Teatru Manoel has introduced a new season with a launch event celebrating the completion of works on the façade and throughout the historic building.
Members of the press attended an event to view the new façade, before taking a tour of interior works alongside Teatru Manoel CEO Massimo Zammit and Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, José Herrera.
While the façade has been restored to its former glory, the building’s characteristic Baroque-era style was likewise honoured throughout extensive interior refurbishments.
Within the theatre itself, a restored stage floor and new curtains will welcome audiences for the first performance of the new season. A blown white Murano glass chandelier and sconces in the Rezzonico style complete the scene.
Set to continue over the coming months will be a range of ongoing works designed to improve accessibility. As well as refurbishment of the Priory of Navarre building, there will be a larger booking office, an exhibition area displaying costumes and artefacts related to the history of the theatre, a cafeteria, a dedicated VIP area and an extension of the Maria Ghirlando Hall. Meanwhile, the installation of a lift will provide wider access to the building and theatre, as will new toilet facilities at the Basement level.
“The structural and restoration works at Teatru Manoel are an important venture to preserve and sustain Malta’s national theatre not just for artists today, but also for the future artistic and cultural community,” explains Minister Herrera. “We hope that the revitalised theatre space and building will further support and inspire local artists as they plan, grow and develop new work.”
The primary refurbishments are also complete in time for the 2021-2022 theatre season at Teatru Manoel. This will kick-start with the opening performance of O - tribute to Oliver Friggieri on Friday 29 October, a newly devised drama and dance piece that pays tribute to legendary Maltese poet, novelist, literary critic and philosopher Oliver Friggieri.
The packed programme for the new season also features the Valletta Baroque Festival and ŻiguŻajg International Arts Festival for Children & Young People, as well as a Chopin recital by renowned pianist Dmitry Ishkanov, concerts by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and A Celebration of Opera featuring the island’s leading opera singers. Roald Dahl’s The Twits will be brought to life through a collaboration between Teatru Manoel and Masquerade Malta, while Moveo Dance Company brings Frida / Four Seasons to the national stage. Meanwhile, Ir-Raġel li ħawwad lil Martu ma’ Kappell will offer a Maltese translation of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks. An Easter concert by Big Band Brothers is sure to delight audiences, as will an exciting new production of Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello, directed by Ian Moore. The unmissable season will conclude with Teatru Manoel’s first in-house musical theatre production of Sweeney Todd, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
“We are delighted to introduce an exciting new season at Teatru Manoel by celebrating the architectural restoration of Malta’s beloved national theatre,” says Mr Zammit. “This vibrant new season represents a new lease of life not just for Teatru Manoel, but for the local theatre community and audiences. The programme features high quality productions and concerts that showcase the extraordinary range and talent of both local and international artists.”
It-Teatru Manoel Jagħti Merħba lil Staġun Ġdid
Wara Xogħlijiet ta’ Restawr
It-teatru nazzjonali ta’ Malta ngħata nifs ġdid bir-restawr tal-faċċata u sensiela ta’ xogħlijiet strutturali
It-Teatru Manoel għadu kif introduċa staġun teatrali ġdid b’attività ta’ tnedija li ċċelebrat it-tlestija ta’ xogħlijiet fuq il-faċċata u fil-partijiet l-oħra ta’ dan il-bini storiku.
Membri tal-istampa attendew attività sabiex jaraw il-faċċata l-ġdida, u wara ġew imdawra max-xogħlijiet interjuri li saru, flimkien mal-Kap Eżekuttiv tat-Teatru Manoel, Massimo Zammit, u l-Ministru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern Lokali, José Herrera.
Waqt li l-faċċata ġiet restawrata għas-sbuħija oriġinali tagħha, l-istil karatteristiku tal-binja, tal-era Barokka, kien daqstant ieħor rispettat f’kull aspett tar-rinnovazzjoni estensiva li saret fuq ġewwa.
Fit-teatru nnifsu, il-wiċċ tal-palk ġie rrestawrat filwaqt li purtieri ġodda se jkunu qed jilqgħu ’l-udjenzi sa mill-ewwel spettaklu tal-istaġun. Linfa tal-ħġieġ abjad minfuħ ta’ Murano u brazzi stil Rezzonico jikkumplimentaw ix-xena.
