When time is opportune one can hear certain people boasting about our capital city, that it is a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen, about the beauty of this city, its magnificent auberges and palaces, its beautiful places that overlook our harbours. It's all true, but these same people left the entrance of this city in shambles, for more than 60 years, and because of this we will have to pay the price.
Our present Administration is realising now what an ugly site we have at the entrance to this city; the ruins of the old opera house - shame. And they are ready to spend €80 million to build not an opera house but a House of Parliament - another shame. Peter Fenech told us that it would be a grave sin to spend that much money on the 700 opera lovers. If that number is correct, how much bigger a sin would it be to spend that amount to house 65 Members of Parliament?
If the government is adamant to give Parliament a new house, in my opinion the best place is Auberge de Baviere. Not even St Elmo is suitable. St Elmo should be left as it is, a fort, and should be made suitable for tourists to visit.
I do not agree with Astrid Vella when she said that the people are not asking for an opera house but for a national theatre. I beg to differ. We already have a national theatre, which is the Manoel. This place is a gem too, but small. In my opinion MCC is neither an opera house nor a theatre; it should be left for conferences.
It is best to have an Opera House at the ruined site, which could be used for other forms of art and culture, ballet, concerts and so on. I am sure if this place is managed correctly the audience will grow.
But the best advice opera lovers got, came from Lou Bondì when he told them that if they wanted to attend an opera they should board a plane and go to Europe, as he did, when he wanted to see somebody who was to perform abroad. Kenneth Zammit Tabona answered him correctly some days later, and there is nothing else left to tell him , except two things.
Not all of the local opera lovers perhaps have the talent Mr Bondì has to make it possible, and, secondly, our opera lovers know that every city in Europe took care to rebuild from the ruins of their cities the opera house first, because they always had responsible and civilised administrations.