Theatre remains roofless

James A. Tyrrell

Feb 15th 2010, 23:50

@Kleaven Maniscalco. Kleaven, in order to understand why these comments are being made you have to remember that the people making most of these comments are the ones who will end up paying through their taxes for this folly. Are you saying that because Piano is a famous architect he can do no wrong? Don't be silly. The biggest mistake here is by the Maltese Government who is refusing to allow the people of Malta to have a say in what becomes of their capital city.

Kleaven Maniscalco

Feb 15th 2010, 19:46

I cannot understand the sense behind most of these comments. It makes me understand why most of the maltese have houses that resemble aweful museums. Why don't you let a professional do his job? Do you go to a doctor and tell him how he should operate you if you need an operation? No you don't. Its the same, let Piano be creative and thats it. It is his creation that we will have at the citygate site, and as an architect I am glad it is so. So please, for the ample time, start thinking and reading before anything comes out of your mind.

Joseph A Borg

Feb 15th 2010, 12:02

Looking forward to see the terminus, gate and theatre ready! I personally preferred the old plans but… at least we're moving forward.

What I find annoying … if I may … is the idea of filling the square with the parliament block hiding St James Cavalier. Hopefully it's a temporary solution. IE: it can be removed in 30 years time (together with the flats hiding the other cavalier) without leaving major damage to the original space.

Savior Cacopardo

Feb 15th 2010, 11:10

Well, if the Prime Minister dropped his personal obsession with having a new Parliamant within Freedom Square... Then there would be enough space for TWO HUGE ROOFED Opera Houses, let alone one!!!

The arguments he brings are an insult to anyone possessing a sliver of gray matter!!

Nobody, aside from the Members of Parliament, is interested in a new Parliament building!
Why force it on us?

Jesmond Micallef

Feb 14th 2010, 16:26

g.c.Forte.

And indeed the clients are gone forever !!! The Gut is history !!! With regards to Soho, maybe you should speak to the surviving Kray Clan members in one of Britains jails. I am very sure it will help you understand as to what market they catered for, certainly not the Maltese Navy or Maltese Air Force. !!!

Alfred Farrugia

Feb 14th 2010, 01:35

What the Turks have not managed to do in the 16th century, an Italian is apparently going to succeed to do in the 21st, and we are paying him to do it! The Small Siege, I guess.

Has Piano, with all due respect, ever visited our pre-historic temples, the Hypogeum, and all the edifices built during the times of the Knights? Why did he feel the need to ask his team to test the “durability” of the Malta stone?

Does consultation mean information? I thought that was the definition of former administrations.

C.camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 22:37

Honestly what use is there for a roofless theater?
Will it be possible to plan cultural activities months or weeks in advance due to the weather factor?
And was it really necessary to send the Prime Minister and a senior Minister to Paris to meet Mr.Piano just to confirm that the theater is to remain roofless?

anthony pace

Feb 13th 2010, 20:41

I'm afraid that in this matter as in others the prime minister is wrong in going ahead with this project. I thought that when the PM went to Paris to meet Renzo Piano some common sense will prevail but I was wrong. I think that the main objective of the PM was that of building the parliament, and the building if you can say building of the opera house was a secondary thing for him. If you ask the general public about the opera house,the majority is against a roofless building.

Joe Xuereb

Feb 13th 2010, 20:02

So it has been decided that we need a theatre that's different. For the sake of variety. A roofless theatre, another carbuncle to match the one diagonally across (the government block of flats). How every original! a roofless theatre (the Greeks knew about the conceptt of course so nothing new there. But they also knew about acoustics (vide. Epidauros, Aspendos and the rest). In fact, why bother at all. We already have a theatre with no roof, walls that once were but now practically demolished and groundless. No, we cannot do groundless. But we are pastmasters at groundless arguments it seems.

g.c.Forte

Feb 13th 2010, 17:28

@ Jesmond Micallef................You made cry,and I feeling that I am more citizen as before ( because I was born in the City exactly down the gut ) . I too wish to make a suggestion. Why not make " Strada Stretta " as it was and twinned it with Soho. In the past many Maltese earned their living from the two places. There is lot of similarity.

J S Borg

Feb 13th 2010, 16:59

Some of us claim that Valletta is a Baroque city, well maybe during the knights rule Valletta architecture was baroque but ever since the British unfortunate occupation we started having a type of baroquecoco.

adrianborg cardona

Feb 13th 2010, 16:17

C. Cassar how on earth can one compare the size of London, Paris and Rome with Valletta?? These cities are enormous and thus allow for modern intrusions. Valletta is small and very predominantly a baroque city - sticking in modern junk will ruin Valletta's character. Vallletta achieved World Heritage Status because it is a baroque city. Piano's plans might effect this status.

