The restoration of the Manoel Theatre is set to continue and Malta International Airport has agreed to keep sponsoring the project for at least another year, covering the refurbishment of the auditorium ceiling.
Sante Guido, heading the restoration team, said yesterday the latest works included the restoration of the proscenium arch and the boxes it incorporates.
Two of the boxes have been left in their original state for a time so that the people can compare and appreciate better the work being done.
He said the ceiling of the proscenium arch as well as the emblem of Grand Master de Vilhena had to undergo thorough cleansing and maintenance and now their original splendour is highlighted.
The original blue had re-appeared and this has been cleaned with mild solvents to prevent fires.
All the cornices and decorations of the gilded wooden structure have been cleaned of paint, which has been replaced by 24-carat gold gilding.
This brought to light some hidden features in the form of figurative designs that had been coarsely applied on metal netting which may have been intended to support the structure.
The conservation of this part was a most complex task in that the corroded metal had to be treated without damaging the structure.
Manoel Theatre management committee chairman Wilfred Kenely said the theatre had been a hive of activity this summer, with all projects.
The back stage was demolished and a multi-purpose facility was constructed incorporating dressing and rehearsal rooms.
A new fire protection and security system was installed. This was financed by theatre reserves but the theatre still needed to source subsequent funds. The courtyard was given a facelift.
MIA chief executive officer Peter Bolech appealed to the authorities to take all necessary measures so that a decision is made regarding the discoveries unveiled in the course of the restoration. Any further research would be precluded in the absence of formal advice from the Superintendent Of Cultural Heritage. Mr Kenely said the physical environment was only one of the priorities the theatre had to tackle as the needs of the public evolved.
The theatre, he said, would be refining its communication strategy to listen better to the people's expectations.
Mr Kenely said the theatre was feeling the bite of rising costs and it needed to identify and generate fresh revenue sources. The theatre's size was a negative factor when it came to economies of scale.
Artistic director Tony Cassar Darien introduced this season's calendar which included standard fixtures such as the Christmas pantomime, extraordinary events and new creations.
On the occasion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November, a concert entitled The Commonwealth Resources - a multicultural musical event featuring more than 100 musicians from all over the Commonwealth - will be held.
Another concert will be given by the Royal Overseas League which will include a Malta/Nigeria piano duo, a South African soprano, a Canadian pianist and an Australian saxophonist.
He said talks were underway for the Commonwealth to start holding an annual showcase in Malta.
An opera festival will include Verdi's Rigoletto, a concert of Arias from Maltese operas, Henry Purcell's Dido And Aeneas and Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Another feature is the Operetta Week.
The programme includes a selection of plays, mostly in English but including four in Maltese. Mr Cassar Darien said that companies were choosing more contemporary material. There will be a taste of European drama with TNT Theatre Britain and the American Drama Group Europe presenting Shakespeare's King Lear.
Other plays by foreign companies include Wilde At Heart, on the life and works of Oscar Wilde, and the chilling mystery The Haunters.
This year's one-man show will be Gareth Armstrong's Shylock. It will include extracts from The Jew of Malta.
Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said the fact that there were three cultural centres in Valletta - the Manoel Theatre, St James' Cavalier and the Mediterranean Conference Centre - was proof of the work being done to bring culture closer to the people.
The press conference was concluded with Bergamasca Per La Lettera B from Partità Sopra Diverse Sonata by Giovanni Battista Vitali, played on the violin by 14-year old Nadine Galea.