Investment in a multi-purpose theatre

Francis Zammit Dimech's article (June 20) admirably summarises the glorious history of Malta's Royal Opera House and the future for its replacement by the 70th anniversary of its destruction in 1942.

Having spent many visits to my home in Gozo over the past 50 years, as Vice-Chairman of Theatre Projects I was delighted to work, alongside David Staples and John Causebrook, as consultants to advise the government on any future plans for rebuilding the Opera House. It was while visiting the site that we came up with the idea to recommend the conversion of St James Cavalier into an arts centre which would complement the larger artistic productions in a future Opera House building.

Certainly there is no logic in the 21st century simply to restore the old opera house as a home solely for opera productions. The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, even with 50 weeks a year of international opera and ballet, eight performances a week, requires major government subsidy annually.

It would, indeed, be an investment for Malta to build a multi-purpose theatre on the Opera House site which could provide a home for a number of weeks each year to audiences of over 1,000 people, alongside major ballet companies, international and national orchestras and large-scale drama productions.

We have proved that for every £1 million invested in the arts and entertainment profession the UK Treasury receives back some £3 million. This return comes in the form of VAT on tickets sold, income tax paid by artists, musicians, technicians, composers and playwrights all employed in the industry, not to mention the enormous income from visiting tourists and the ancillary activities. Any theatre in the West End of London or Broadway in New York encourages the growth of nearby shops and restaurants, hotels and taxis and the welfare of the population generally. The quality of life of younger people is enhanced by their involvement in all forms of the arts from jazz to dance and the visual arts.

Malta and Gozo are well-placed to provide a southern European link of artistic venues from Athens to Rome to Gibraltar and Madrid similar to the northern European tours circuit from London to Paris to Oslo, Berlin and Moscow.

This is an enormous opportunity for a major investment in the future of Malta and Gozo, not to be lost forever.