I have read the recent letters on Brian Schembri's performance at the Manoel Theatre with a mixture of amazement and disgust.

I have not attended the concert in question, and therefore I am in no position to comment on the artistic merits of this particular performance. However, I cannot but point out that such attacks are nothing short of slanderous. One has every right not to enjoy a particular interpretation but to attack someone's professional abilities on the basis of personal taste is ridiculous. If those who have commented on the maestro's style and interpretation are really as keen music lovers as they profess to be, they will surely know that for every work there exists an endless array of interpretations. This is not detrimental to the music but rather enriches our musical experience by giving us a wider range of possibilities.

What is even more amazing is that there has been no one from either the theatre or National Orchestra who has defended either Mro Schembri or the orchestra. If we have reached a situation where our institutions no longer care about the professionals they profess to endorse, then there is really no hope left for the Maltese artist.