Have we ever asked whether there is room for another full-blown theatre in Valletta? Have we ever asked how much will it cost the taxpayer to keep such another new theatre open?
These are the questions we should be asking now that the demolition of the shops on one side of Freedom Square in Valletta will herald the start of the City Gate project that includes the Parliament building, the open air theatre and a revamped City Gate.
Is there need for another theatre in Valletta? In our capital city there was never space for two theatres\opera houses functioning together. The fate of the Manoel Theatre is proof of this. When the Opera House was erected in 1866, the Manoel Theatre fell into disuse and served as a house for beggars. In May 1861 the Manoel was rented on a provisional lease and thus Malta remained without an opera house for five years, that is until the Barry Opera House was inaugurated. It was only when the Opera House was heavily damaged by fire in 1873 and had to be built again internally, that the Manoel was used again as an opera house. Only to revert to a cinema and a dance hall when the Opera House was again restored and reopened in 1877.
Following the bombing of the opera house in 1942, Malta again remained without an opera house and it was only after the government bought the Manoel Theatre in 1947, which was reopened in 1960 as a National Theatre, that we again had an opera house. Since then the Manoel was restored to its pristine glory, rehabilitated, and the stage and back stage were extended.
In the past 10 years the government contributed €2.5 million to the Manoel for its management and a further €1.5 million were invested in capital projects for restoration and rehabilitation. Going by past history I wonder whether there will be space for the Manoel if another theatre catering for the same type of operatic and other musical concerts was to be built in Valletta.
The Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC) up to some years ago was receiving a yearly government contribution of about €300,000 towards its management. The government lately commissioned Sir Cameron Mackintosh to inquire whether it is feasible to upgrade the MCC into a theatre thus addressing the artists' concern that we do not have a world standard theatre or opera house. He came out with a plan that will now be discussed. But if the MCC is turned into a world standard theatre, will this compete with the Manoel Theatre? Will it replace the Manoel and take their patrons? After all, is not the Manoel a world class theatre?
The St James Cavalier, rehabilitated and restored in the late 1990s and converted into a Centre of Creativity at a cost of around €10 million, during the past 10 years received a government contribution of €3.8 million towards its management. The government's contribution towards these three cultural entities explains why no one of them is self supporting even though all three cater for different cultural activities.
In these circumstances why should we have another theatre/opera house in Valletta? A new Opera House will definitely compete with the Manoel and with a revamped MCC. This will definitely result in waste of human and financial resources.
Our Prime Minister, who should be commended by all for the realisation of the Piano project, wanted the opera house site to be turned into a Parliament House with a cultural space. But Renzo Piano was of the opinion that the opera house site should remain a monument to what Malta went through and should be turned into an open air theatre. He suggested that Parliament House, which in a democracy should take pride of place, should be built in Freedom Square which today is a shame for all Maltese citizens. At the same time the President's Palace, which besides the palace houses Parliament, will be turned into a centre of Maltese culture and identity. The only thing which I would like to see is a folding roof on the open air theatre as the one over the yard of the Manoel Theatre.
This is no time for stubborn pride or demonstrations. It is time to move forward with this project which will give back our capital city past glory and dignity.