There are two themes that have been the subject of controversies, or should one say dire, ferocious and intimidating opposition, at the moment. These themes regard the subterranean museum of St John’s and the rebuilding of the Opera House. One involves the preservation, conservation and exhibition of public items, and the other opera. Both are topics very close to my heart. However, one has to be rational and pragmatic when making a critical review of what was proposed.

The first perspective one has to consider is Malta’s financial feasibility before considering that of the projects themselves. The capital expense required to construct these projects has to be compared with the recurrent expense required to keep them operating. The underground museum was meant to keep the operating costs low as the location of the place itself (subterranean) would have saved money on creating the proper environment (e.g. the control of humidity and lighting) in which to conserve the tapestries. Tapestries, in every state and private room in the royal palace of Stockholm and elsewhere in Europe, are protected by an artificially constructed environment, which is kept running at quite an expense. But then the coffers of Sweden and elsewhere in Europe are not those of Malta and paying visitors there run into hundreds of thousands yearly. In Malta we have a good example of preservation and conservation in the Hypogeum.

I think conservationists, if any were indeed involved in the proposal, really did a good job of applying and adapting their professional know-how to both the needs of the nation and to its financial status. Not to mention that if we want to economise on limited space and preserve the skyline, the only way to go is down. But then, again, how dare we go down? An alternative location was mooted but never identified.

The other recurring theme regards the rebuilding of the Royal Opera House. It is nice, prestigious and equating to other metropolis to have an Opera House, even if it has to be run at a loss. Taking an example from the catering business, five-star and deluxe hotels keep that standard only if the patrons are at par with the service provided. When this kind of service is given at cheaper prices just to keep the cash flow, it not only lowers the standard but also keeps the intended class of patrons away. Much in the same way, a new Opera House has to have a larger audience capacity than at least the Manoel Theatre and then, every performance has to attract a 70 per cent capacity. That implies an imported audience. This is because an opera season of any sort has to last a minimum of two weeks during which no less than three different operas are performed at least three times each. Would it be worthwhile building a theatre for less than that? If one were to calculate the total audience at five hundred times three, it would amount to 1,500. Besides, a theatre has to be active for at least seven months a year, not just for a few weeks. In a small country like ours, where both wallet capacity and the aesthetic levels of the vast majority are so low, one must of necessity resort to imported audiences.

To break through into this new market, one has to present productions of the level established by others overseas. It is not a question of engaging one top class soloist one time and then dressing people in nuns’ habits and have them collect money at Putirjal to pay their fee. Top class performers, to keep up their own standards, will only perform with other top class performers, under top class musical and stage direction, with a top class orchestra and choir, within a top class messa in scena and in top class venues. Only with these cards in hand can we break into an established market, and this not only for a one-off occasion but year in, year out. And what about the other five months of the year or so? Can the pockets of the over-taxed, low-wage-earning Maltese people, the vast majority with low cultural standards, afford and accept to pay for all of this by means of an increase in taxes? Yes, I too would like to own a RR Silver Shadow. I might even squeeze out my last drop of blood to purchase it. But then, would I be able to afford to keep driving around in it year in year out?

Yes, I tend to agree with the idea of having the footprint of the Opera Royale slightly increased and used to house Parliament in a three to four storey building above ground and with underground parking and fire/damp-proof stores where to archive the documents which narrate the story of the Maltese as Maltese. At least that would be a break from the original intention of housing Parliament in the then Governor’s Palace, well within reach of the Main Guard, all pragmatically intimidating though normatively very prestigious, of course. Typically colonial, then.

Frank Galea

ZEBBUG