Manoel Theatre (Teatru Manoel)

The Manoel Theatre, known in Maltese as Teatru Manoel, stands at 115 Old Theatre Street in Valletta, Malta. It was built in 1731 under Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena and is counted among the oldest working theatres in Europe. The horseshoe-shaped auditorium is small and intimate, with tiers of boxes decorated in gold, blue and cream, a painted ceiling and a stage that still hosts opera, concerts, ballet and drama. Visitors can take a guided daytime tour that covers the auditorium, the foyer and the small museum, which displays costumes, programmes and objects from the theatre's long history. Guides explain how the building was used by the Knights, how it changed in the British period and how it was restored and reopened as the national theatre. An evening performance gives a very different experience, with the boxes lit and the acoustic of the compact hall at its best, and the season of music and drama runs through much of the year. A tour takes roughly forty-five minutes to an hour, while a performance lasts as long as the programme requires. Because hours depend on the event schedule and rehearsals, visitors should confirm tour times on teatrumanoel.com.mt before walking over. The theatre is about eight minutes on foot from City Gate along Republic Street, and the facade on Old Theatre Street is plain, so the interior is the main reward. Photographs are typically allowed during tours but not during performances. Tours are usually quieter in the morning, while performances can sell out, so booking ahead for evening events is advisable. Smart casual dress is customary for evening shows.