A bronze bust of Maltese tenor Oreste Kirkop was unveiled yesterday in the Manoel Theatre courtyard.

Oreste, who died in 1998 at the age of 74, was a star who made Malta proud. He retired in 1969 after a string of successes that led him all the way to Hollywood. Malta was applauded along with Oreste during every step of his career.

The tenor made his debut in the role of Turiddu in the Cavalliera Rusticana in 1945. he performed as a tenor at the Manoel Theatre before appearing at the La Scala theatre along with Tito Gobbi and Maria Caniglia, two famous opera stars.

In September 1950, Oreste sang at the Leeds Grand Theatre and went on to successful performances at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Following on his achievments in the UK, Oreste went over to Hollywood where he worked for Paramount Pictures.

The star chose to retire in 1960. at the unveiling, tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that Oreste will go down in history as one of the top tenors that world ever witnessed.

"His name became synonmous with Malta and therefore he was an excellent ambassador for the country," the minister said. He added that Oreste generated enthusiasm because he always gave his best.

Oreste had personality and that gave him an advantage over other singers of the time. "It is no wonder that at the height of his career, he was compared to the Italian Tenor Caruso," said Dr Zammit Dimech.

He said that Malta's history revolves around characters like Oreste who dedicated their lives to art and music. "Due to their culture, the Maltese distinguished themselves from personalities from other countries," the minister said.