Clifton K. Barbara

Feb 13th 2010, 16:16

@ C Cassar FYI I am 26 I have travel many places in Europe & USA. I know what most of the youth like. Those who want modern go live abroad, those who want wealth go abroad, those who want modern and want to stay with their families go and live in Bugibba, Sliema, M'scala & St. Julian's not in Valletta. Remember Valletta is very very small not Huge like the cities I mentioned and all my life of travel never have I saw old and historic buildings next to a modern building....a case in point. Take the city of Edinburgh which is very very similar to Valletta. They had to build a Scottish parliament but they built it in the NEW Edinburgh not the OLD fortification part of the city.The whole island of Malta is a as big as a city and we as well have the NEW and the OLD parts of Malta...Valletta is part of the OLD. Anyway why do we need a new seat of Parliament in the 1st place? Waste of money! Who in the right of mind want to see a parliament building and how will it make Valletta flourish?

j ebejer

Feb 13th 2010, 16:07

@ Josiah Smith. Some people believe that new buildings must replicate previous classical styles to be acceptable in a historic city. This is a misconception.

This is an extract of a UNESCO World Heritage Committee report on the City of Bath (UK) which is a historic city and a World Heritage Site. The comment refers to the “Thermae Bath Spa” (completed in 2006).

“The architectural partipris is definitely contemporary, with a glass façade which elegantly reflects the adjacent Georgian buildings without any adverse impact on the Outstanding Universal Value and integrity of the property.”

The Piano City gate project will not compromise Valletta’s Outstanding Universal Value – on the contrary it will enhance it.

J S Borg

Feb 13th 2010, 15:47

What a wonderful idea about the open theater. First of all the site is too small for a theater and my greatest choice is that the new open theater using the same site as well as the remains will be a GREAT Monument to the fallen of the Last Great War. Any supporters to the idea?

C Cassar

Feb 13th 2010, 15:28

@ Josiah Smith:
Thanks for the contact. I just sent Mechtild Rossler an email stating what a great plan the current Maltese government has for Valletta and how forward thinking they have been when taking into account the mix of modern & traditional in cities such as Berlin. A few of my colleagues have also done the same who want a future for Valletta rather than the stuffy and stagnant old past.

Thanks again :-)

Josiah Smith

Feb 13th 2010, 15:13

CORRECTION

The email for the Head of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe, Mechtild Rossler is:

M.Rossler@unesco.org, not the email I mentioned below. My apologies for the error.

D Vella

Feb 13th 2010, 15:03

If this roofless theatre is built,it will be a white elephant.

Jesmond Micallef

Feb 13th 2010, 14:18

To the Honourable Prime Minister :

I am really looking forward to seeing the capital city of Malta, Valletta, regain its splendour it so dearly deserves. You are doing a splendid job. I fully support your efforts.

VERY WELL DONE INDEED.

To the people of Malta,

Nürnberg is one of Europes most beautifull cities. It suffered two massive bombardments during WW2, and yet it was fully rebuilt. Not all lost achitectural treasures where rebuilt, some being replaced with modern architecture. Still its a beautifull city. Mind you, also a fortified city, just like Valletta, but not all the surrounding walls are present !!!

May I also suggest, in complete humbleness of course, that the City of Valletta may be twinned with St.Malo in France. Also a fortified city which size I likened to Vallettta. Its on the French Atlantic coast right next to Mount St. Michel.

With my very biased and sincere very best wishes.

God bless you Valletta.

Josiah Smith

Feb 13th 2010, 14:06

It may not be too late to stop this travesty of a design that will mutilate the entrance of Valletta! The entire design -- the city game, the "new parliament", the roofless theatre -- are poorly conceived and poorly designed. If you want to see it stopped then write Mechtild Rossler who is in charge of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites for Europe. She can be reached at M.Rosslerat@unesco.org. Ask her to tell the Maltese government that if they do not stop and do a proper review and rethink the design, that Valletta will be removed from the list of World Heritage Sites. I know it sounds drastic but it is the only way we might stop this horrific plan from going forward. Please forward her email to as many people as possible and ask them to write to request the City Gate redesign be stopped and reviewed.

C Cassar

Feb 13th 2010, 14:05

@ Clifton K. Barbara: You mention cities such as Paris, London and Rome but these cities (particularly Paris) faded years ago. London maybe an exception but there you will see modern next to old everywhere. The problem with London is that it is the most crime ridden city in Europe. Look at Berlin, probably the most fantastic city in Europe that has a vibrancy that no other city can match and there you will definitely see modern with old, a good example there is the Reichstag (parliament building) but there are many more examples there.

When the original opera house was built it was also new. You can keep recreating the past all of the time. Valletta needs a new breath of life and the plans proposed are just that. Get your head out of the sand, wake up and smell the coffeee. If you don't you'll simply be left behind.

