Four centuries of Paola’s history will be brought to life through music and poetry at St John’s Co-Cathedral this October, with a special commemorative concert marking 400 years since the town’s founding.Titled Casal Nuovo: Echoes of Four Centuries, the concert will take place on Friday 9th October, bringing the Kristu Re Band together with some familiar names from Malta’s music and arts scene for an evening celebrating Paola’s historical, cultural and spiritual heritage.The event is being organised by the Grand Master Fra Antoine De Paule Philharmonic Society – Kristu Re Band under the patronage of President Myriam Spiteri Debono.The location carries particular significance for the anniversary, as Grand Master Fra Antoine De Paule, who founded Paola 400 years ago, is buried at St John’s Co-Cathedral.The organisers say performances by Maltese band clubs inside the historic Valletta landmark are relatively rare, making the setting an important part of the commemoration itself.Rather than following the format of a traditional concert, Casal Nuovo will unfold across five short acts charting Paola’s story through the centuries, beginning with the area’s prehistoric roots before moving through war, major changes in Malta and the development of the modern-day community, before looking towards its future.The Kristu Re Band, conducted by Paola-born Maestro David Joseph Sammut, will provide the musical backbone of the evening, performing Baroque, Romantic and contemporary works by composers including Mahler, Puccini, Rossini and Stivala.The programme will also feature pieces which organisers say have never previously been performed by a Maltese band, alongside original compositions by Sammut, including a brand-new work written specifically to open the concert.Music will be intertwined with original Maltese poetic prose written by Professor Immanuel Mifsud, with his writing connecting each of the five acts and providing a historical and emotional thread throughout the performance. Mifsud, himself from Paola, was awarded the 2026 Homer European Medal of Poetry and Art.The band will also be joined by tenor Alan Sciberras and X Factor Malta: Back to Win winner Lisa Gauci, while actress Marceline Galea will narrate Mifsud’s poetic prose throughout the evening, bringing together live music, literature and storytelling within one of Malta’s most recognisable historical settings.Best of all, the concert is completely free and open to the public, although places can be reserved in advance through Showshappening.Will you be heading to St John’s Co-Cathedral to celebrate 400 years of Paola?•