Tenor Joseph Calleja returns to the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Concert Hall for a recital. The opera aficionados compare him to tenors of the golden age such as Jussi Björling, Beniamino Gigli and even Enrico Caruso. Born in Malta, Calleja has quickly become one of the most acclaimed and sought-after tenors of today. His competition wins, his extensive discography and his performances in the world’s most important opera houses and concert halls have earned him Artist of the Year title.
Calleja has appeared in more than 30 solo roles, including Cavaradossi (Tosca), José (Carmen), Hoffmann (Les contes d’Hoffmann/The Tales of Hoffmann), Faust, Alfredo (La Traviata), and Herzog (Rigoletto), Edgar (Lucia di Lammermoor), Riccardo (Un ballo in Maschera/A Masked Ball), Adorno (Simon Bocanegra) in the opera houses in New York, Chicago, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Paris, Vienna, London, Naples and elsewhere. In 2017, the singer was invited to take part in the Metropolitan Opera’s 50th anniversary celebration, featuring some of the world’s top opera soloists.
Calleja also collaborates with pop and rock artists. He gives spectacular open-air concerts in Malta. As a celebrity in his home country, Calleja was elected as Malta’s first Cultural Ambassador in 2012. The singer has recently co-founded the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation with the Bank of Malta Valletta to help children and families in need.
Tonight, the singer will perform with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and its artistic director, Maestro Modestas Pitr?nas. The concert will feature Italian and French music – vocal and instrumental works by Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Gaetano Donizetti, Jules Massenet and Francesco Paolo Tosti.