Herman Grech
Parliament could be in Freedom Square
Culture centre option for opera house site
A cultural and performance centre could be built on the site of the former opera house in Valletta after all, if one of the main options presented by Italian architect Renzo Piano is taken up by the Prime Minister.
No official proposal has been made to the government, but it is understood that this option places the new Parliament building in Freedom Square, next to the opera house site.
Mr Piano has suggested embellishing and developing the inside of the opera house site to create a versatile recreational area which can be used for cultural activities in summer and winter.
The necessary structures would be put in place to house sound and lighting equipment.
Mr Piano's original brief was to turn the old Royal Opera House ruins into a multi-purpose building that would host Parliament and also play a cultural role. But Parliament's relocation from the Palace in Valletta sparked a national debate with many demanding that the site should be used exclusively for cultural purposes.
Last January, Lawrence Gonzi hinted that the proposal to build Parliament on the old opera house site was not cast in stone and he said he had informed Mr Piano of the need to create a cultural space.
During a visit to Malta last January, Mr Piano had remarked that Freedom Square was too empty and he expressed the opinion that shops should not be the first buildings people see upon entering a city like Valletta.
The plans are not final and Mr Piano's senior partner Bernard Plattner is expected in Malta next month to officially present the proposals to the Prime Minister.
When contacted, the Office of the Prime Minister would only say that several options would be considered.
Should the government decide to opt for a versatile open-air performance space, it would resemble a proposal presented to Cabinet in 2006 by then Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech.
Dr Zammit Dimech had proposed transforming the ruins of the opera house into a permanent open-air performing space and ideally providing further space for the arts below ground level.
Addressing the Nationalist Party's general council last Friday, Dr Zammit Dimech appealed to the Prime Minister to ensure that the site was used to create a "multifunctional space for culture and the arts".
Conceptual plans detailing the different uses of one of the most under-utilised areas had been drawn up and discussed at Cabinet level. The idea then was to create a multifunctional theatre on the opera house site that complemented St James Cavalier. The plans, however, never saw the light of day.
When contacted, Dr Zammit Dimech said that he felt government was still in time to make the right decision.
The 1866 opera house, designed by E.M. Barry, architect of the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden, was demolished by a German bombing raid during the Second World War.
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L..Galea
Mar 30th 2009, 09:21
Francis Portelli
Dignity of a Fascist gate?
The 7 June and Dun Mikiel Xerri monuments should stay where they are.
K Mallia
Mar 29th 2009, 22:31
Right, I do agree that the Opera House site should be used for culture. One wonders if open air or not but then the important is that it is embellished. However some questions arise when one considers the new option of parliament being in Freedom square:
1) Where will carnival be organised?
Carnival has always been a controversy however whether you like it or not it cannot stop existing and Valletta cannot cease to be part of carnival. Government still has not answered
2) Will the new gate be big enough to allow floats to pass by?
3) where will the carnival village be?
As usual we have many solutions but nobody really pondered all the questions. What is funny though is this: Government does not know the final design of City Gate but knows the project will cost around Euro 80 million. Wow that is foresight. One last question with regards to this:
4) From where will government get the money if even for some EU projects he cannot exceed the established sum because the famous 'kaxxa ta' Malta' is totally dry?
Joseph Galea
Mar 29th 2009, 20:31
Mr. Francis Portelli: Surely you are joking when you say that we should keep city gate as it is. This obscenity of a gate does more damage to the dignity of our capital city than all the bombs the enemy dropped on it in WWII.
Paul Caruana
Mar 29th 2009, 19:44
There are very few open spaces in Valletta. Please let Freedom square be!
Francis Portelli
Mar 29th 2009, 16:46
Our city gate ought to be retained as is. Only a few finishing touches, and a cleanup, would give it back dignity.
We should have placed the 7 Giugno monument on the RHS and the Dun Mikiel Xerri monument on the LHS of our city gate, clean all the rest and kept the wall marble clean.
On the other hand, the remains of the old theatre ought to have been removed and levelled up, whilst the surrounding walls entrance extended round the old theatre site , put in some fountains in the bigger square area created and open cafes,... something like piazza Navona in Roma. It wouldn't cost us a fraction of what is being proposed......and not compete against already existing institutions....Manoel Theatre....Dar il-Mediterran etc
M Saliba
Mar 29th 2009, 13:07
@ Franco Massa
Very well said!!
The open-eyed Maltese public (by this I mean the public who is not blinded by red or blue) is now used to these roller coaster rides.
edwin formosa
Mar 29th 2009, 13:05
G.Agius don't mention U-turns. J.Muscat might be embarrassed.
L..Galea
Mar 29th 2009, 12:57
Andrew Camilleri, P.Zammit
Il-Qawl jgħid li ma min tagħmilha għeluq is-sena ssir bħalu.
Issa ilna nagħmluha s-snin magħkom u sirna bħalkom.
franco massa
Mar 29th 2009, 12:02
If one reads this carefully you'd notice that it is all hypothetical...just a proposal by arch. piano. Government can easily use this ploy to delude its disgruntled voters that it is heeding their complaints and will build a cultural centre....just in time to entice them to vote for the MEP elections. However, everything would still be fluid and once the election is over change track and do what it wants. More so it would have the benefit of saying that whatever was quoted in the times was pure guesswork since everything is still on plan...and voters taken yet again on a ride.
one word of caution here to the so called disgruntled voters... be careful or you'll end up taken for another ride...yet again
P.Zammit
Mar 29th 2009, 12:01
G.Agius
Don't know my friend, however you should know one when you meet one, given that you party has the ultimate record for plentiful U-Turns, X-Turns, Y-Turns, etc...
Andrew Camilleri
Mar 29th 2009, 11:59
U-turn, or political maturity? Anyway, this was a suggestion of Renzo Piano, not the government. All you socialists do is grumble - BORING! Applaud the good when you see it, and condemn the bad when you see it. But do not condemn everything! It's so annoying and immature.
Joseph Vella Bondin
Mar 29th 2009, 11:05
Please, please, please, keep Parliament away from the Opera House site for many reasons. The best place to place Parliament is Fort St Elmo or MCC.
G Agius
Mar 29th 2009, 11:03
Am I smelling another u-turn from GonziPN?