2017 marks the 20th Anniversary of Joseph Calleja’s public debut in the world of opera. To commemorate this occasion, NnG Promotions are proud to announce world renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli as special guest for the annual Joseph Calleja Concert
Joseph Calleja’s debut came at the age of 19 as Macduff in Verdi’ Macbeth at the Aastra Theatre whilst studying under the tutelage of the late Mro. Paul Aciak. Shortly after he went on to win an award in the Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition which launched his international career. Calleja went on to win the 1998 Caruso Competition in Milan and was a prize winner in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia in 1999, the year of his U.S. debut at the Spoleto Festival. The last twenty years has seen Joseph Calleja go from strength to strength, receiving accolades wherever he has sung with his voice being compared to opera greats such as Jussi Björling, Beniamino Gigli, even Enrico Caruso. Calleja has appeared in most of the world’s great opera theatres, having sung an impressive 33 leading roles to date.
Born in Laiatico, Andrea Bocelli started his career under the guidance of Marestro Luciano Bettarini and, similarly to Joseph Calleja, made his stage debut in the role of Macduff in Verdi’s Macbeth in 1994. The release of Con Te Partiro in 1996, later arranged as a duet with Sarah Brightman, saw the tenor reach the top of charts all over the world with the name Andrea Bocelli becoming a household name. To date Mro Bocelli tours the world selling out venues and releasing chart topping albums whilst at the same time fronting various charities, chief amongst which is the Andrea Bocelli Foundation which operates at an international level through intervention programs aimed at overcoming the barriers generated by poverty, disability and social exclusion.
The Joseph Calleja 20th Anniversary Concert will be held on 19 August 2017 at The Granaries in Floriana with the participation of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and the BOV Joseph Calleja Children’s Choir under the direction of Gillian Zammit.
Once again, an agreement has been reached between the Government of Malta, the Malta Tourism Authority and NnG Promotions so that the whole of the standing area will be free of charge and open to the public.
The concert is supported by Bank of Valletta, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Government of Malta and Gasan Mamo.