For the second year in a row, a group of BOV employees, accompanied by their family and friends spent a Sunday afternoon discovering the marvels of the Teatru Manoel.

The visit started off with an introduction about the building itself. Salvu Mallia, who had worked at the Theatre for years, took the children and their parents on a journey back in time, tracing the history of the Teatru Manoel from its origins in 1731 when Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena commissioned and personally funded the construction of the building to provide people with 'honest entertainment'. He mentioned the role that the Theatre played in the Maltese insurgence against the French and the series of alterations the building underwent under the British rule. Once the Opera House was built, the Theatre practically became a doss house for beggars, then a dance hall and eventually a cinema. Restored to its former glory in 1960, the Teatru Manoel was officially inaugurated as the country's National Theatre.

The children present were mesmerized listening to stories about ghosts haunting the Theatre and going backstage to take in the view of the auditorium from the stage itself. Equally fascinating was going down into the belly of the Theatre and going through the cold underground rooms. The tour included a visit of the Teatru Manoel's museum where visitors can see fine old costumes, as well as equipment used by our forefathers to create the magic that would take their audiences on a fantastic journey, at a time when they lacked the digital special effects we have access to nowadays.

Charles Azzopardi, Head PR & Marketing at Bank of Valletta said, "For us, watching the fascination on our people's faces as they took in the eventful history of this incredible place made it all worth it. We have been collaborating with the Teatru Manoel for a number of years now. As the Maltese Bank, we feel we are responsible to live up to our name as the patron of Maltese art and culture. The Teatru Manoel BOV Performing Arts Festival has now become an annual appointment on the cultural calendar of the Maltese islands."

The visit was brought to a close by a PikUZi show that was specifically set up for the BOV team in the new wing of the Teatru Manoel theatres. Pik and Zi are two teen girls around whom a series of plays in Maltese is spun. Their stories address serious concerns that young children may face, but they are tackled in a simple and engaging fashion. PikUZi is an integral part of the Toi Toi Education Programme which Bank of Valletta has been supporting for the past years.

Ray Attard, CEO of Teatru Manoel explains, "The Theatre's Toi Toi programme was set up with the aim of attracting new and younger audiences to the cultural scene. It represents the evolution of the Teatru Manoel and its outreach to a broader section of the Maltese population in today's world." Thanking Bank of Valletta and ADRC Trust for their support in making this programme possible, he said that, "Today's event has served to introduce a group of people to the Theatre, some of them for the first time. These occasions are critical to ensure the relevance and longevity of arts for today's and tomorrow's audiences."

For more information about the Teatru Manoel and its educational outreach programme Toi Toi, one may visit http://www.teatrumanoel.com.mt or call on 21246389.