Theatre panels in limited edition set of postcards

The painstaking restoration going on at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta has not only caught the eye of theatre lovers but also the attention of many who are interested in the country's artistic heritage.

The restoration has included the revamping of the wooden auditorium boxes. Last July, a team of restorers led by Prof. Sante Guido unearthed early designs on the boxes that could throw light on how the theatre developed since its origin in 1732.

To mark the conclusion of the restoration on the auditorium boxes, Malta International Airport plc has produced a limited edition set of 10 postcards each of the revamped panels of the auditorium boxes.

The second phase of the works included cleaning, removal of dust and grime and repair of numerous cracks in the wooden, gilded decorations.

As the main sponsors of this second phase, MIA has allotted Lm10,000 a year for three years to the restoration programme.

Other sponsors include Computime, Din l-Art Helwa and the Valletta Rehabilitation Project.

At the time the discovery of the earlier designs was made, Wilfred Kenely, the theatre's management committee chairman, said that were it not for the sponsorship by the private sector the hidden designs would have remained buried under layers of paint.

The postcards may be purchased from the Manoel Theatre shop.