The Teatru Manoel in Valletta isn’t just any old theatre it’s one of Europe’s oldest working playhouses and the oldest still operating in the Commonwealth of Nations.
Commissioned and funded by Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena of the Knights of St John in 1731, the theatre was completed in a remarkable 10 months at a cost of 2184 Scudi, roughly €41715 today. Its grand opening on 19th January 1732 featured the classic Italian tragedy Merope by Scipione Maffei.
The design of the theatre was partly inspired by the Palermo Theatre, in Sicily, Italy, known for its long, horseshoe-shaped auditorium. One of Vilhena’s distinctive innovations was the creation of 2 water reservoirs beneath the floor, which enhanced the acoustics so precisely that audience members could even hear the orchestra conductor turning a page.
The theatre’s raison d’être is proudly inscribed in Latin above the main entrance: “ad honestam populi oblectationem”, to provide the public with honest entertainment. At the same time, it served a practical purpose, keeping the young knights occupied, as they would spend their free time performing in plays rather than getting into mischief.
Today, visitors can enjoy performances ranging from Verdi’s comic opera Falstaff to concerts by Malta’s Philharmonic Orchestra, a testament to the theatre’s enduring magic nearly 3 centuries on.
