New proposal for Old Opera House

Culture and Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech will be submitting a proposal to the Prime Minister to turn the ruins of the Royal Opera House in Valletta into a permanent open-air performing space.

Conceptual plans, detailing the different uses of one of the most under-utilised areas of potential in Malta, have already been drawn up and are expected to be discussed at government level.

Should the plans go through, Malta could soon have one of its largest cultural venues, at minimal cost.

When contacted, Dr Zammit Dimech said the plans show that the venue could provide a seating capacity of 1,200 during the summer months, roughly the equivalent of Malta's largest indoor venue, the Mediterranean Conference Centre.

The idea is to cover it over in winter, when seating will be reduced to 1,000. Apart from all sorts of cultural activities, the venue could also be used for live television programmes.

The designs, drawn up by architect Adrian Mamo, include the creation of a makeshift stage and the addition of soft structures.

"The area needs minor embellishment with a reasonable level of investment," Dr Zammit Dimech said. "In fact, other major European culture venues, such as the Verona arena, are renowned for utilising the original structures to maximum effect." The idea appears to have hatched following the success of the Malta Arts Festival - with many patrons praising the beautiful aspect of walking into the site through an entrance that evokes the old opera house.

The 1866 opera house, designed by E.M. Barry, architect of the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden, was demolished during World War II. It is located opposite the elegant Palazzo Ferreria on one side and the imposing St James Cavalier on the other.

For the festival, the original entrance up the stairs from the Republic Street side was reused and a painted replica of the façade was installed so that the audience got the feeling of entering an intact old theatre. Even the stage was set up in its original position.

Mario Frendo, art executive at the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts within the Culture Ministry, said the response to the site from the public during the festival was terrific.

"People fell in love with it. Even (West End producer) Cameron Macintosh commented that it's one of the best acoustic sites in Malta," Mr Frendo said.

It is not clear whether the government has now shelved the contentious proposal to build a new Parliament on the site. The first indication that it was having second thoughts about such a project was last November when the budget made no mention of any rebuilding.

Dr Zammit Dimech did not wish to comment about this aspect.