Last week's Aida at the Aurora

While thanking Albert G. Storace for his review of the single performance of Aida recently held at the Aurora Theatre (October 14), it is pertinent to clarify a few objective facts.

Mr Storace mentioned "the very impressive costumes and Paul Falzon's fine props". It has to be clarified that Mr Falzon, a young Gozitan painter, was responsible for painting the set which was designed by the producer Novella Tabili and built by a team led by Teddie Mizzi. On the other hand the props were worked out by Alfred Camilleri, a veteran Aurora volunteer who has been involved in opera productions at the Aurora since the first opera way back in 1977.

As for his statement that the King had "no crook and flail in his hands and from the distance where I was seated I could see no scarab and cobra on his headdress", the attached photo speaks for itself.

Mr Storace also wrote that the performance was a "very well-attended performance which left very few unoccupied seats". Indeed many days prior to the performance the theatre stated that the performance was sold out. Thereafter, in view of the many requests for booking that kept flowing in, the theatre decided to add as many ad hoc seats as possible - indeed chairs - both in the auditorium as well as in the upper tier, something which was unprecedented. Notwithstanding this, unfortunately, the theatre still had to disappoint quite some hundreds of opera lovers who till the very last minute kept trying to obtain tickets. In fact, the "very few unoccupied seats" referred to by Mr Storace were seats which the theatre was obliged to offer to sponsors and over which it had absolutely no control. Of course the theatre has to honour its commitment towards the sponsors. Had the theatre been informed that such tickets were not being utilised, it would obviously have offered these seats to the public.

Definitely, also in the light of the sensitive debate during the past months over the future of opera in Malta, and as Mr Storace himself stated, "once again, the miracle of opera in Gozo, produced pretty good results". Of course miracles do not happen on their own.

It needs good planning and surely a lot of hard work by the organising team as well as by the big number of volunteers who simply flock to the theatre whether as choristers, extras, stage hands or to assist in the wardrobe or logistics etc., besides the generous support offered by the sponsors.

While "any opera is difficult and expensive to stage... something like Aida is a tough challenge to face" and indeed all the above deserve a big word of thanks for making this Aurora production possible even during a year when the worldwide financial situation - which, one must add, negatively affected much bigger entities than us, in Malta and abroad - absolutely did not augur well.

May all the entities who somehow have a mano in pasta in opera productions keep renewing, and hopefully extending, their support so that we can secure an even better future for "the miracle of opera in Gozo". And, while there remain no doubts over the lead of opera productions in Gozo, there is surely a better way forward! We at the Aurora do hope to be on this track for our 2010 production, Carmen.