The Restoration of the Manoel Theatre: A Milestone in the Theatre’s History

RESTORATION OF THE MANOEL THEATRE

A milestone in the theatre’s history

The rehabilitation of the Manoel Theatre was initiated in the late 1990s by the Manoel Theatre Management Committee and led by AP Valletta up to completion. The master plan focused on improving the theatre facilities and developing and diversifying the cultural activities that it houses, while simultaneously aiming to lend a new public image to the theatre, with a view to increase its external legibility and emphasise its importance, both locally and internationally.

Text by AP Valletta

The Manoel Theatre and its annexes are situated in the heart of Valletta. The annexes, which consist of a series of eighteenth-century houses abutting the theatre party walls, were acquired at various stages of its history with the intent to use them to house activities associated with the theatre functions. In the late 1990s, the theatre embarked on a refurbishment and expansion programme on the basis of the master plan that had been formulated, which added a new bar and foyer fitted into the neighbouring courtyard of Palazzo Bonici, covered with an innovative retractable roof. The projects also included the creation of a theatre museum, the reallocation and redesign of the ticket booking offices, the creation and fitting out of a specialised book and record shop, as well as the insertion of three studio apartments for visiting artists.

Over the years, AP Valletta was also entrusted with several restoration interventions and, more recently, with the installation of a new climate-control system in the Baroque auditorium, which was itself restored to its

Top photos Left: Site photo showing the state of the Manoel Theatre's façade prior to intervention Middle: The restored façade of Teatru Manoel Right: Detail of the restored capitals. Photos by Guillaume Dreyfuss

The latest intervention, completed in 2021, included the restoration of the external façade on Old Theatre Street. The reconstruction was carried out following an indepth study and analysis of the original façade drawings and proportions, as drawn in the Cabreo de Vilhena

Left: Prospetto del teatro, Cabreo Vilhena, 1734, National Library of Malta, Valletta (Treasury Series B, 310)

Right: Historical photo of the Manoel Theatre's façade, 1970s

Right: Site photo showing the state of the portico's state of deterioration prior to intervention Photo - AP Valletta original layout, with the seating in the stalls reformed to remove the central aisle and reintroduce the parterre boxes along the sides. This new seating aims at recreating the intimacy typical of the original eighteenth-century Baroque theatre as documented on historical drawings. The project was concluded with the restoration of the façade and main entrance. Currently, the administrative block and ticket office, together with public amenities, a new foyer and VIP room, are being refurbished under the guidance of AP Valletta.

“One of the most fulfilling emotions that comes with intervening on heritage buildings like Teatru Manoel is the sense that history is being created as you work”, said AP’s executive director Konrad Buhagiar. “While the columns were being installed on the façade, for example, my colleagues from the office and I were clearly sharing the same thought: this moment is a milestone for the history of the theatre and we have the privilege of being part of it”, he added.

The theatre has been modified several times to adapt to new performance requirements, as well as to reflect various economic and cultural realities. Yet it has managed to preserve most of its initial qualities, making it one of the oldest surviving Baroque theatres. Today’s project inscribes itself in this historical continuum and strives to maintain the balance between the preservation of the theatre’s rich heritage and its necessary transformation, to reflect contemporary values and uses. The architectural challenge was to ensure the successful cohabitation of the monument with its functions as a live performance space.

“Preliminary in-depth research was crucial for the success of the project” added AP’s director of research Guillaume Dreyfuss. “The positive outcome of the restoration and refurbishment of the theatre is also the outcome of the quality of the work executed, as well as from the aesthetic merit of the project itself and its historical value’.

To consolidate the documentation of the historical evolution of this building, BIM Technology is being used to record both the transformation of the theatre, as well as to store historical information. The BIM model has been designed to include the different stages of the theatre’s architectural development from 1732 to 2021, incorporating evidence gathered from historical drawings and photographs as well as data gathered during site investigations and restoration works. The 3D dynamic model can be used to highlight any transformation phase or building elements and acts as a link to a database of information gathered by AP Valletta over the years; showing the theatre as it was originally constructed, and how it has been transformed throughout its history. The ability to capture building data and information, and store it in a central database, is crucial to ensure a long-term sustainable approach when dealing with a heritage building such as Teatru Manoel.

