Pity and shame for opera lovers in Malta

I was shocked to read the article (The Sunday Times, February 13), which stated that Mro Brian Schembri withdrew from conducting Gounod's Romeo et Juliette in this year's BoV Opera Festival.

And in the days that followed I came to realise that my opinion was shared by many fellow musicians and music lovers in Malta.

It is a pity that in this country so much is lost to unprofessionalism. I was flabbergasted to read Mr Wilfred Kenely's statement, "the show must go on", even after admitting that it was the theatre that could not meet the necessary conditions.

And the question screaming its way out is: But how? How is it going to go on? How many compromises can the national theatre afford to make, and still claim to be offering its audience a quality performance?

If such compromises on the artistic and technical level were enough to drive away a professional musician, are we to believe that the final product that is now going to be achieved is going to be of the "same quality as planned"?

This is only one incident that highlights the kind of seriousness with which music in Malta is approached. Unfortunately, this is the sorry state in which musicians living in Malta have to abide, and the kind of musical standard being fed to our connoisseurs, even by that which is considered to be the highest artistic institution on this island. It is nothing but a shame.