PM hints at options on Opera House site

John Grima

Jan 26th 2009, 17:03

Brava Karen Z. Manduca, for your observation. You are the first person who has ever even considered the seniors. Usually the biggest supporters of the Entertainment industry.

Ramon Casha, You are absulutly correct. Yes Turists intending to spend some time in Malta, would definately love to dress up and attend and evening of Opera, Ballet or a Musical. They do the same in New Yourk, London and elsewhere.

The majority of the people of Malta, those who knows better, have spoken. BRING BACK THE,(MELITA), OPERA HOUSE. And a Valletta Gate as a Grand entrance to it.

Mr. Prime Minister, You are the one the Maltese people will remember as the rebuilder of this grand project. Good Luck.

John Grima

Astrid Vella

Jan 26th 2009, 14:55

@ Ian Fenech: You are repeating inaccuracies.Valletta has only 2theatres, one being the gem of the Manoel,too small even for plays like Midsummer Night's Dream,&now posing a danger to performers of the Malta Philarmonic Orchestra as the stage is too cramped for them all and there is a risk of someone falling into the pit.StJamesCavalier is a sitting-room theatre,great for intimate performances but no more.

Mediterranean Conference Centre is that,a conference centre,not a threatre.Do you know it does not even have flies for scene-changes and other basics that even Baroque theatres had?When taken to view it,an eminent foreign producer exclaimed "My God, it's the ugliest theatre I ever saw"

Still it makes money because there is demand for theatre in Malta.Why are you not mentioning the battles between drama companies who can't book enough theatre space? What about ballet companies which have no where to perform because no stage is large enough?Cruise liners which want to put up shows and cant for lack of space?

What about sell-out performances where spectators grumbles that we are reduced to watching stars like Bocelli in a draughty tent with the acoustics of a hangar?Why is no one mentioning these.

Karen Zammit Manduca

Jan 26th 2009, 14:51

@ Ian Fenech

It has been suggested that the "theatre" at the MCC is adapted to house Parliament, which in effect means that there will not be "three fully finctional theatres" if the suggestion is taken up.

I know of many elderly people who love to attend the theatre, but very often do not go to the Conference Centre or the Manoel Theatre because of the long walk back up to the bus terminus late at night after the performance. Just imagine what a relief it will be for these people to be able to attend a performance at a theatre situated just inside City Gate with buses only a short walk away. It may also encourage others to take the bus into Valletta to watch a performance rather than driving there.

Ian Fenech

Jan 26th 2009, 13:34

Ok I know people are going to hate me for this, but I think common sense should prevail on what the heart feels.................
Fair enough, we do not have an opera house, but having three full functional theaters in Malta is more than enough I think. We already have a problem to fill these three up as they are,I think another one would be a waste.And lets be realistic, the space of the old opera house is never going to big enough to make it into a staet of the art theater as people are expecting it to be.
On the other hand The Grand Masters Palace, which is a treasure of a building is used to house our parliament. I think it would make more sense to restore and re-open the Grand Master's Palace to the public and move the Parliament.

Maria Debono Goetzel

Jan 26th 2009, 12:23

@ J Farrugia,

Calleja doesn't need an opera house it is us Maltese that do. The only nation in the developed world without one!!! Like Calleja himself suggested the new "Royal Opera House" building should be a multi purpose auditorium able to tackle anything from the following: ballet, theatre, musicals, symphonic concerts, choral concerts. recitals and even unplugged pop events. This to make it commercially viable.

Malta is one big block of commercial concrete Mr. Farrugia...and we are still in dire financial straits. What we need is more culture, definitely not more partisan politics, or worse, more dreaded concrete!!

Laurence Zerafa

Jan 26th 2009, 11:56

"or, in another suggestion, as a library."

Since 12th October, a few days before the PM's public proposal for a parliament building / cultural centre on the Royal Opera site, the Malta Library and Information Association www.malia-malta.org/ issued a press release, making its own proposal for this same site. MaLIA would like to see a cultural centre to include a modern state of the art public (lending) library.

MaLIA is of the view that such a modern public library in such an accessible and prominent location will in no small way increases the use of libraries by the general public. We believe that the use of libraries is intrinsically linked to increasing literacy, something that Malta lags behind when compared to other EU countries. Moreover, access to free information will prove essentail if we want Maltese citizens to become members of the knowledge based society, that we are aspiring for as a nation.

MaLIA has been promoting it's idea for such a public library at city gate Valletta through an ipetition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/culturalcentre_valletta/index.html and through a Facebook group http://en-gb.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35633385778. Both have attracted considerable support from the general public, mostly from young people, which is very encouraging.

Astrid Vella

Jan 26th 2009, 11:53

Rather than criticizing the PM for a U-turn, we should be praising him for being sensitive to the people's will and having the maturity to reconsider.

People like J Farrugia are refusing to admit that the Conference Centre, in spite of its hopeless stage and acoustics, still makes money. Presently producers fight each other to find dates at existing theatres, which proves that the demand is there. With good management, a national theatre showing large productions of drama, concerts, ballet and opera and which has the added advantage of being close to public transport would be more successful than the MCC.

There is also the added demand from tourists; cruise liners are organising afternoon concerts but the Manoel or MCC can't accommodate their large numbers. That alone would keep a National Theatre going.

I'm sure that the PM is appreciating that unlike a Parliament, a National Theatre would give all our young performers a future, and, in drawing tourists to Malta as a cultural hub, it would benefit employment in tourism for all of Malta, not just Valletta.

Ramon Casha

Jan 26th 2009, 10:50

@J Farrugia: You haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about.

First of all, theatres and opera houses ARE businesses. They are part of the entertainment INDUSTRY. I'm sure that Joseph Calleja enjoys singing, but that's not why he does it. Theatres make money, and support an entire industry which include orchestras, choirs, dancers, lighting and sound equipment providers, and much more.

Secondly, an opera house is not used only for opera. It is also used for concerts, ballet and dance, musicals, and other performing arts. These, incidentally, are all very popular with people on holiday (aka "tourists") especially if the place is equipped with decent air conditioning.

I can only hope that our MPs remember that they are representatives, and that they have some cultural background. If everyone were like J Farrugia we'd be dismantling St. John's Cathedral to build a block of flats in order to get more revenue.

M.Buhagiar

Jan 26th 2009, 10:50

Since Mr Par Idejn Sodi is aware that the public opinion is against the idea of having a Parliament instead of the old opera house and since in June we shall have the MEP elections , may I say that this is a CONVENIENT U-TURN similar to the decleration that the utility tariffs will soon be reduced !!!!

J Farrugia

Jan 26th 2009, 10:21

I will say it once more... if the site is to be used as an extra opera house, Malta will be ruined. It will be another white elephant in the long list of white elephants: the fabbrika tal-elf, the red china dock, the mater dei hospital, the fabbrika tar-rattan, Metal fond, etc. etc. etc.
Put thsi bombed site to good use and not for loss making business in order to appease some tenor or some philosophers. This project should be put to good use. and earn long lost money. Not just to have another loss making theatre.