Scenography forms an integral part of a production, whether it calls for a minimal or an elaborate set. Good scenography, lights and costumes make the play work as a whole and, very often, these elements are of help to the director and cast members.

Xeni, being held at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, features sets, props, models and sketches of various past stage productions.

These are the thoughts of Romualdo Moretti, the Italian set designer who is no new name to Maltese theatregoers. He resided in Malta for a few years, during which he got involved in major local productions, besides working extensively abroad.

Among career highlights, Mr Moretti mentions touring Europe and North America with the musical Streetlight, working with some of the most talented companies of Havana, Cuba, and taking part in the production of the biopic Tintoretto for Sky Arte.

But he also considers one of his latest projects, Xeni, a retrospective exhibition on set design currently running at Spazju Kreattiv, as a “great achievement”.

This project, produced by Teatru Malta in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv and Arts Council Malta, provides audiences with a rare backstage pass into the past 15 years of local scenography. The exhibition features sets, props and models from various theatre productions staged during this time frame.

A series of workshops was held as part of Xeni. Photo: Romualdo Moretti

“Here we find ‘realised dreams’,” Mr Moretti, who is the exhibition’s curator, says.

“All starts from research, photos, sketches, 3D models, prototypes, plaster casts and lots of creativity to produce amazing sets. What you see is only the tip of an iceberg from the past 15 years of Maltese theatre.”

He admits that it was no easy task to approach, shortlist, curate and edit the work of 12 set designers but is more than satisfied with the end result and believes it will help raise awareness about set design as a profession.

“It’s a real career!” Mr Moretti says. The exhibition features the work of many established names as well as some young and upcoming set designers, namely Claudio Apap, Joseph Galea, Adrian Mamo, Austin Camilleri and Pierre Portelli, Ino Bonello and Ray Farrugia. There are props and installations by Matthew Pandolfino and opera sets by designers Andrew Borg Wirth and Joseph Cauchi.

Set designer and exhibition curator Romualdo Moretti.

“We were able to exhibit only a few largescale pieces of scenography because, unfortunately, many have been lost or destroyed. However, those we have chosen recreate the feeling that you are on stage,” the curator notes.

Each designer is represented by four photos of productions he worked on, together with sketches and models. Visitors will admire bits and pieces of the operas Orphée et Eurydice and Tosca, experimental theatre Limbus, The Bacchae and Antigone, ballets like Giselle, Maltese plays such as Il-Madonna Tiegħi Aħjar Minn Tiegħek, other plays like Amadeus, Valerjana and Shakespeare’s Othello and contemporary dance productions such as Voyager.

All the exhibits tell a story, linked to the plot of the play or opera in which they were conceived and designed.

“You will understand it was not easy to have access to this material and photos of these shows.

Regrettably, many sets are not documented and most of them have not been preserved. Hopefully, after this exhibition, theatres and companies will start archiving such material for future generations,” Mr Moretti remarks.

As part of the exhibition, local set builder and designer Joseph Galea and Italian set painter Mario Paolantonio from Rome led a workshop in which a mix of aspiring and few established set designers took part.

These handson workshops were held over three days and were divided into two disciplines: set painting and set and prop building.

“The results and response from the students were amazing. You can admire the fruit of their work in the last hall of the exhibition space,” the curator adds.

On his return to Italy, Mr Moretti moved from Rome to Milan to work on various set design projects. However, he continues to collaborate with Maltese theatre producers and directors and is looking forward to future projects.

“I hope that Xeni is only the beginning of a long journey… I confess we already have many ideas for other future projects,” he says.

Xeni runs at spazju Kreattivin Valletta until February 23. For more information, log on to www.teatrumalta.org.mt.