THEATRICAL NOSTALGIA

One of the most beautiful buildings that stood majestically in Valletta was without any doubt the Theater Royal (Teatru Rjal) which stood on that derelict plot which is a shame to the Maltese Nation, as soon as you enter Valletta. The destruction of this majestic Theater at first was considered a National tragedy  when it was bombed by the Luftwaff on that fateful   7^th April 1942 fis-6.30pm.

In brief I am going to give historical information regarding the origins of the theatrical activities in Malta, the birth of opera and how it reached our shores.

 When it was decided to build the Teatru Rjal on the site where once stood the Auberge d’Inghilterre this project increased the popularity of operatic music, but this was not the beginning of the Maltese theatrical history. Malta passed   under the domination of various civilizations. Since Roman times the Maltese showed interest  in the theater.  Confirmation of this was was the tomb of a certain Aelius Hermolaos, a comic actor, which was found on our Island.  The history of Opera in Malta began a century after the arrival of the Knights here.  As all lovers of opera knows, but for those ignorant of the facts that this originated by the Camerata Fiorentina.

The first musical drama was performed in Firenze in 1597 and this was the DAFNE by Jacopo Peri. The artists had met at the residence of Count Giovanni Bardi, a man whose life was dedicated to the art.  Amongst these artists we find Vincenzo Galilei, father of the famous astronomer and mathematician Galileo, and the composers Gulio Caccini, Jacopo Peri, and also the poet Ottavio Rinuccini, The first tentative was made by Vincenzo Galilei when he tried to put music to an episode by Ugolino from the Inferno of Dante.



This new art left the Italian peninsula and arrived in London and St. Petersburg in the eighteenth century.  The first form of a public Theater began at San Cassiano in the Venetian Republic, afterwards spread throughout Europe.


Malta as always did not lack behind,  because on the Island lived the cream of the European nobility inside the Order of St. John. Grand Master  Manoel de Vilhena wanted to be amongst the first to introduce this new art. Therefore in 1730 he ordered the building of a Theater which until today bears his name, and is considered as an architectural jewel, that we should really cherish, appreciate and maintain. The Manoel Theater was built according to the  style of Italian theaters of the eighteen century.

The enthusiasm of the Maltese people for opera was witnessed in the following years.  One has to note that in the beginning this theater was known as Teatro Pubblico  and between 1740 and 1866 was known as Teatro Reale di Malta. After the construction of the Teatru Rjal it was named Teatru Manoel – the name which is still known today.

The Theater was built with the Grand Master’s De Vilhena own  money because he was really mad about opera. The foundation stone was laid on the 20^th March 1731 and inaugurated on the 20^th January 1732 (the workers used to do miracles in those days).  Adjacent to the Theater few houses were erected for the artists and musicians who used to be engaged from other countries.  The construction was under the supervision of two Maltese architects, Francesco Zerafa and Antonio Azzopardi. The interior has the resemblance of the Palermo Theater and that of San Carlo in Naples, but on a smaller scale.  Although various modifications were carried out during the two and a half centuries of its existence, it still remain one of the few historical European Theaters.

       

As I have already said, the Theater was inaugurated on the 19^th January 1732 with the opera MEROPE, and for the occasion the Grand Master attended.  The author of of this work which perhaps may have been drama, and if so the author surely must have been Scipione Maffei, but if it was a lyric opera the author could have been one of the following komposers  F. Gasparini (1711) - S.A. Fiore (1716) - G.M. Orlandini (1717) - L.A. Predieri (1718) jew P. Torri (1719). The season continued till the end of March with the operas MEROPE and Pilone’s IL GIOCATORE DISPERATO alternating.

The rumour was  that most of the Maltese especially those who came from the villages, when   this new entertainment came to their knowledge,  that it was available to the entire public, they were extremely shocked, that the Grand Master approved the subjects of these musical dramas which were based on libertine  love, intrigue, treason and murder. They were also scandalized with the participation in these operas by actresses and female dancers in audacious costumes for those times. In those days stage artists   were considered as vulgar and without any sense of décor. There were certain people who felt even embarresed to walk beside them on the sidewalk.  They were also rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities and their funeral excluded any form of religious function and this included their burial.  This was not all, because those Maltese who were stage enthusiasts and attended spectacles were considered as persons with libertine principles who did not abide with the teachings of the Catholic church.  

