The management of the Manoel Theatre has announced a unique tribute to Oreste Kirkop, a Maltese opera singer who had achieved international recognition during the 1950s on both sides of the Atlantic. This tribute is scheduled for Sunday at 11am and will be held at the courtyard of the theatre which once formed part of Palazzo Bonici. The activity will be held to coincide with the BOV Opera Festival, which is currently on at the Manoel.

The tribute will include the unveiling of an almost life-size bronze alto rilievo of the famous Maltese tenor seen in the Duke of Mantua attire from Rigoletto, the work of Ganni Bonnici, one of Malta’s leading artists. An exhibition of photographs, posters, documents and international press reports will be held at the Sala Isouard. Film clips from Oreste’s international operatic career in the UK and USA will also be screened.

A memento highlighting the short but dazzling international career of Oreste Kirkop will also be distributed.

This tribute recalls an important event in the annals of the theatre way back in December 1948 when Oreste Kirkop, sitting in the auditorium of the theatre during a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, was asked there and then to substitute for the indisposed Italian tenor who had abandoned the production after the second act.

The success of that performance with Oreste Kirkop threw wide open the doors for other Maltese singers to appear with the same Italian opera company. It had also brought the first ripples of success for Oreste Kirkop, which later led to his singing Rigoletto and La Boheme at London’s Covent Garden as well as on tour in the UK. He was also engaged as principal tenor of the NBC Opera Company with appearances in 57 American cities. He became Paramount Pictures’ singing discovery and appeared in the title-role of the film The Vagabond King opposite Kathryn Grayson.

Oreste Kirkop passed away in 1998 just two months short of his 75th birthday. He is survived by his two daughters Anita and Susan.