Kenneth Zammit Tabona, St Julians
If the walls retract, why not the roof? (2)
We have reached a very perilous impasse. The intelligentsia of this country is being described as arrogant by government apologists. This smacks of totalitarianism.
Both the Fascists and the Communists were dead set against any form of intellectual self expression. One toed the party line or else. During World War II, German, Italian and, till the 1970s, Spanish intellectuals were incarcerated in concentration camps, while, still more recently, the ex-USSR sent them to freeze to death in Siberian gulags.
When governments refuse to tolerate any sort of criticism and discourage people from using their heads other than to be politically manipulated every five years, then boy oh boy do we have one hell of a problem on our hands. Our educational system is actually designed to discourage thought which is probably why Edward de Bono has never been fully accepted locally, proving that no man is a prophet in his own country.
What will the PN government do to us 128 who dared call a spade a spade? Send us to Filfla to live like stylites? The 128 is the tip of the iceberg.
The Prime Minister now tells us that Renzo Piano's plan for a roofless theatre will go ahead. He informs us that the government is going to rely on Mr Piano's advice on the matter and hence ignore the advice of the rank and file of the intelligentsia who at the end of the day will be the users of this travesty. He chooses to ignore the 80 plus per cent who voted against a roofless theatre in The Times poll. He is riding roughshod over the sentiments of the people who actually care about culture and what our capital will look like in future. Above all, he remains deaf to the practical advice based on experience, logic and fact and is now shoving the onus on Mr Piano in a total abrogation of responsibility.
This City gate project is merely replacing one PN abomination with another. How unlucky can a country possibly be?
I just cannot understand it.
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Joe Micallef
Mar 11th 2010, 10:13
@ j ellul
No it is not arrogance but the very essence of it! And arrogance is the expression of mediocrity.
Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius" [Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Valley of Fear]
Joe Xuereb
Mar 11th 2010, 00:15
Some use words without quite knowing their meaning. Intellectual? Part of an elite intelligentsia? Please don't patronise me and insult me by default. For I merely allow myself to think. Anybody with half a brain can do that. I get the feeling that in Malta (and not only) people perceived as part of the 'intelligentsia' are resented. It is a class thing, as simple as that. People feel threatened, people feel envious. People project their insecurities, and blatantly so.
I get the feeling that many people could not give a monkey's what sort of theatre we have, if at all. They like to invove themseles in discussions, all tetchy and tight, but their heart is not in it. They get fed up, they give up and think, 'let them build it (the theatre) whichever way they please, what do I care. It has nothing to do with me. I wouldn't be seen dead in a theatre anyway'. You think these people don't exist Mr. Indifferent? I can assure you they are all over the place.
Jesmond Micallef
Mar 10th 2010, 23:03
This article's introduction reminds me of the GERMAN Bauhaus movement formed by Dr. Walter Gropius in Weimar and later Dessau in the early 20th century which was subsequently erradicated by the Nazi movement. Totalitarian states have indeed burnt books, sent dissidents to their deaths and destroyed every aspect which promoted free intellectual capacity.
During this "Open Air Theatre" saga here, I have indeed read comments about who bombed and destroyed this theatre. Someone wanted to know who the pilots were and if they are still alive !!! Someone even mentioned that German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel should foot the bill !!
Indeed, the genius of Dr. Walter Gropius and his Bauhaus movement gave the world a unique and impressive set of design principles which combine mathematics, science and art, - the elegance of Bauhaus Design and Bauhaus Architecture. I think that such principles are still pretty much valid to this day and do wonder if Bauhaus elements within the design plan of the theatre would add further "Justice" to the site. !!!
I tend to think that history lessons in our educational system should also provide a wider spectrum of thought. !!! That is,to say the very least !!!!