The seasons at the Manoel continued  without interruptions year after year. In the beginning all operas were musical dramas.  This is confirmed  from the hundreds of libretti of the times archived at the National Library.  The libretti are shelfed in a pitiful state and  if not taken care of, in a few years time they will be devoured by bookworms.  These libretti are over 250 years.    

From the I made, always according to my opinion, the heydays of this Theater were the years 1828-1842 when the Management was in the hands of the Amore Family.  The father Salvatrore died around 1830 and his sons Luigi and Domenico took charge of the following seasons.  This is confirmed by a contract found at the Government Notorial Archives Vol. 1830 Fol. 81  dated 12^th August 1830 by Notary Diego Vella.  As I said in the period under the management  of the Amore brothers most of the operas by Geatano Donizetti (1797-1848) and Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) were presented.       

One of the greatest sopranos, synonym with these times was without doubt Camilla Darbois.  About this soprano I have some biographical facts and her connections with Malta. Camilla was born in Marsiglia on the 25^th March 1804.  Her maternal grandfather was Gio Batta and Antonia neè Ferro.  She studied at the Paris Conservatory in a short time she became a pianist of high caliber and a superb quality singer.  In 1820 when she was 20 years old she married the merchant Filippo Darbois. They had three children, Henri, Camillo and Annetta.  The marriage lasted five years  because Filippo died  in 1829. After  the death of her husband she went to Naples to begin there her theatrical career. There she made her debut at the Teatro San Carlo. The Impresario Salvatore Amore attracted by her Napolitan successes  convinced her to come to Malta.  Camilla made her debut at the Teatro Manoel on the 5^th September 1829, with the opera L’ESULE DI ROMA by Gaetano Donizetti. She played the part of Argelia.  She made such a hit that the contract continued to be extended for twelve consecdutive years.  The parts Dabois used to interpret were always leading parts. She used to excel in the works of Donizetti and Bellini.  In 1835 she interpreted  the  part of LODOLISKA in the Maltese premiere of the opera with the same title of vthe Maltese composer Vincenzo Bugeja.

Camilla retired from the artistic life in 1841 when she was 37 years old. On the 20^th December of the following year she married the Impresario Domenico Amore.  She passed away on the 11^th February 1878, when she was 74. Her funeral was memorable.  It started from her residence at no. 12 Zachary street to the church of Porto Salvo (Saint Domenic).  A Requiem Mass was celebrated with the participation of all professors of music and artists of the Teatru Rjal.  She was intered at the Addolorata Cemetry.  Her only portrait is found at her relatives, the Agius-Ferrante family.

Of her three children, Henri remained in France and died at the age of 17. Anetta married the Marquis Vincenzo Bugeja on the 30^th April 1851.  She had no children and died on the 17^th March 1916 at the age of 87.  The Marquis and the Marquesa are remembered for their filantropic activity.  The Marquesa is very well known at St. Paul’s Bay because she financed the building of vthe parishy church dedicated to our Lady of Sorrows in 1905. Camillo married Emilia Vella on the 30^th June 1859 and died on the 20^th September 1880 at the age of 54.  He left a daughter, Anna, who married Salvatore Ferrante, and a son Gustavo who married Mary Oliver Parker. 

Another personality connected with this theater came from Qormi was Mro. Giovanni Le Brun. A coincidence is that like Darbois he was born in 1804. His parents were Giacchino and Rosa neè Vella. From early childhood Giovanni studied violin and in a few years time he became one od the most sought after violinists of his time. He was obsessed with the Theater.  When he was 26 years of age he already formed part of the orchestra of the theater. In 1834 he was promoted to head violinist and director.

