Restore glory to the opera house - Charlie Maguire

As a member of the American Federation of Musicians, I am delighted to learn of the setting up of the Association of Performing Arts Practitioners, which I'm sure will tackle the main challenge facing the arts in a city I love.

I'm speaking, of course, of the plans for the Royal Opera House site. On a concert programme sponsored by the United States Embassy in 2005, I saw the ruins of the opera house still not rebuilt after being bombed in 1942, and for me it was a sobering reminder of the waste and devastation of World War II that happened before I was born. A war that affected both my parents and, consequently, me, in the form of my mother's debilitating, lifelong illness from working in a defence plant and my father who was, at times, grimly troubled after serving with the US Army Air Corps - 334 Squadron in Europe, responsible for 1,000 German aircraft destroyed.

I am struck by the legacy of that war and how inescapable it still is! So much suffering for so many of us, directly or indirectly across generations, whether it is the southern Mediterranean or America. I felt that bond with all Maltese when I saw the Royal Opera House for the first time.

So it was with excitement that I read of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's effort to change all that. To rebuild a cultural treasure that has been a neglected monument to the horror of war into a cultural icon once again! Even in ruins, I found the building amazing. If it is now to be rebuilt and used as a working theatre, it should be artfully restored to reflect its original character. It should be fully operational with proper walls, roof and modern stage amenities, not only for the audience but also for the musicians, the actors and the world.

As a working musician and composer, I treasure the sanctity of an enclosed building where I can set the proper mood. Where the audience is in an intimate space, comfortable and open to what is about to be presented. The St James Cavalier was such a place for my performance. Historical, cultural, it was an honour to be on that stage but a larger venue for bigger performances is needed for other artistes and artistic works, and the Royal Opera House could be that place again.

It can be argued that in the US prestigious outdoor venues cater to great music in the open but America is a large place, with a great many indoor halls.

It would be prudent and more realistic, in my view, to restore one of the greatest potential indoor spaces in Malta, the Royal Opera House, and leave the existing outdoor venues to a more festive atmosphere that was so enjoyable when I was there.

Within walls and roof, instruments stay in tune, the music stays on the stand, sun, rain and wind and man-made distractions are held at bay, giving one's imagination the time to soar - definitely the way to go. The American Federation of Musicians advocates prime working conditions for our members every day. I felt a kinship for those Maltese artistes who signed a recent letter justifying an enclosed space at the Royal Opera House; as artistes they deserve a decent place to work as their fellow artistes enjoyed in Malta prior to 1942!

The Mediterranean Conference Centre site in Valletta with its proposed 1,700-1,800 seats and small "Black Box" theatre is at once too large, too small and too far from Valletta's centre. The Royal Opera House at the entrance to the city, with a proposed 1,200 seats, would be spacious yet intimate and ready for the most dazzling performances. The new Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis, for example, has a footprint the size of the Royal Opera House, yet, it has more than one world-class theatre space, ample restaurant and bar facilities.

Beware of the "pitchmen", well known here in the USA, my friends! Don't fall for "bigger is better" or "casual art spaces" when proven and substantial options beckon. Restore the glory of the Royal Opera House! Make it a place again for great performances, comfortable and efficient for artist and audience alike.

And, maybe even more importantly, for the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the souls of World War II: bring it back! Bring it back! And perhaps we'll save all our collective memories.

Charlie Maguire
The Times of Malta
04.06.2010

The author is a multi-award-winning composer of songs in the American folk tradition since 1969. He teaches songwriting at Hamline University, College of Liberal Arts, Saint Paul, Minnesota.