Kenneth Zammit Tabona
Mar 10th 2010, 21:38
@E Muscat
What utter codswallop! I really dont know why i bother! It is quite obvious that you never have, and prbably never will attend a classical concert of orchestral, chamber or operatic music, in summer or otherwise so please do us all a favour and converse with your telly instead of spouting all this rubbish and twaddle about hot air rising in summer. Maltese summers are HOT and are getting HOTTER.
Again if you think that the firework enthusiasts are going to give a monkey's about any performance, be it the Banda ta Indri or the Berlin Philharmonic, you have another thing coming!
Only last summer a TOP string quartet had to stop for 17 minutes in the middle of a Bartok adagio to allow the Kalkara kaxxa infernali to exhaust itself.
How ridiculous can you be!? The mind boggles.
j ellul
Mar 10th 2010, 21:06
@ Mario Philip Azzopardi Even if you are right (which you are not – ask Cameron Mackintosh), it is arrogant to tell an architect of the calibre of Renzo Piano to resign his commission, especially when you yourself are not an architect.
It is one thing saying you disagree with the roofless theatre; it is a completely different matter telling a professional of an international calibre the following: “ashamed of your design”, “It hurts us,” “force down our throats”, “we feel cheated”, “you have failed.”, “Maestro Renzo Piano” , “resign the commission. For your own sake.”
Evidently we have different standards but as far as I am concerned addressing such words to any other person (let alone Renzo Piano) is arrogance.
E.Muscat
Mar 10th 2010, 19:49
@KZT:if you knew a bit of physics which is probably abhorrent to you,you would realise that a roofless theatre in summer is the ideal venue in the evening:hot air rises up;we have had very successful shows in the summer at San Anton gardens and at the Argotti and did you ever go to the arena di verona or only arab souks? As regards kaxxi infernali,this could very easily be accomodated:do not hold performances then! Regarding the rain,as you said take your brollie and suffer a bit:art needs some suffering to be full enjoyed!
Astrid Vella
Mar 16th 2010, 04:31
@ E Muscat: I will not quibble on physics but on maths. You do not seem to be aware that 13 summer weekends are dominated by feasts in Valletta's two harbours. How many weekends free of festa bangs does that leave? None by my calculation. In fact the bangs often last for five days, beginning on the Wednesday, which just leaves Mondays and Tuesday nights for performances.
You also seem unaware that the hot air rising also brings with it humidity which is the bane of orchestra (wooden) string instruments and vocal performers.
As for San Anton and Argotti, it seems you have not attended many of those performances, not to remember how they were routinely disturbed by festa bangs.
Kenneth Zammit Tabona
Mar 10th 2010, 19:24
If that is how you all feel so be it! Have your roofless joke and enjoy sitting in it in the summer months sweating buckets in a Rih Isfel and having your enjoyment interrupted by kaxxex infernali while you fan yourself furiously with a limp programme! What fun! Take your brolly with you for performances in February and put stones in your pocket lest you blow away in April............the list is endless. Our climate and environment is simply unsuited to outdoor performance. Deny your national orchestra a home and destroy all prospects of having decently played and enjoyed classical music negated forever. We do not have a concert hall where our orchestra can perform. This is why the famous academy thsat was set up with Riccardo Muti was discontinued. Muti's requirement was a dedicated concert hall. So is he arrogant too? Then in a couple of years' time I will, if I am still around, tell you VERY HUMBLY TOO "I told you so".
Mario Philip Azzopardi
Mar 10th 2010, 15:23
@ J Ellul. What kind of theatre experience do you have? I don't mean watching performances. I refer to actual production. I just want to compare my arrogance to yours.
m borg
Mar 10th 2010, 14:27
@ Kenneth Zammit Tabona. There are thousands of Maltese who are artists, university lecturers, professionals, writers, politicians, journalists, opinion writers, philosophers, environmentalists, economists, etc. Most of them have at least a first degree. Many of them have at some time or another expressed themselves in the media on issues of national interest. They may or may not consider themselves to be part of Malta’s intelligentsia. Most of them would take exception to anyone attributing to himself the role of spokesman or leading light of Malta’s intelligentsia. This is more so in the context of a controversial issue where you imply that Malta’s intelligentsia is in its entirety in agreement with your point of view. This has nothing to do with totalitarianism. It is simply about basic respect to the intelligence of your fellow human beings.
laurence schembri
Mar 10th 2010, 13:08
A retractable roof over the Centre Court at Wimbledon Tennis grounds cost over £80 million. It will be a nice idea, but the cost.