  Tajjeb li wiehed ikun jaf li sa l-1862 il-post ta direttur ta l-orkestra ma kienx jezisti. ghalhekk id-direzzjoni kienet tigi fdata f'idejn il-prim-vjolinista. L-ispartit tal-prim vjolin kienu jkun specjali, ghaliex kienu jinkludu kemm il-partijiet muzikali u dawk vokali ta l-opra kollha. Le Brun zamm din il-pozizzjoni ghal-24 sena sa l-1850 meta ha l-Impreza ghal-sentejn wara xulxin. F'dan il-perjodu kien ukoll jidderiegi.


Fil-perjodu li kien Imprezarju, Le Brun ipproducha bosta opri famuzi ghall-ewwel darba minn kompozituri bhal Verdi, Meyerbeer, Auber etc. L-artisti li kien jingagga kienu kollha stabbiliti.

Le Brun, barra l-muzika zgur li jibqa' mfakkar ukoll ghaliex kien hu li ntroduca fit-Teatru Reale (Manoel) l-illuminazzjoni permess tal-gas. Il-permess kisbu minghand il-Gvern b'ittra li gib id-data tat-28 ta Awissu 1862. Qabel din id-data, l-luminazzjoni tat-Teatru kienet issir b'xemghat u lanterni taz-zejt. Mro. Le Brun hallas ghall-apparat kollu tad-distribuzzjoni, b'kontribuzzjoni ta  £5 mill-Gvern. Le Brun biss zamm id-dritt li jzarma kollox meta jintemmlu z-zmien ta Imprezarju. Fi tmien dan iz-zmien it-Teatru l-gdid tlesta u nhargu l-offerti fit-23 ta Marzu 1865. Kien hemm zewg konkorrenti, Le Brun u Malfiggiani. Ta l-ahhar rebah.

Le Brun hadha bi kbira u ddisappunta ruhu wara li kien iddedika 30 sena minn hajtu lit-teatru. Telaq mill-attivita' teatrali u beda jghallem il-vjolin li tieghu kien professur. Fetah ukoll negozju ta l-istrumenti muzikali. Kien maghruf li kien gentlom mill-kbar.

Le Brun miet fil-25 ta Jannar 1883 fl-eta ta 79 sena. Kellu funeral mill-isbah u ndifen fil-kripta tal-qabar tal-familja fil-knisja parrokkjali ta Hal Qormi.

Qabel ma nkompli, nixtieq naghmel accenn fuq il-gurnalizmu f'Malta fil-bidu tas-seklu dsatax. L-informazzjoni kienet tigi registrata f'manuskritti, f'kuntratti u fil-files governattivi. Memorabilia kont issibha biss f'kollezzjonijiet privati ghalhekk difficli biex minn jaghmel ricerka jigbor il-fatti. Dan kien qabel l-1838 meta ma' kienux johorgu gazzetti hlief il-gazzetta tal-Gvern li din bdiet tohrog fl-1812. Din il-gazzetta kienet kultant iggib dak li kien sejjer jigi prezentat fil-Teatru Manoel u gieli xi kummenti kritici, xejn specjali.

L-ewwel gurnali li bdew johorgu kienu l-MEDITERRANEO (1838-1871), IL PORTAFOGLIO MALTESE(1838-1902) ftit ara mbad deheret THE MALTA TIMES & UNITED SERVICES GAZETTE. Dawn it-tliet gazzetti bdew jghatu kritika dettaljata ta l-attivita teatrali Maltija bi kritika mill-aktar kostruttiva u professjonali. Imbad nibtu gazzetti bhal CORRIERE MERCANTILE MJALTESE,RISORGIMENTO, THE MALTA CHRONICLE u MALTA etc. Ta minn jinnota li l-gazzetti kienu jkunu kollha bit-Taljan jew bl-Ingliz u l-prezzijiet li bihom kienu jimbijghu zgur li ma kienux biex jinxtraw minn nies tat-triq jew haddiema ta l-id. Kull minn irid jsir jaf aktar bid-dettal x