What's wrong with Barry's?

I fully agree with Kenneth Zammit Tabona (November 2) when he states overriding public opinion is that Barry's opera house should be rebuilt as it was on the outside. I was only 20 years old when the opera house was bombed by the Luftwaffe. However, it was only partly destroyed. Who was responsible for the removal of the remaining structures? Where are these to be found today?

For us opera lovers, that building was a gem. Whether it matches with Valletta's buildings or not is another matter. Since 1980, I have visited Moscow and other cities in the then Soviet Union about 20 times. The Soviets built a huge and modern Palace of Congresses in the Kremlin.

I attended various cultural events at this Palace of Congresses and visited it also as a member of delegations during congresses or seminars.

At Dom Drushba (Friendship House) in Moscow, when arguing about the building of such a structure in the Kremlin, I never heard any criticism about the architectural mismatch created.

The architecture of the Berlin Reichstag, reconstructed by Norman Foster, is also on modern styles. Another example of an architectural mismatch is the pyramid in the Louvre in Paris.

For many of us, Mr Barry's building is a nostalgia. Despite the fact that this building may also be a mismatch, it will certainly be better than the parking place eyesore that we have today.