will appeal to a very wide audience from the very young to the old – however, we’re specifically targeting families, children and young adults because we believe this production will open up a whole new world of music to young people, showing them how beautiful and enjoyable watching and listening to a live orchestra can be.

Are there more of these events in the pipeline for Eden?

KD: If this event is a success, as I’m sure it will be, there is no reason why events like this shouldn’t become a regular occurrence. As I mentioned, we’re very keen on using our theatre space in creative ways and there are several new ideas being bandied about at the moment. We hope to conclude on them shortly.

The Everlink will be showing on January 23 at 19:30, January 24 and 25 at 16:00 and 18:00 in Cinema 16 at the Eden Cinemas, St Julian’s.