The problem as always in these blogs is the majority who post here are only positive with any decision made by the political party they support. What you have to realise is that the younger generation don't care about political bitching, they want a modern Malta.

Raymond Cutajar

Feb 13th 2010, 13:45

and proper enforcement and just administration in sensitive areas is always answered with the vile replies a) these things take time
b) there are not enouph funds and personell is lacking
so many branches but instead of profesional pruning the tree is left to its elements and all the fruit not one single of them can be called Excellent instead All tainted
What a record after an almost quarter of a century of governance
Please do not tell us of the positives the Negatives are too high and the pity is so little choices hardly !!

Clifton K. Barbara

Feb 13th 2010, 13:34

@ Charles Taliana

We will move in the 21st Century when the country is given back to the middle class and that can only be achieved by voting to a party with good social benefit history in the next election! Can't we all see that this project is targeted for ministers & MPs to have a more comfortable chair to sit on while they dictate us. As well for rich folk, huge business owners and construction gurus, which cover 10% of the whole population. Will the rest afford a coffee there, will you enter the seat of parliament, will you afford the the cost of a pair of jeans in that shopping area. So with our money he will invest in the enjoyment of 10% and the rest find it difficult to live and have 2 or 3 jobs to give all that is needed to our children that the other 10% give their children in an hour.

ASpiteri

Feb 13th 2010, 13:25

The legacy of white elephants goes on…

Dom Mintoff…will be remembered for the Shipbuilding

Fenech Adami…Mater Dei

And now Gonzi…bil-vavata ta Piano!

Franco Farrugia

Feb 13th 2010, 13:23

@ Charles Taliana: 'Lets move into the 21st century. Well done the PM.' >>>Why? Has the weather improved, for the 21st century? Or are we going to pull down the whole of Valletta to make way for the new century? What utter and absolute nonsense is this!

Paul Attard

Feb 13th 2010, 13:21

Who decided that 50% + are against the project? I never voted or was asked to vote.

Empty vessels make most sound!

Now let’s stop making such fools of ourselves and look forward to a good job done. None of you guys are experts, and if you are, then kindly put forward proper proposals so we can judge you.

I also remind you that the GONZI you address is the Prime Minister of our nation, some respect and pride is in order, I am sure our young Joseph will not miss letting us know that.

You are running the man down as if he was planning to pass roads trough our bastions or sign treaties with North Korea!

Clifton K. Barbara

Feb 13th 2010, 13:19

Dear Maltese our only source of income is tourism but we are killing it. How would you feel if you go to Rome and see a modern building next to the Coliseum or go to London and tell them to move parliament from Big Ben to a modern one or go to Paris and tell them to remove the arch de Triumph because a truck cannot pass through, I am sure you will be shot. We are stupid people and we deserve to be ruled by stupid men. We are blind not to take to the streets and demand what we want. We are not patriotic we lost our love for this land; we gave up everything to foreign rule once more. The person to blame is no one but us. I wish that the parliament stays where it is and expand to abandoned buildings. The gate is restored to how it was. Build the stairways as they once were. I agree with the ditch but include the freedom square as well for real gardens (not stone). The Theater should be the marvel of all not some random Greek theater. What's that suppose to mean!

Godfrey Camilleri

Feb 13th 2010, 12:44

Faced with such arrogance, knowing that at least over 50% of the population are against all three monstrosities, the people should unite to spell out their disgust. The biggest snag for the government is that when we come to election day, if works go ahead, these monstrosities will be facing us so that it will not be a matter that people will forget how they were treated but everyone will be reminded every time one enters Valletta! This will surely effect voting decisions.

N.Calleja

Feb 13th 2010, 12:43

According to what I heard, the PM stressed that the cost was going to remain between 60million to 80 million euro! So why is it reported that the cost was going to increase?

Charles Taliana

Feb 13th 2010, 12:31

Lets move into the 21st century. Well done the PM.

Joe Cassar

Feb 13th 2010, 12:21

"Dr Gonzi said that during his meeting with Mr Piano they had also discussed the use of Maltese limestone for the project. The architect's team had tested the durability of the Maltese stone and the results were positive."

The characteristics of Maltese are known through centuries, if not millena, of construction - why was this confirmation needed?

Is it the case, by any chance, that this unnecessary testing comes at an extra cost?

Victor Laiviera

Feb 13th 2010, 12:18

The Gateless Gate, the Roofless Theatre and The Parliament on Stilts.

Why am I reminded of this?

http://dali.urvas.lt/forviewing/pic27.jpg

A. Zahra

Feb 13th 2010, 12:09

@ All you commenting on the theatre.
To get a vague idea of what a modern theatre requires, just go to the St. James Cavalier Met Live opera season and besides enjoying live opera from the Metropolitan in New York you will see with your own eyes the area needed to put on an opera. Our theatre simply does not have the required footprint to host modern opera productions.

