'Although I don't remember the opera house, I have always been impressed by the clamour that rises every so often by those people who would like to see it built again as it was. Why did Mr Galea opt for the Royal Opera House? His father, Sir Charles, had designed the Houses of Parliament in London. New plans on the original designs were drawn up for a new theatre and this time the building was completely fireproof.Įdward Middleton Barry designed the opera house in 1861 as a development of Covent Garden in London, which had been inaugurated three years earlier. However, the 'fire prevention' could not have been that efficient since the 'fine building' built by the most lavish of Governors (Sir Gaspard La Marchant) was destroyed by fire seven years later.' In his book British Colonial Architecture: Malta 1800-1900, Malcolm Borg writes: 'The building (the opera house) inaugurated in October of 1866 was insured for 12,000 pounds. 'I also had to decide whether to do a copy of the original building or else the one that was built after the first one was burned down.' 'You know you are close to starting the model when you can shut your eyes and still visualise it in its entirety. You have to start thinking as an architect. 'The opera house had so much external detail which would be lost unless you come to a point where you can mentally see it in 3D projection. Research included ferreting out the original drawings and collecting as many photographs as possible of the first version of the opera house - the original structure was burned down in1873. 'Managing to complete this model has given me the confidence to go for more intricate and complicated designs for our future collection,' Mr Galea said. Mr Galea, who produces and markets innovative souvenirs of Malta, has reached another milestone in his line of creations with a scale model of the Royal Opera House. It is also a subject close to the heart of entrepreneur Joe Galea who recently took ownership of Heritage Homes, the firm that specialises in models of landmark buildings and historic sites. If there is a subject that rallies the country's collective conscience every time it surfaces, it has to be the Royal Opera House, in Valletta.

Royal opera house la valletta