Valletta's opera house project has been hijacked for Parliament (3)

Joe Xuereb

Jul 25th 2009, 09:50

, a chauffeur's son, would die without my operatic moments. That said, the medium has very limited genuine appeal. It needn't be but it is elitist. How to educate the younger sets away from what passes for music to the sort that uplifts? Needs to be tried to find out.
A theatre/arts complex would better serve the people. Historically, a decision was reached to build a theatre in front of the Ferreria. Was it etched in granite that any future theatre had to be built on the same spot. I doubt it. If money is not a concern, build an arts complex just outside the city walls, thus retaining the connection to the capital. Height, width, depth not a problem. A wonderful building, sans the surrounding clutter, for the people, from the elitist to the least. And ground-breaking theatre to broaden the mind.
Parliament can wait. Politics are at the forefront of the Maltese mindset. This must change. I understand political scene is vibrant for the wrong reasons. Largely stagnant. Let it stagnate in some backwater. Let the people breathe. With dereliction, Freedom Square and a 'missing front tooth' in the wall, out of sight. Symbolically, at least.

Marvin Mizzi

Jul 22nd 2009, 08:31

No, "we" would not be proud of it, we will however be proud of the Piano creation. Only someone who does not appreciate culture would be content with a fake.
Proud fo the emptiness that is waht we are going to get with the Piano Project a breech in the fortification and the site of the ROH remains as it is........ but a project that is costing 80million in the middle of a recession... maybe we have to be proud of this.............

Victor Laiviera

Jul 21st 2009, 20:06

Mr Antoine Vella, you assertion that the original opera house was "irremediably destroyed and cannot be rebuilt" is totally false. Other cities have done it and take pride in it.

Peter Aquilina

Jul 21st 2009, 19:02

Well said Alexander Hall, C. Agius, R. Mangion , G. Camilleri and S. Pace.

@ Antoine Vella
The rest of "us" , of which I assure that you are part of, is only the minority at its worst that does not comprehend the ROH issue. The media's excessive highlighting of Piano's " past and future blends" does not in any way confirm that the majority of the Maltese nation is behind his "extraordinary" ideas !

Alexander Hall

Jul 21st 2009, 16:31

For one reason or another my family had been involved with the Oera House in its hey day, mainly as prominent musicians, and through the family we are under the impression that after the war, the german goverment offer to pay for its rebuilding or some parts of. That it cannot be rebuilt is total rubbish, it can and plans still exist. Secondly, having parliament housed right in the entrance of Valletta is simply bad taste, just trying to impress onto us the ignorant masses how important and impressive the local politians are. The breach in the bastions is not a new idea, but hardly eye catching. Cheap to do? Most definitely! Like most stuff done here quick, short term but try and sell it as something impressive and hopefully convince us that is something other. Well good luck, I think its shortsighted as usual. How many times have the goverments fudged things on the island? When will they stop!

C. Agius

Jul 21st 2009, 15:44

To D. Caruana Galizia

Parliament is for the chosen few who attend there to while away the time and to take the us the taxpayers for a ride.

Ray Mangion

Jul 21st 2009, 15:24

@ Caruana Galizia
Just like what happened with Piano`s design? When were the people given a chance to voice their opinion on this project? Correct me if I`m wrong Ms Caruana Galizia, but wasn`t it only after the decision was made behind closed doors that the people were given the opportunity to voice their opinion? You are so wrong there. Parliament is supposed to be there for the people; so many times it has not listened to its people who put them there. I will not be surprised during the next election you will try to be one of those parliamentarians; God forbid.

Antoine Vella

Jul 21st 2009, 13:23

This is getting tedious. Arrogant people who insult politicians (they are indeed the chosen few but they are chosen by all of us) and rant against a parliament building when they do not even have an idea where parliament meets at present.

Mary Pace - the original opera house was irremediably destroyed and cannot be rebuilt. 65 years and you have yet to come to terms with it? Perhaps you would be happy with a fake but the rest of "us" refuse to degrade our capital city by building fakes. No, "we" would not be proud of it, we will however be proud of the Piano creation. Only someone who does not appreciate culture would be content with a fake.

The same goes for the so-called city gate. Valletta does not need a gate, it needs an entrance and that is what it's going to have.

george camilleri

Jul 21st 2009, 12:56

It's about time that the political class takes its place among the rest of us and realize that its job is solely to run the country between one election and the next. Unfortunately this has not happened yet and it has brought with it a self delusion that its members have been elevated to a higher plane of existence, this doubtlessly magnified by the packs of hangers-on and sycophants scrabbling at their feet for favours and handouts.

It is a measure of their arrogance that these people now would have us believe that we require a new Parliament building. And to add to the self-aggrandizement, this building is going to be put slap bang at the very entrance to our capital. If they really believe that the country wants to spend millions and millions on a new Parliament at the entrance to Valletta in the middle of a recession with the country hitting record deficit levels, they should ask the people to confirm this.

Any bets on the result?

Sandro Pace

Jul 21st 2009, 12:11

But apparently, the People, or the many, wanted a theatre. Even if people are paid to go to parliament sittings, they will never flock in there, cause we have a political overdose. Sittings are no spectacle, they are annoyances, but they are on the radio anyhow for those who wish.

No wonder people rebel about this waste of money. The present parliament would have sufficed while a new proper theatre would have boosted cultural fervour, and would have added more value to the city. There is no doubt about that.

Peter Aquilina

Jul 21st 2009, 11:36

Rebuilding the Royal Opera House may be considered as the only honourable deed that may be adapted to give back to the nation what belongs to the nation!
It was enough shameful to leave this building in derelict state for the past 65 years.
The question that the present parliament is housed in a " borrowed space" does not justify the spoiling of one of Valletta's prime locations. Parliament may be relocated elsewhere.

A statement such as " The only way to enter an opera house is by paying costly tickets so as to attend a performance" is irrelevant and absurd.
The point in question here is only that of the building's historical ( and nostalgic) value and NOT as that of a business venture !

Parliament IS for the few.......the Royal Opera House IS, as has always been, for the MANY !............I take into account that readers do understand the context of the last sentence.







..

Daphne Caruana Galizia

Jul 21st 2009, 10:06

Parliament is not housed in a 'fine auberge' but in a borrowed space in the palace, which used to be the armoury.

Once parliament and all administrative offices except those of the president are removed from the palace, that vast space will be used to house museums - a fact which has been overlooked by many, including those who have been campaigning for more museum space.

Parliament is not for the few while an opera house is for the many, as you appear to suggest. It's the other way round.

The only way to enter an opera house is by paying for costly tickets so as to attend a performance, or paying for guided tours during the day. You can visit parliament, on the other hand, whenever you please, entirely for free - because far from being for the few, it is the only place that can be truly defined as being for The People.

It is where the people's elected representatives debate the issues that affect the people and fight for their interests - and the people have every right to go and watch them do it.

Perhaps a better sense of perspective might be in order.