Africa-Press – Mauritius. A virtual exhibition, to mark the bicentenary celebration of the Municipal Theatre, was launched, this afternoon, at the Municipal Council of Port Louis, by the Lord Mayor, Mr Mahfooz Moussa Cader Saib, and the Director of the Conservatoire National de Musique Francois Mitterand, Mrs Claudie Ricaud.
The virtual exhibition, a joint initiative of the Municipal City Council of Port Louis and the Conservatoire National de Musique Francois Mitterand, traces the programme held on 11 June 1822.
It focuses on the musical works produced, the performers, and the reviews of the programme. The virtual exhibition is shown simultaneously on the Conservatoire and the Municipal websites.
In his address, Mr Cader Saib stated that the virtual exposition is in honour of the Port Louis theatre which has been a meeting place for various artistic and cultural exchanges since the past 200 years.
The theatre of Port Louis, he highlighted, has become a national heritage and is known as the oldest temple of lyrical and dramatic art in the southern hemisphere, he added.
The Lord Mayor recalled that the theatre is closed since 2008 for renovation works and added that the Municipal Council will ensure that it reopens as soon as possible.
The first phase of works comprises renovation of the roof, rainwater drainage system, rough-casting of the exterior, and renovation of wooden internal structure.
As regards the last phase of works, he stated that they consist of the refurbishment of the different technical spaces to produce special effects, the installation of a new stage and a new stage curtain, the replacement of 600 seats and a space for wheelchairs.
For this last phase, the Municipal Council of Port Louis is confident that it will be able to obtain necessary funding with the assistance of Government and sponsors from the private sector, he added.
The Lord Mayor also underlined that the cultural and artistic sector is important for the Municipal Council and it aims encourage artists of the city of Port Louis and offer them an ideal place to display their talents.
As for Mrs Ricaud, she said that the virtual exposition aims to showcase the musical programme held on 11 June 1822 as well as the instruments used, the songs, and the musicians.
The main objective, she added, is to raise awareness on the cultural and musical life 200 years ago. The theatre of Port Louis, she recalled, represents a lot of souvenirs for the past generations who have been able to enjoy this major place of cultural expression.
The Municipal Theatre The Port Louis Municipal Theatre is one of the oldest theatres and playhouses of the southern hemisphere. It was inaugurated on the 11th of June 1822.
Since its opening in 1822, the theatre has occupied an important place in the life of the people, especially that of the bourgeoisie and the bourgeois of the time. There were shows for all tastes: balls, operas, plays.
The Theatre experienced several closures during its existence, especially during the period of 1892 and 1894 due to a cyclone and a series of epidemics that had hit the country. It reopened at the start of the 20th century.
The Theater rose to popularity thanks to Max Moutia, friend of Robert Edward Hart and Malcolm de Chazal, designer of the Mauritian Quarter Hour Writers at the late Mauritius Broadcasting Service, and his troupe called La troupe Moutia.
After the independence of the country in 1968, the theatre of Port Louis experienced a revival and regained its former glory. Many foreign troops and those from the ground marched there: operas, concerts and musicals. Throughout the 20th century, the Port Louis theatre continued to ride this wave of popularity.
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