Joseph Cauchi
Mar 10th 2010, 12:48
@ KZT, You said “intelligentsia”! Are you sure? JC
Joe Micallef
Mar 10th 2010, 12:26
Let me just ignore the arrogant argument. Just a look at what individuals opposing the project posted on Times blogs is more than enough to embarrass even the most insensitive of creatures. The fact that creativity is not accepted in Malta is epitomised by the very arguments of these individuals. We (or rather them) are a people of adopters and followers, be it laws, creative arts, television programmes and a hundred and one other things - we are not comfortable with thinking outside the box let alone lifting its lid. Strangely (well not really) none of the artists I consider as creative have their names on the famous list. Hence – the vehement arrogant opposition against the project? I perfectly understand it!
Gianninu Saliba
Mar 10th 2010, 12:26
Elvis Presley was a great singer and before that he was a truck driver - not an intellectual. The same can be said about Michael Jackson's talent and he also was no intellectual. Most of Hollywood's famous actors cannot be associated with the intelligentsia. Some great musicians never went to school. These were not the intelligentsia Kenneth Zammit Tabona wants to associate himself with. At the moment I happen to be in Cape Town and yesterday I attended one of Cliff Richard and the Shadows' 50th anniversary concerts. It was held at Kirstinbosch Gardens, one of the best known botanical gardens; and yes, KZT it was in the open air. The show was of a class superior to the best we have ever seen in Malta. Goodbye to your argument about the open air theatre. What impressed me most was one of the comments made by Cliff Richard, when he introduced one of the guitarists, he said: "And on my right is..... who is a musical genious in his mind." I smiled and thought: "and here is Joseph Muscat who is a great politician in his mind". Is it only in your mind that you form part of the intelligentsia?
v zammit
Mar 10th 2010, 12:24
Take it gently, dear Kenneth; won’t do you harm. The theatre, if it is to be, will be roofless and roofed the way Fr Peter explains today and the way the other 127 artistes petitioned presumably. Enigmatic, but there you are. And with artists and artistes living in close proximity let’s tell the kettle to stop calling the pot arrogant this time round.
j ellul
Mar 10th 2010, 11:07
This is what Mario Philip Azzopardi wrote in a comment in timesonline.com some days ago.
“Dear Mr. Piano, ……. We are ashamed of your design Mr. Piano. It’s about time we say this publically. It hurts us. When we compare what we had to what you are being told to force down our throats, we feel cheated. As a human being you will be the first to admit that you are not infallible. This time you have failed. Hey, we all have bad hair days!!! ….. The right thing to do would be for you Maestro Renzo Piano to distance yourself from this mess and resign. Please Mr. Piano, resign the commission. For your own sake. For our sake. Your name is now being bandied about in derision. You do not need or deserve that. Dear Mr Piano, with due respect, please cease and desist.”
@ Dear Mr. Zammit Tabona, If you cannot see the arrogance seeping through every word of this piece, then you are as arrogant as Mr. Azzopardi.
E.Muscat
Mar 10th 2010, 11:07
@KZT:your references to gulags and communist and fascist regimes are all over the top.There are probably a couple of thousands in Malta who think that they need to force the Govt. hand in this matter by claiming they are the gurus of the art world while the great majority is not interested and not amused.
The Govt. would be more interested to change its stance if all of you were to club up,make a foundation with each of you putting in 10,000 euro and leasing the site for a number of years under certain conditions,and then you can build the old opera house and run it.