London-based Maltese tenor Cliff Zammit Stevens this week announced the official date for his upcoming eighth, annual concert. Taking place on Sunday 4 September at 8pm at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in Valletta, Cliff Zammit Stevens in Concert 2016 - Brought to you by InterContinental Malta will see the tenor joined by guest soprano Nicola Said, who recently performed alongside Joseph Calleja, as well as the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of British conductor Mro Philip Walsh.

Speaking at the conference, Cliff said: "Malta is my home and I'm so proud to wave the Maltese flag everywhere I go. This yearly concert remains one of my most cherished projects, as it reunites me with the Maltese public and all those who have supported me over the years."

In order to give more children the opportunity to experience classical music at first hand, Cliff announced that tickets for those aged between five and 12 years old will be sold for just €15 each. The tenor also revealed information about the programme for the night, which will include a mix of well-known and lesser-known operatic pieces by various composers, including Bizet, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Verdi and De Curtis.

Cliff, who moved to the UK eight years ago, has had an incredibly successful few years, which have seen him perform for HM Queen Elizabeth II, as well as at a master class by Robert Sutherland, who penned Maria Callas: Diaries of a Friendship. Moreover, Cliff has just finished touring the UK performing as Tebaldo in Bellini's Capuleti e I Montecchi, during which he sang at the world-famous Minack Theatre in Cornwall.

Also present at the conference was the Honourable Dr Owen Bonnici, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, who commented that "Cliff is a clear example of the incredible talent Malta has to offer, and a great representative of the Islands' growing influence in the arts abroad."

Speaking about the concert, Dr Bonnici also added that Cliff's success can be seen to be increasing year on year, with more audience members choosing to spend an evening with the tenor and his guests so as to enjoy the operatic pieces. "It's no mean feat to go from 100 audience members in 2008 to 1,000 last year, but Cliff's appeal and down-to-earth attitude have secured this for him," he said.

Charles Azzopardi, the Head of PR & Marketing at Bank of Valletta, congratulated Mr Zammit Stevens, commenting, "At Bank of Valletta we have always believed in the importance of investing in the holistic education of the younger generation and giving them the necessary resources to reach their full potential. It gives us great satisfaction to be here today, supporting this tenor who is making a name for himself and for our country. We are also proud that soprano Nicola Said will be accompanying Cliff, since both of these young, talented artists are scholars of the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation."

Bank of Valletta and Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja are the founding members of this Foundation, which was set up almost four years ago to support talented youths to further their artistic careers. On behalf of the Bank and the Foundation, Mr Azzopardi augured the best of luck to Cliff Zammit Stevens, not only for this concert but also for his future endeavours.

This year's concert is being supported by a number of other entities, including MTA, XFM, WriteMeAnything.com, Nescafe, and Wembley Stores, with InterContinental Malta being the main sponsor of the event.

Martin van Kan, Area General Manager Malta, commented: "I am delighted that InterContinental Malta is able to be the primary sponsor of tenor Cliff Zammit Stevens during his concert in Malta, and that we are in a position to support the rich culture of the Islands. We are indeed fortunate to bear witness to the burgeoning of a fantastic local talent, and I do hope that his example provides inspiration to many young Maltese in the furtherance of their dreams."

Tickets for the Cliff Zammit Stevens in Concert 2016 - Brought to you by InterContinental Malta can now be purchased from www.ticketline.com.mt.