After a highly acclaimed performance at the Last Night of the 2012 BBC Proms, Joseph Calleja returns to the beloved summer festival on September 5 for an evening of music celebrating Verdi’s 200th birthday. The program features several of Verdi’s most cherished works from such iconic operas as La traviata, La forza del destino, and Aida. Led by conductor Xian Zhang, the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi joins Joseph for the bicentennial celebration.

Two days later on September 7, Joseph marks the Last Night of the 2013 BBC Proms with British pop star Bryan Ferry in an open-air concert at Hyde Park. For this Proms in the Park event, Joseph joins the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe with special guests violinist Nigel Kennedy, Sir Terry Wogan, and Dame Edna Everage, who will be leading the traditional sing-a-long.

These performances mark the fourth year in a row that the Maltese tenor has performed at the Proms. Last year, Joseph closed out the Proms with violinist Nicola Benedetti. In 2011, Joseph appeared as a soloist in Verdi’s Requiem, and in 2010 he sang the role of Gabriele Adorno in Simon Boccanegra.

Tonight Joseph gives his second of two performances as Gabriel Adorno in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra in concert at the Vienna Concert House. The concerts mark the celebration of the composer’s bicentennial. In its review of his performance, the Kurier exclaimed, “What a voice, what poetry, what melodiousness, what radiance!” while Die Presse stated, “There are not many tenors who can sing the role of Adorno as unpretentiously, tastefully, and free of bad habits as Joseph Calleja.” Led by Massimo Zanetti, the all-star cast includes baritone Thomas Hampson as the title character and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni as Albiani. The concerts will be recorded for international release this fall, when Calleja and Hampson reprise their roles in Simon Boccanegra at the Vienna State Opera.

“Ten concerts in ten cities in one month alone. This is Joseph Calleja, widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest living opera singers.” That’s how CNN International introduces Gramophone Artist of the Year Joseph Calleja, the most recent subject of the networks “Road Warriors” feature, which follows the lives of fast-paced professionals on the road. Offering illuminating “behind the scenes” footage of the Maltese tenor, the video may be viewed online here. This segment will receive the first of many television broadcasts today on CNN International’s Business Traveller features show. This “Road Warriors” profile comes on the heels of Calleja’s singular success last month in La bohème at Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he starred opposite Anna Netrebko. In its review of La bohème, the Chicago Sun-Times praised his “powerful and idiomatic singing,” while the Chicago Tribune concluded: “It was wonderful…to have Calleja back, especially in a part that’s so congenial for him vocally and that he inhabits with such winning energy. The tenoral sound he poured out on Saturday was gleaming, even and powerful, its quick vibrato apt for conveying Rodolfo’s passionate and volatile nature. … Calleja earned the torrent of applause he received.” On the road again, the tenor may now be heard in concert performances of Simon Boccanegra opposite baritone Thomas Hampson in the title role at the Vienna Konzerthaus, in honor of this year’s Verdi bicentennial (April 13 & 17).

Despite having a brilliant song that was delivered impeccably Malta didn’t win the Eurovision song contest. No doubt there will be many who will cry foul, bring up the unfair issue of neighbourly  cross voting and insist on having Malta withdraw from future contests.

Whether it is in the office or on stage “cross voting” is just yet a common and normal factor that has to catered for and dealt with in the long road of realising ones goal, whatever that might be. Fierce competition is rampant everywhere in todays society and the road to success will be constantly besieged by factions, jealousy, envy, loyalties, nepotism or downright corruption. Multiple spokes in the wheels are not only the norm but they are to be expected and dealt with. Indeed I view these acts of cheekiness as adding to ones achievment and a sad reminder that human nature can sometimes be petty and small minded.

So to all of those who think that Malta should stop competing in the Eurovision I say that some form of “tomfoolery” will always be present and cannot really be avoided and it is the marking of true, real talent to triumph despite and against the odds!

What we really need to do in Malta is to see the Eurovision for what it is; great, silly fun and just another way to remind our European neighbours what a great destination and fun Malta is.

Life ain’t perfect and it certainly isn’t fair but fate is inexorable and the day will come when someone from these shores will lift the trophy… in the meantime a big BRAVO to Gianluca and all the Maltese team who went there to have fun and fun they had!