C Cassar

Feb 13th 2010, 11:49

Well, what a surprise, here they all are the moaners and whingers whenever a long term vission/investment is committed to they all moan about the money and how it should have gone straight into their own personal pockets. So many just think of today tomorrow but not of next year on the next 20 years. You all need to get out of your own selfish little greedy bubbles. What will happen in Valletta with this bold plan will bear fruit for everybody, particularly the next generation for many years to come.

On the other hand, you can all continue as you are and be inward looking, selfish and remain out of touch and out of date with the rest of Europe.

Valletta needs change otherwise is will become a stagnant museum. The sooner the change the better.

joe abela

Feb 13th 2010, 11:36

More noise pollution in this already highly noise polluted area.

P Grech

Feb 13th 2010, 11:31

"Dr Gonzi pointed out that if the theatre had to be closed off, it would be too small, and insisted that a roofless one would give "added value" to the country."

Haha that's a laugh Gonzi! So when our houses feel too small we should just take off the roof?? Can you please explain how building a roof, high as it may be, would make the theatre smaller?

Also, I don't see how a roofless theatre is going to add value to our country. If you're thinking of being novel try something else. The Greek's beat us to open air theatre's ages ago when they came up with the open air Hellenic Theatres!!

Tony Borg

Feb 13th 2010, 11:24

Actors, artists and theatre-goers want a closed theatre.

Politicians and architects wants an open-air one.

How about we put a roof on the theatre and build an open-air parliament instead!!!?

Mario Bonnici

Feb 13th 2010, 11:24

We can scrap the new parliament and spend more money on the theatre.

Ludwig Flask

Feb 13th 2010, 11:16

... and PIANO with all his greatness cannot conceive the most ideal theatre for our World Heritage City...

Joseph Grech

Feb 13th 2010, 10:51

If the Hon. P.M. wants this to be done then so be it. He is now committed and has burned his boat it seems - there is no way of turning back.
Why engage in consultation when you are already decided what you are going to do. That is indeed a sorry way to do things.
I fear that the roofless theatre will remain for ever testimony to his hardheadedness and disregard for the people's wishes. Valletta will remain for ever without a theatre worthy of the name.
Requiring Mr. Piano to produce a Parliamentary Building AT ALL COSTS is what has brought this rather probematic ''solution'' about.
One other thing: the P.M. should know by how many millions the extensions to the project will go up! Surely he cannot afford to do it the Maer Dei way!

Eric Soames

Feb 13th 2010, 10:28

Gonzi's Folly! What supreme arrogance.

P Debono

Feb 13th 2010, 10:04

"Many, including tenor Joseph Calleja, had criticised the concept. However, Dr Gonzi pointed out that if the theatre had to be closed off, it would be too small."

A typical lawyer's answer!!! And here I was thinking that the theatre would remain the same size, whether it as closed off or not!

What a stupid answer from a Prime Minister of a nation.

Claire Busuttil

Feb 13th 2010, 10:02

Too much money is being spent, for this and that.....whilst we are short of medicines, and utility bills, gets, higher and higher........Mismanagement!

ictor pulis

Feb 13th 2010, 09:18

Iknow it is too late in the day for any persuasion as the decision has been taken and like the people building the tower of Babel "nothing will dissuade them frpom their plans" But wouldn't it have been a better choice to buid a museum of modern and contemporary art in place of the theatre? We must be the only country lacking such a building. This goes to show in what regard we hold our culture. To add insult to injury, the space beneath the new parliament will be taken up by a museum of political history. As if politics are not already coming out of every orifice! And finally please stop referring to the project a he city 'gate' project as there is not going to be a gate.

Albert Bezzina

Feb 13th 2010, 09:11

Our roads have a Maltese DNA too :-(

victor pulis

Feb 13th 2010, 09:04

'He added that Malta recently held several concerts in open air venues such as Manoel Island, Republic Square and the square in front of the Mdina Cathedral.'

So we already have three open air theatres not to mention the Greek theatre at Ta' Qali.Why do we need another one in Valletta?

Dylan Olliver

Feb 13th 2010, 08:57

Dr Gonzi, no mention of the gate? Or is it going to be a breach? I sure hope NOT. Otherwise forget my vote in the next election.

jcmicallef

Feb 13th 2010, 08:41

We should be proud of our humble PM - paying visits himself to the likes of Franco Debono and Renzo Piano...ghax ma giex hu Malta, il-perit Piano!

I guess there's no saving Freedom Square (I would rename it rather than obliterate it) so there goes the open space and people enjoying the sun while sipping a coffee at one of the cafeterias.

I'm sorry PM, I may be speaking alone, but I don't appreciate these gifts you give us, bought with our own money! That's not why I voted PN. For the last time.