Open Theatre gets its soft opening

Alfred J. McEwen

Dec 26th 2012, 13:51

What a disgrace !! They stopped using it as a car park and replaced the cars with some plastic seats instead, What a shameful act to commit a once beautiful and noble structure to this (second) gross indignity notably to the architect that originally designed it, and for the nation as a whole.

Cherylie Grech

Dec 18th 2012, 15:55

If this is called a theatre, so what other precious theatres called????????????

Alex Buds

Dec 16th 2012, 19:48

By way of comparison - another opera house bombed in the war, rebuilt exactly as previously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alte_Oper

I visited this a few weeks ago - absolutely beautiful.

Anthony Agius

Dec 16th 2012, 19:12

Hunter Thompson 1970

"In a democracy, people usually get the kind of government they deserve,

and they deserve what they get."

Alex Buds

Dec 16th 2012, 17:09

This is a disaster. Just a bunch of ugly steel pipes and no protection from the elements at all. Zero aesthetics and zero practicality. How much money did this cost again?

I will never understand why the opera house was not just rebuilt as previously, just like we did for so many churches and other buildings after the war.

Bjorn Farrugia

Dec 16th 2012, 14:33

Tal-misthija....gibna teatru daqsekk prestigjuz u waqajnieh daqshekk fil-baxx....tant kemm hu vera li qabda tfal zghir marru jaraw x'hemmm....mhux kif kien isir qabel !!!! TAFU X'INHI L-ISTORJA !!!!

Bjorn Farrugia

Dec 16th 2012, 14:28

Tal-misthija....gibna teatru daqsekk prestigjuz u waqajnieh daqshekk fil-baxx....tant kemm hu vera li qabda tfal zghir marru jaraw x'hemmm....mhux kif kien isir qabel !!!! TAFU X'INHI L-ISTORJA !!!!

Mr Kevin Zammit

Dec 16th 2012, 02:00

is this some mistake and the times aired one of kim yong il's parades?

Joe Grech

Dec 16th 2012, 00:22

Lawrence Gonzi should be ashamed to present this ugly looking ''theatre''. He had been told many times that the Open Theatre would be a joke...now he has to bear the consequences.
Money spent badly....as often happens with PN.
They're only capable of one thing - appointing consultants!

B. Farrugia

Dec 15th 2012, 23:55

Reminds me of a pizza without filling.
an egg without shell; froga.

B. Farrugia

Dec 15th 2012, 23:52

I f you close your eyes,
you can imagine walls and a roof,
everything is possible.
but when you open your eyes a harsh reality slaps you in the face.

Mr Chris Vidal

Dec 15th 2012, 22:28

Tal-misthija.....wara sittin sena mwaqqa dan li rnexxilhom jghamlu????????? Pajjizi ohra fl Ewropa irnexxilhom jibnu bliet shah f inqas minn frazzjoni tas snin li ha dan....Harsu lejn Berlin, Warsaw...li inbdew bl-istess stil kif kienu qabel il gwerra. Dan it-tejatru hu insult ghal arti u ghal poplu kollu.

f. zammit

Dec 15th 2012, 21:00

Veru sabih! Koplavur tal genn ta piano ax seraq
Il flus mun halq poplu u jek vera qed jejdu li sabih
Nghid li qatt ma hargu mid dar u dak kiku ghamlu
Tifel ta ghaxar snin kin jghamlu ahjar u mhux
Tonfoq dawk il flus veru tal misthija

R. Cilia

Dec 15th 2012, 20:29

What an ugly theatre!

Francis Attard

Dec 15th 2012, 19:35

There is a steel structure similar to it at the Drydocks but, instead of the seats there are steel plates and steel profiles stored. In place of the stage there is the storekeeper's office and on one side there is a wall which, most probably, is older than the remains of the opera house.

Jonathan Brimmer

Dec 15th 2012, 18:34

This is not a theatre. They just mounted seats on temporary steel structures, similar to the carnival enclosure. Is this what the world renowed architect can do? Valletta and the Maltese people deserve better.

Alexander Pace Gouder.

Dec 15th 2012, 18:20

Tajba din - Did you notice rhat they had to put up a canvas or whatever made of TENT. Mela we do need to have a covered Stage/Theatre!!!!! If it can be called a theatre as from the Video it looks more like that the tent which used to be put up for Christmas Activites in the area were the Parlament is being built just moved into Old Opera House. One and the same Tent. Tajba Hux- X'tahsbu???????

