“A new century is about to begin, and the Theatre is still in ruins” – so sang Enzo Gusman in 1997, about the phantom of an Opera House bombed in World War II, dismantled in the 1950s, and never since rebuilt.

Ten years after Gusman won the “L-Ghanja Tal-Poplu” contest with the nostalgic “It-Tijatru”, the Malta Labour Party now proposes developing the same site into a “multi-purpose venue” with offices for financial institutions.
In other words, a business centre to replace what was once a focal point of high culture for the Maltese islands.
This proposal has been met with conflicting opinions by the country’s architects and heritage NGOs: some welcoming the idea to finally redevelop the site, others unimpressed by the new direction implicit in the project.
Significantly, however, nobody seems to still believe that the Theatre Royal should be rebuilt to the original design by Edward Middleton Barry in 1866… suggesting that a controversy which has raged for over 60 years has finally been laid to rest.
The MLP presented its vision for the former Opera House at the MLP headquarters in Hamrun on Saturday: part of an ambitious plan for 100 new projects aimed at stimulating the social, infrastructural, economic and cultural regeneration of the Grand Harbour area.
The fulcrum of the presentation involved the resuscitation of the shelved “Connections Project”, whereby the Grand Harbour would be connected to Marsamxett by means of a channel excavated through what is now the Valletta moat.
Also among the 100 projects are plans to re-invent the Evans Building in Valletta and the Bighi Palace in Kalkara as five-star hotels.
By way of contrast, the Opera House proposal was only mentioned in passing; perhaps understandably, given that proposals for this sensitive site have traditionally always elicited heated controversy. Two years ago, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi stirred a hornet’s nest with his proposal to build a new House of Parliament on the same site. Similar backlashes had accompanied his predecessor’s “City Gate” project, which envisaged the controversial Renzo Piano gate design, together with a modern cultural centre to replace the theatre ruins.
Reactions to Labour’s proposal have so far been mixed. Predictably, the most favourable came from the MLP-owned media, with maltastar.com suggesting that a financial centre “makes sense” in view of the proximity to the Stock Exchange.
But not everyone is enthusiastic. Architect David Felice, president of the Kamra Tal-Periti, questioned why culture appears to be playing second fiddle in this proposal, while commercial interests have taken centre stage.
“Successive governments have failed to implement a project for the development of the Opera House site - arguably Malta’s most valuable piece of real estate,” Felice told MaltaToday Midweek. “That the Labour proposal includes office development and the ‘safe’ option of a multi-purpose facility, whatever that may be, is indicative of this and the political parties’ fear of facing the challenge to complete this project, presumably within their term of office, and the inevitable financial cost.”
Felice, who made it clear that he was speaking in his own capacity and not on behalf of the Kamra, also expresses doubt regarding the consultation process.
“Labour claims to have undergone an extensive consultation process with stakeholders. Did nobody suggest alternatives to office development? Is it possible that the public, the same stakeholders that were consulted, have no interest in introducing more cultural activity in the city, and that our political parties are reacting accordingly?”
But even the projects’ most outspoken critics have stopped short of advocating a faithful reconstruction of the original 19th century building.
“The site demands a development that is transparent and accessible to those who enter Valletta and to its community,” Felice said. “Not an introverted, private and secured use. Above all I believe the public wants a project that is executed efficiently and where design quality is of the highest order.”
Professor Richard England, the architect originally commissioned for the City Gate project in the early 1990s, agrees. “I have always thought that the place should be a magnet for people,” said Malta’s foremost exponent of contemporary design. “I think the ground floor should be something which draws people in, ideally for a cultural purpose. Possibly a museum featuring contemporary art…”
A similar opinion was expressed by Adrian Mamo, chairman of the Malta Council for Arts and Culture: “I think the old opera house is a symbol of national identity; the whole nation feels that it is a part of its own history,” he said. “As everybody associates with the building, it would be better for it to have a use with which everybody can identify. Even the council would be in tune with this… the opera house should continue to serve as a cultural and art centre rather than a financial institution.”
But Mamo explicitly argues against rebuilding to the Barry design.
“In the 21st century it would be a mistake for us to build a building in the style of the 1800s in a baroque city.”  
For his part, Valletta’s Nationalist mayor Dr Paul Borg Olivier was dismissive of the Labour Party’s plans, and accused Dr Sant of failing to consult the local council before presenting his proposal.
“The ‘Teatru Rjal’ site has always been considered primarily for cultural use,” he said. “The site has sentimental overtones for many people, and to reduce it to a government department is a non-starter.”
Borg Olivier was also scathing about the proposal’s inherent ambiguity. “It’s very generic to say ‘multi purpose venue’. The proposal only specifies that there will be offices. It doesn’t say where. Nor does it specify whether it will be a commercial centre, a financial centre or a shopping centre. What is a ‘multi purpose venue’? A wedding reception hall? An ice-skating rink? If you ask me this is not a proposal at all. It doesn’t excite me in the slightest.”
Another sceptic is Dr Ray Bondin – ex-chairman of the now defunct former Valletta and Floriana Rehabilitation Committee, now a consultant with Heritage Malta. Somewhat surprisingly for a fierce critic of the government’s handling of numerous Valletta-based projects, Dr Bondin also argues in favour of a Parliament to replace the Opera House.
“The Royal Opera House site is the only open site that we have and which we will ever have in Valletta,” said the president of the International Historic Towns Committee. “This decision must be taken carefully. In my first speech to Parliament in 1987 I stated that the site should be turned into our Parliament House. I still am of this opinion.”
According to Dr Bondin, the new development should have at least six levels of underground parking, two levels of offices and committee rooms and a Parliament hall. “It is still possible to have a small theatre or restaurant at the top of the building,” he concluded.
Ironically, even Enzo Gusman himself is now singing a slightly different tune: “Personally I would like to see something similar to the building as it was,” the popular singer told MaltaToday Midweek. “But the important thing is to replace the obscenity (porkerija) there is today.”