Built out of Drama and Passion

For nearly 70 years the former Royal Opera House has been a well-known and highly visible bombsite at the entrance to Malta's capital city.

About this website here

Once the home of one of the most respected theatre venues in the Mediterranean region, the Royal Opera House in Malta's capital had a bizarre existence.

The first Opera House, completed in the 1860's, was gutted by fire in circumstances that remains a Maltese mystery to this very day. From the ashes a new opulent Royal Opera House rose once again and opened for business in October 1877. Sixty-five years later, on the evening of Tuesday April 7 1942 the venue was virtually destroyed by German bombers.  

From the post-war years right up till very recently the fate of the Opera House site and its status has been in question. Plans, ideas and architectural designs were frequently suggested but all that has remained is the remnants of the once famous theatre and a reminder of war of which Malta suffered so badly (above: one of the oldest World War Two bombsites in Europe - the remains of the Opera House at the entrance to Malta's ancient capital city, Valletta. Currently work is underway to start the major construction that will transform and rejuvenate this part of the city).

In 2008 it looked like the actual theatre status of this bombsite would be removed in preference to a Maltese Parliamentary building. However nine months later that plan was reversed and now thankfully theatre will return as the former Royal Opera House is reconstructed and redeveloped as a brand-new theatre venue for Malta.

The new building (see below) will be a step away from convention. Designs show an open-air structure incorporating remains of the former Victorian structure. In a way, a modern venue with a permanent, very sad and poignant reminder of the former building and especially of the supreme and devastating sacrifice made by the citizens of Malta during World War Two.

These are exciting times for Valletta as the city is set to have considerable regeneration and of course the Opera House bombsite is part of that redevelopment as a new theatre is reinstated.

So this website will follow current developments, plans and ideas as the former Royal Opera House will rise from the ashes of wartime destruction to become a new major venue for Malta and the thousands who visit these Mediterranean islands each year.

If you have friends or family who were in any way associated with the Opera House before the Second World War or if you have any images you would like to contribute to this developing work, we would be only too pleased to hear from you, and with your permission would like to publish and add to the archive here online. You can contact this website here - and we would be only too pleased to hear from you.

You can read the full story about the architect's recommendations and watch an interview about his vision here

'Giving Valletta its dignity back' - Noel Grima looks at the future of Malta's ancient capital city, here

You can read a lot more about about Valletta ("the city built by gentlemen for gentlemen") here. City of Valletta says "Valletta, Malta’s capital and a World Heritage site, is nothing short of an open-air museum. It is a living experience of Baroque architecture, a monument donated by the Knights of St John nearly five centuries ago. Throughout the years, Valletta has welcomed emperors, heads of state, artists and poets and is now the permanent seat of the Maltese government".

About this website

This work started life as a 'campaigning' site to draw attention to decisions to scrap the theatre status of Valletta's Opera House bomb site.

We worked closely and in a way complimented the Facebook group which attracted more than 3,500 members all opposed to these original plans. Equally this site was attracting many visitors from across Europe and well beyond. We will always be extremely grateful to the many Maltese across the political spectrum and others who supported, publicly and privately, our vision and that of thousands.

We were never concerned with the architectural aspect - we just wanted to see theatre return after 67 years as a bomb site.

You can read the 'archived' site here.

In June 2009 Malta's Prime Minister reversed his idea to replace theatre with a parliament building and now the status of theatre is secured.

So now we are are going to follow the developments of this site as the builders move in and theatre is restored. We will follow the plans, the ideas, the public opinions.

(left: The Royal Opera House in wartime - this poignant picture was taken in 1942, shortly after much of this much loved venue was reduced to rubble by enemy bombers).

We are are going to investigate the fascinating and turbulent history of the Opera House from original conception in the 1860's, the fire and rebuilding in the 1870's. the heyday of the Opera House and the events leading up to and after the building was destroyed by enemy action in April 1942 as well as the on-off plans and controversies to rebuild it which lasted almost 70 years.

This website is edited by Ian Waugh who has an established association with Malta, he says "maltaoperahouse.com will be a fascinating celebration of theatre as a new page turns and this famous venue in Valletta enters a new phase in its story".