Matul ix-xhur li ġejjin se jitkomplew diversi xogħlijiet bil-ħsieb li tittejjeb l-aċċessibilità tal-post. Flimkien mar-rinnovazzjoni tal-binja tal-Abbazija ta’ Navarra, se jkun hemm uffiċċju akbar għall-bookings, żona għall-esebizzjoni b’wirjiet ta’ kostumi u artefatti relatati mal-istorja tat-teatru, kafetterija, spazju ddedikat għall-VIPs, u estensjoni tas-Sala Maria Ghirlando. Fl-istess waqt, se jiġi installat lift li se jipprovdi aċċess aħjar għall-bini u għat-teatru, kif ukoll faċilitajiet ta’ toilets ġodda fil-livell ta’ taħt l-art.
“Ix-xogħlijiet strutturali u ta’ restawr fit-Teatru Manoel huma impriża importanti sabiex it-teatru nazzjonali ta’ Malta jitħares u jiġi sostnut mhux biss għall-artisti tal-lum, imma anke għall-komunità artistika u kulturali tal-futur,” spjega l-Ministru Herrera.
Ir-rinnovazzjonijiet ewlenin tlestew fil-ħin ukoll għall-istaġun teatrali tal-2021-2022 tat-Teatru Manoel. Dan se jibda bil-kbir, bl-ispettaklu tal-ftuħ O – Tribut lill-Prof. Oliver Friggieri nhar il-Ġimgħa 29 ta’ Ottubru, produzzjoni ġdida ta’ drama u żfin li nħolqot biex tagħti ġieħ lill-memorja tal-poeta, rumanzier, kritiku letterarju u filosfu leġġendarju Malti, Oliver Friggieri.
Il-programm ippakkjat għall-istaġun il-ġdid jinkludi wkoll il-Festival tal-Barokk tal-Belt Valletta u l-Festival Internazzjonali għat-Tfal u ż-Żgħażagħ ŻiguŻajg, kif ukoll recital ta’ xogħlijiet ta’ Chopin mill-pjanista rinomat Dmitry Ishkanov, kunċerti mill-Orkestra Filarmonika ta’ Malta, u A Celebration of Opera bis-sehem tal-aqwa kantanti tal-opra lirika ta’ pajjiżna. The Twits ta’ Roald Dahl se jingħataw il-ħajja permezz ta’ kollaborazzjoni bejn it-Teatru Manoel u Masquerade Malta, waqt li Moveo Dance Company se jwasslu Frida / Four Seasons fuq il-palk nazzjonali. Sadanittant, Ir-Raġel li ħawwad lil Martu ma’ Kappell se joffri traduzzjoni bil-Malti ta’ The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat ta’ Oliver Sacks. Kunċert fl-okkażjoni tal-Għid mill-Big Band Brothers mhux se jonqos milli jpaxxi ’l-udjenzi, u produzzjoni ġdida tad-dramm traġiku ta’ Shakespeare Othello, taħt id-direzzjoni ta’ Ian Moore, mistennija tkun daqstant ieħor eċitanti. L-istaġun teatrali li mhux ta’ min jitilfu se jagħlaq bl-ewwel produzzjoni mużikali teatrali maħduma internament, Sweeney Todd, b’mużika u lirika ta’ Stephen Sondheim.
“Kuntenti immens li qed nintroduċu l-istaġun eċitanti l-ġdid tat-Teatru Manoel billi niċċelebraw ir-restawr arkitettoniku tat-teatru nazzjonali li hu tant għal qalb il-Maltin,” qal is-Sur Zammit. “Dan l-istaġun vibranti jirrappreżenta nifs ġdid mhux biss għat-Teatru Manoel, iżda wkoll għall-komunità teatrali u l-udjenzi lokali. Il-programm jinkludi produzzjonijiet u kunċerti ta’ kwalità għolja li se jservu ta’ vetrina għall-firxa u t-talent straordinarju tal-artisti kemm lokali kif ukoll internazzjonali.”
