The BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation held its annual Fund Raising Concert on the 7 December 2016.

This year, the 300-year old Teatru Manoel provided the backdrop for this 90-minute programme that saw Joseph Calleja accompanied by several of the Foundation's scholars, and the initimable Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Mro Brian Schembri. Simone Attard accompanied the soloists at the piano.

"As the Maltese Tenor himself mentioned in a brief interval during the concert, this Concert is the main fund-raising event that the Foundation holds every year. Thanking the benefactors and patrons for their unfailing support, he said that the concert serves to showcase the talents of some of our scholars who over the past four years since its setting up have grown and today number sixteen. Louis Cassar, Clare Ghigo, Marvic Monreal and Nicola Said  shared the stage with Joseph Calleja during this concert, performing arias and duets from Tosca, Rigoletto and Carmen among others. The Foundation, co-founded by Joseph Calleja himself and Bank of Valletta serves as a 'safety net' and supports promising talented young artists in different disciplines to follow their studies," a statement by BOV read.

Another goal of the Foundation is to use music as a therapy, this time to support 'the vulnerable child'. This drive looks at art as a medium to heal and help children facing difficult circumstances in life grow stronger.

Following the concert, the benefactors and patrons joined Joseph Calleja and the other performers for a reception at Casino Maltese.