David Farrugia

Dec 15th 2012, 18:09

what is the cost of this half baked travesty?

Joseph Montebello

Dec 15th 2012, 18:03

What a waste of money.With the upright steel beams and the horizontal gangways ,it resembles very much a a FLOATING DOCK!!!!!

Well it looked like one last week when it was raining cats and dogs.Another omelette ala GonziPN. Boun appetite big spenders at the expense of our hard earned money. Merry Christmas to all of good faith.

Francis Attard

Dec 15th 2012, 18:03

Veru tal-biki!

Tarcisio Mifsud

Dec 15th 2012, 18:02

Naturally with Austin Gatt incharge, things can only go from bad to worse. The open theatre has had to have a tent installed, what a trategy to our heritage.

Joseph Micallef

Dec 15th 2012, 17:52

Austin Gatt qal li l-proġett tat-teatru qiegħed on time. Ma nafx il-għala ma kellux ikun on-time provided li kull ma għamlu hu li neħħew il-ħmieġ u ż-żibel u poġġew erba siġijiet tal-gażini.

Joseph Micallef

Dec 15th 2012, 17:49

Sabiħ eh. Qisu laqa taħt it-tinda minn ta' GonziPN. Vera ġie jixbaħ it-teatru rjal oriġinali.

Joanne Micallef

Dec 15th 2012, 17:48

Allura kemm kelli nohrog ghalieh dan?

Alfred Vassallo

Dec 15th 2012, 17:28

My, my. They opened with a bang!

stephen mifsud

Dec 15th 2012, 17:07

what a waste of money but most of all an imberrasment for Gonzi PN and Enzo Piano they have ruined our Beautiful Valletta and shame on them ....

John M Grima

Dec 15th 2012, 17:06

......Well,,,,,it could have been still a perking lot, I suppose. Someday, someone, will come along, who has vision, class and determination to rebuild the magnificent original designe.

joseph saliba

Dec 15th 2012, 17:01

Seems wll attended. Crowds were climbing up and down the stairs for a curious look. Others were watching from the sides. The majority looked pleased both by the spectacle and the 'conservation' arrangement. Fantastic, de Vallette dominating the square. Cannot wait the entrance and the new parliament.

Josephine Muscat

Dec 15th 2012, 16:56

What a let down to our performers!!!!! A theatre with a canopy!!!! Are we in the forties era???? In the sixties it was of no comparison.... For this type of theatre we needed Mr Piano plans????

What a waste of money!!!!

Joe Grech

Dec 15th 2012, 16:52

My God! I thought that at least I might see some alternative theatre,but this reaches up to the cultura heights of a village carneval.What a joke! The audience is mainly the mummies of the children on stage-I bet that if you remove those,there would be more than 20 in the audience.

And the cover over the stage? I wonder what Renzo Piano has to say about that glorified 'serra' (greenhouse).

Joseph Bugeja

Dec 15th 2012, 16:46

A Christmas crib would have been more in tune!
I think Piano Piano it will be replaced soon! (pun intended)

Eric Soames

Dec 15th 2012, 16:34

Now I know why the circus is being hounded. Tent envy!

Victor Pulis

Dec 15th 2012, 16:23

The positive thing about it is that if, in the future someone decides to dismantle it and build a proper theatre it will be an easy task!

Saviour Sam Agius

Dec 15th 2012, 16:16

Qisu d-defilè tal-karnival.

Alfred Farrugia

Dec 15th 2012, 16:15

In the late 1940’s, the historic 1798 Asolo Theatre was dismantled in Italy and taken to Sarasota in Florida, U.S., to be rebuilt on the Ringling Brothers’ estate. The well-known circus owners were more creative and appreciative than our government authorities!

http://www.ringling.org/HistoricAsoloTheater.aspx

It will be fun going to the theatre in Valletta with an umbrella!

Rita Debono

Dec 15th 2012, 15:51

Skuzawni ta jekk miniex nifhem.........min ikun fuq il-palk fix-xita jew fir-rih u l-kesha se jkollu saqaf fuq rasu.... u min ikun fl-udjenza????

