For anyone on the lookout for the eccentric or the flamboyant, the theatre scene is probably one of the best bets. But while kookiness is all fine in the creative world, it is out of place at the Valletta 2018 Foundation.
What started out as a simple backstage dispute between V18 artistic director Mario Philip Azzopardi and the vice-director he himself hand-picked, Sean Buhagiar, escalated to the point where Mr Azzopardi’s suitability to the post he holds at V18 is being seriously questioned.
Mr Buhagiar’s fallout with the artistic director and, eventually, with V18 is telling. Artists who spoke with this newspaper said there was a pattern of serious abusive behaviour by the veteran producer on various theatre and film productions. One artist recalled how, during a film project, Mr Azzopardi “was screaming at the top of his lungs… [and] was destructive to the whole team”. On his part, Mr Azzopardi described the incidents mentioned by his critics as normal occurrences in professional theatre around the world. “All I’ve done wrong is to succeed in Maltese theatre,” he said, as he colourfully expressed his disdain for a number of local artists.
While temper flares and verbal assaults may be acceptable in the creative world that Mr Azzopardi comes from, they may not be par for the course at V18 where he is artistic director for special events.
Prior to his appointment at V18 in 2014, Mr Azzopardi had been responsible for a number of Labour Party propaganda videos for the 2013 election. Yet, he believes that he has “earned” his appointment over the course of a 40-year career, something his critics would disagree with. In fact, among their most serious accusations is that Mr Azzopardi boasted of being a “political appointee” and that he has threatened to use his political connections to block artists’ access to public funds.
The V18 project does not need bickering. Valletta has been designated European Capital of Culture in 2018, less than two years from now, and the foundation has not much to show yet. Yes, there are good projects in hand, like turning an old abattoir site into a Valletta Design Cluster and Muża, the museum of fine arts. But a handful of projects will not turn Valletta into a “centre of excellence”, as the foundation proclaims as its objective.
It will require the collective effort of the whole cultural community to turn Valletta into a culture capital and sustain the momentum for a year. An artistic director who easily clashes with other artists does not help.
Furthermore, the European Union panel monitoring the Valletta 2018 programme has already complained that preparations were lagging behind, though the situation seems to have improved.
V18 chairman Jason Micallef, himself a controversial political appointment, said he had full confidence in Mr Azzopardi’s work. Then, applying rather thwarted logic, he said that since he did not know most of the people who came out against Mr Azzopardi, he did not feel he had anything to say.
Valletta 2018 is a unique, national event to showcase the capital city in all its grandeur. Like much of everything else that happens in Malta, V18 is now being drawn into the political arena with the government and the Opposition crossing swords.
If the V18 chairman does not know Mr Azzopardi’s critics, he should get to know them, get the full facts and then decide if Mr Azzopardi’s position is still tenable.