Bernard Vassallo, Swieqi
A last-minute appeal on opera house plans
Only a person from Valletta can appreciate what the opera house’s rebuilding means to us. Lawrence Gonzi spent at best a couple of years of his childhood in Valletta.
The late and lamented Guido de Marco spent his childhood and boyhood in this city, until bombing evicted his entire family elsewhere.
I was born, bred and lived in Valletta for 40 years and know what the opera house is all about. People who are not citizens of Valletta couldn’t give two hoots about it. But the opera house matters a great deal.
Our government has, I fear, given Renzo Piano the wrong brief, deciding a priori that a rebuilt opera house was not on. Prof. Piano came up with the ingenious solution of a roofless theatre, enclosed in glass or plexiglass, for us to sweat or to freeze in.
The Valletta local council was not consulted on this project. Prominent persons like tenor Joseph Calleja and Fr Peter Serracino Inglott and many others are all for a rebuilt theatre but were sidelined. And our government bulldozes on, sticking blindly to Prof. Piano’s incomplete plans: with slit City Gate, an unnecessary new Parliament building and a roofless theatre.
This government project will go down in history as yet another unfinished symphony. And this issue will not go away.
As for the new opera house’s upkeep, how do the Gozitans of La Stella Band Club manage? They should have closed down ages ago if performances were registering a loss repeatedly. The Mediterranean Conference Centre was intended as a centre for conferences, not theatre.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. No will, no way.
The government should reconsider its plans urgently and admit that it has made a mistake. Or else, an altered project will be completed after the next general election.
Popular Stories
In Discussion
13 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Joe Micallef
Feb 10th 2011, 20:30
This has all seen before – The majority cannot handle innovation. When Claude Monet exhibited Impression, soleil levant he was insulted, called all sorts of things and accused of robbing a fee which would have been better used as alms for the poor.
The excellent interpretation of a theatre by Piano will, to use Edward Debono's thinking, provoke a stream of innovative artistic output from real artists.
Two points for Mr. Vassallo
1. I am from Valletta as much as you are, but contrary to you I am proud to have works signed by Piano in Valletta – only a few capital cities have them
2. When you try to compare the viability of a reactionary theatre you would like to see to the viability of the Gozo Theatres, you obviously have no clue what you are talking about. The ones in Gozo thrive on a thousand and one benefactors and other situations. Would you put your money where your mouth is on your style of theatre?
To all detractors, as I did on another post, I dedicate the song "They all Laughed" by Tony Bennett.
Oliver Mallia SPB
Feb 10th 2011, 17:13
While divorced is going true referendum, same system must be used for this project. That way it will be fare for everyone but trust my word the project will continue as planed.
In my opinion, I would have preferred the opera house project to go referendum than divorce issue
M. Debono
Feb 10th 2011, 19:01
How about new roundabouts? I don't especially like them as they make me dizzy. Can we vote on them too?
eugene sapiano
Feb 10th 2011, 15:51
I was in Warsaw in 1986, and the guide told us that the city was almost raised to the ground, but many of the historical buildings were rebuilt in their original glory; and in Malta we have to do with a monstrosity; we have not learnt our lesson when in 1964 a historical city gate was replaced with another monstrosity.
Norman Lowell
Feb 10th 2011, 12:53
This is the last, miserable act, of Gonzi's miserable Govt.
Eric Soames
Feb 10th 2011, 21:46
Amen, Mr Lowell. To paraphrase King Crimson's Epitaph; 'the fate of all mankind [read Citigate] I fear is in the hands of fools'
Antoine Vella
Feb 10th 2011, 22:48
I hope not. The last (but not least) act will be giving African refugees the right to vote. Why not? They live in Malta and have a direct interest in what goes on here.
I hope this idea will not be shot down by the usual racist mob.
Michael Walter
Feb 11th 2011, 00:44
You may well be right.The arrogance of this administration knows no bounds.Every act they make demonstrates their utter contempt for the wishes of the vast majority of the public .Just a bunch of grasping,insensitive dictators,in my opinion.
G. Mangion
Feb 10th 2011, 12:24
I am in no way equal to say yes or no to what Renzo Piano planned for the One time opera house with all its past glory, but I feel that it is by no way an easy job to restore it to its former glory, Besides that, in this way it remains a memorial of both its past glory and the blitz . As for having a roof or without it, the Verona theatre and others, stage so many operas and concerts. Suppose there are ten events p.a. even if there be a windy day, (0.5%) does that mean much loss?
Astrid Vella
Feb 10th 2011, 22:38
Mr. Mangion, with respect, anyone comparing our Opera House remains to the Arena di Verona, as many of our politicians did, is either ignorant or dissimulating. The Arena is oval with 'walls' 30m thick and 30m deep and far from any traffic noise, therefore ensuring excellent acoustics. Our theatre is rectangular, will have no walls and will have traffic all around due to the new traffic arrangements. The Arena can seat 20,000 per performance, so even the odd cancelled performance will not dent its economic viability. Unlike our 'open performance space' which is supposed to be open all the year round, performances only run for 6 summer weeks at the Arena, but of course, we know better. Ah, and by the way, there are no noisy festas let off during those 6 weeks.
As for the ruins being evidence of the Royal Opera House's past glory and the blitz, most people would far rather see future glory, not the blitz. Alas, politics takes precedence over all, so that is not to be.
Joseph Cauchi
Feb 10th 2011, 10:54
.
Imma kif, ma jieqfux igergru, qishom huma biss jifhmu?
Incidentally, I am also from the City.
The Renzo Piano project is progressing handsomely and so be it.
JC.
Joseph Calleja
Feb 10th 2011, 17:38
Mr Cauchi since you are from the city ( Valletta) I presume, why not campaign for an initiative to have the New Barrakka Lift Project started. It is almost election time and you might get lucky. I think you will meet the same fate that the Gozitans and all ferry riders met with the Cirkewwa Ferry Building. It was started but only God knows when it will be finished although a while back I remember a certain MP promising it will be completed in the year 2013. Maybe the present government have bigger fish to fry, like the fiasco at Enemalta and Air Malta combined.
Paul Borg
Feb 10th 2011, 09:55
Hi Bernard, I m from Valletta and to tell you the truth we have given up to this arrogance. On Tuesday we had a meeting with Valletta Mayor A.Dingli and the biggest concern of Valletta residents was the accessability for the upper residential areas once the City Gate is removed. It is unbeleivable that so close to having the Valletta main access removed , there is no logistic plan from Transport Malta. I blame the Local Council cause they only seem to act when they are enforcing fines or collecting for CVA. You cannot immagine the chaos that will be created. As a resident I KNOW the access points like the palm of my hand, so now this is our main concern. Maybe the opera house will see light again one day. Probably not in our lifetime