Kelly Dent

Dec 15th 2012, 15:41

No.

R. Caruana

Dec 15th 2012, 15:25

So that's the theater? a tent?

Alfred J. McEwen

Dec 15th 2012, 15:17

How nice .. just pretend that there is a roof over your head just like the real thing when attending a concert. IOne hopes the ``Piano`` does`nt get wet

James Grech

Dec 15th 2012, 15:16

Seeing this clip, one feels very sorry at how our government managed to fail us so miserably, yet again!!

Patrick Scicluna

Dec 15th 2012, 15:16

Carnival in Christmas time...........u halluna !!!!!

Ronald Cauchi

Dec 15th 2012, 15:16

looks like a meeting taht it-tinda......how low can you goooooooo?

mike fenech

Dec 15th 2012, 15:01

@ Tony Borg Borg

The only deference between the open theater in Malta and the once in Italy that you are telling us about,I would say that the once in Italy they have a BIT more open space around them.

Lawrence Fenech

Dec 15th 2012, 14:41

Always weather permitting.

Joseph Borg

Dec 15th 2012, 14:31

Jaaaaaq xi kruha. Irvinaw wiehed mill isbah teatru fl-ewropa. Xi dnub

Jamie Cutajar

Dec 15th 2012, 14:19

Is this what it has all been leading up to? No wonder the place was empty. How much did this cost us? Panem et circenses from GonziPN.

Victor Laiviera

Dec 15th 2012, 14:15

De la Vallette

Mr. M. Camilleri

Dec 15th 2012, 14:15

tal-biki!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andrew Agius

Dec 15th 2012, 14:14

I recently took the family to London to see the reconstruction of The Globe theater and a performance of The Tempest.
I'm heartbroken now to be honest, for myself at wasting all that money when we have this majestic open air theatre right here in Valletta and for The Globe Theatre itself, once word gets around about this they'll surely go out of business.

Ivan Falzon

Dec 15th 2012, 14:10

Imn'Alla marru l-genituri tal-participanti ghax lanqas 20 ruh ma kien ikun hemm.

Victor Pulis

Dec 15th 2012, 13:57

Why does it remind me of the carnival enclosure?!

yves muscat

Dec 15th 2012, 13:57

Pathetic, how sad...

B. Theuma

Dec 15th 2012, 13:50

Qisna qieghdin l-istadium ta' Ta' Qali !!

Manuel Zammit

Dec 15th 2012, 13:50

And plastic seats too? That's too much. When will the first full scale opera be held in this opening?

S Farrugia

Dec 15th 2012, 13:47

What a grotesque sight!

Manuel Zammit

Dec 15th 2012, 13:46

Wow! What class! What majesty! What an inspiring building! Thank you Dr Gonzi and Eng Piano for this jewel. We shall be eternally grateful for your benevolence.

Corianne Farrugia

Dec 15th 2012, 13:36

It would have made more sense if it was re-build in tis original state than this complete eye sore!!!

Joe Grech

Dec 15th 2012, 13:33

Tourists must be really amused seeing this scandalously contrived shelter from wind and rain over our roofless theatre!
Arrogant and hard-headed Lawrence Gonzi should be ashamed presenting such an undignified scenario....
Valletta has been dealt a sad blow!

Anthony Borg

Dec 15th 2012, 13:07

"Oh heck, another Christmas entertainment programme !"
They bet me to it!

I would have very much preferred "A Comedy of Errors" instead!

anthony sultana

Dec 15th 2012, 13:06

millions of euros thrown in the bins

Roderick Micallef

Dec 15th 2012, 12:49

Is that a ROOF I see covering the 'open air theatre'? I wonder what the attendance will be when the temperature is 10 degrees and it's windy and raining, guess we will not have to wait for too long.

George Calleja

Dec 15th 2012, 12:46

Qed taraw kif dan it-teatru jista jintuza anki fix-xitwa. U kien ippakkjat bin-nies. Basta dak it-tgemgim kollu mill-lejburisti.

V. Cauchi

Dec 15th 2012, 12:33

An open air carnevalata per excellence! With mispelt and misnomered Piazza de Vallette, and the House madly built on stilts (who ever thought of Guy Fawkes?), not to mention the current state of local institutions, I pity myself being Maltese.