In 2017–2018 a climate control system was installed to stabilise the temperature and relative humidity within the theatre, and ensure that fluctuations are controlled, for the constant preservation of the historic fabric. The system was designed for the optimal temperature and relative humidity of the various historical building components, stabilising it to limit the expansion and contraction of such materials, which would otherwise encourage their deterioration. The project also included the redesign of the platea, restoring it to its original layout and reintroducing the parterre boxes, as depicted in the plans found in the Cabreo de Vilhena.

Several restoration exercises were carried out within the theatre over the past decades. The latest intervention, completed in 2021, included the restoration of the external façade on Old Theatre Street. The reconstruction was carried out following an in-depth study and analysis of the original façade drawings and proportions, as drawn in the Cabreo de Vilhena, together with a series of investigations on the physical fabric of the façade and additional analysis of multiple historical documents. The intervention philosophy aimed at reestablishing the visual legibility of the theatre façade with a reconstruction of window mouldings and cornices, together with the ground floor portion of the façade.

The reconstruction was carried out using local stone of double-course heights, cut using CNC technology, making the reconstruction distinguishable to future generations. Furthermore, a new balcony was installed including railing in a threelayered wrought iron system, fragmenting the original balustrade visual as a contemporary reinterpretation. The façade reinstatement was completed with the restoration of existing timber apertures, the creation of new timber works for the re-shaped openings and the installation of new marble thresholds, incorporating the ‘Teatru Manoel’ branding within the main door.

To ensure the preservation of the theatre’s historical fabric and to allow the extension of the performance season to the summer months, a climate control system was designed and installed in 2017–2018, following multiple campaigns of monitoring of the internal environment. The hybrid system uses both low-velocity air vents as well as water-cooled elements and radiant panels. This ensures the stability of the environmental conditions at all levels within the theatre, together with a reduced energy consumption despite the large volumes being controlled. The project was designed to be implemented across the entire theatre, including auditorium, individual boxes, stage, orchestra pit, VIP room and circulation spaces. It required multiple

Above: Architectural elevation drawing showing the Manoel Theatre street context - AP Valletta

Below: Site photo showing a the state of the pilaster pedestal prior to intervention - AP Valletta

Above: Detail of the restored portico of Teatru Manoel - AP Valletta, Left: Interior view of the restored platea - AP Valletta

elements to answer the specific needs of each space considering the height of the internal volumes as well as their physical configuration and operation and included the insertion of buffer zones to minimise the impact of outdoor conditions and to ensure a holistic approach.

Key lighting elements of the performance spaces including stage lights were replaced with more efficient technology to reduce heat generation and energy consumption. Furthermore, all components installation was mapped out against the historical fabric prior to the start of the works and their location optimised to allow for a careful integration within the heritage building.

Although studied and considered, the introduction of photovoltaic panels was not implemented due to the reduced roof area available and the sensibility of the context, located within Valletta’s Area of High Landscape Value. The hybrid climate-control system is however designed to operate throughout the day and all year round, constantly monitored by a series of environmental sensors strategically located around the theatre, and using digital control based on various occupancy levels and scenarios. The new architectural lighting incorporated was designed to minimise night pollution and solely uses LED technology to ensure low electrical requirements. n

Project Lead: AP Valletta

Team: Executive Director: Konrad Buhagiar Restoration: Guillaume Dreyfuss, Charlene Jo Darmanin, Elena Zammit, Nigel Degaetano Architecture: Edward Cuschieri, Guglielmo Avallone Interior Design: Rory Apap Brown, Francesco Gerbaudi, Sarah Jane Bilocca Structural Engineering: Joseph Calleja, Mario Pace, Jurgen Vassallo

Other participants:

Vaults Co. Ltd - Stonework Lloyd Darmanin - Balcony railing Sebastiano Genovese - MTS - Mechanical & Electrical Engineer Robert Ghirlando - University of Malta - Engineering Consultant Jonathan Bonett - Camilleri & Cuschieri - Fire Safety Engineer Filippo Aguzzi - Studio Aguzzi - Climate Control Consultant Massimiliano Tonelli - Tonelli - Architectural Acoustics Anne Minors - Sound Space Vision - Theatre Planning Franck Franjou - Franck Franjou - Architectural Lighting Alec Massa - Digital Malta - Audio/Video Consultant