Adrian Mamo has been appointed as Manoel Theatre’s new artistic director, following a two-year vacancy in the national theatre.
Mamo, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Studies at the University of Malta and president of the voluntary group Malta Society of Arts (MSA), will be replacing Kenneth Zammit Tabona, who held the position since 2013.
Zammit Tabona is the artistic director at Festivals Malta.
Mamo will be taking on the position in April.
“Theatre has been part of my life since I was very young. I find the theatre to be my second home,” he told Times of Malta.
Mamo, an architect by profession, has had a long career in the arts and entertainment industry.
In his career, he has designed over 50 stage sets for local theatre companies and agencies. He also designed and coordinated a number of public exhibitions, including the International Law of the Sea for IMO at the Maritime Museum, the Hypogeum Visitors Centre, and the stage settings for CHOGM 2005 and CHOGM 2015.
He said the theatre is an important part of the community, a place where stories are told, and different opinions are heard.
“I look forward to working with different artists to work on productions and theatre pieces where people are represented,” he said.
“It is a privilege to be in this role and working in the theatre carries a huge responsibility. I look forward to the challenge.”
Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said there were around 18 applicants for the national theatre’s open call for the position of artistic director.
Following the process, a board of experts had the final decision to choose Mamo as the new artistic director.
The controversy surrounding the national theatre began two years ago when the Manoel Theatre published an advert calling for applications for a new artistic director. But hours later, the management withdrew the advert, stating that Zammit Tabona had not been sacked.
A day later, the national theatre said it would issue another new call for an artistic director but the process stalled.
Zammit Tabona stuck to his guns saying he was still the artistic director, despite the theatre's then CEO, Massimo Zammit having said a termination letter was sent out to him to inform him he was not.
Cultural sources had told Times of Malta that Zammit Tabona had failed to report to work from January until October 2021, when he was then moved to Festivals Malta.
The Manoel Theatre was further embroiled in controversy when its CEO Massimo Zammit was suspended following claims a series of allegations made against him. Zammit has denied the accusations.