No ordinary Joe

It is often said that for an island nation of just 400,000 souls we have more than our fair share of artistic talent. But in recent years we have upped the ante a notch or three and acquired a super-star, no less. For that indeed is what world-renowned operatic tenor Joseph Calleja has become. And one of the nice things about the guy is the fact that he has kept his feet firmly on terra firma and remained, well, Joseph Calleja.

He has also not forgotten his adoring Maltese public and usually manages to fit into his hectic schedule at least one concert or operatic performance in his native islands every year. This month - on July 12 at 8 p.m. to be precise - Mro Calleja will be giving an open-air concert in St George's Square, Valletta, titled A Tribute to Pavarotti. The event will be organised by NnG Promotions with the collaboration of the Malta Tourism Authority.

It is less than a year since Mro Pavarotti died in September 2007, so the memory of his magnificent and quite unique voice will still be fresh in most people's minds. Many see Mro Calleja as the natural successor to the great man, so it is fitting that he has dedicated this concert to the Italian master.

Appearing with Mro Calleja will be Ukrainian soprano Nataliya Kovalova and Romanian baritone George Petean, while another distinguished Maltese musician, Mro Brian Schembri, will conduct the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nataliya Kovalova won both second prize and the audience prize at Placido Domingo's 2004 Operalia Competition in Los Angeles. She then furthered her studies in Poland and finally at the von Weber Hochschule in Dresden. She made her professional debut in Poland in the 1999/2000 season and has been a member of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf since 2001/2002. Her diverse repertoire includes such roles as Pamina, Elvira, Susanna, Mimi, Violetta, Nedda, Lauretta, Nanetta and Tatyana. Also an accomplished concert artiste, Ms Kovalova has performed widely throughout Germany, Austria, Russia and Switzerland.

The young Romanian baritone George Petean is another rising star who has sung most of the great baritone roles, including a particularly distinguished Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

Conductor Brian Schembri needs little introduction to Maltese audiences. These days he is based in France, where he has conducted the Theatre du Capitole and the Orchestra National du Capitole, both in Toulouse, and l'Orchestre National de Lyon. And he is also permanent conductor with the Orchestre Philharmonique de France.

The evening's programme will include tenor arias by Puccini, Verdi and Pietri, arias for soprano by Dvorak and Puccini and baritone solos by Verdi and Leoncavallo. We are also promised duets for all three combinations of voice. The orchestra will play the overture to Verdi's Nabucco and La Tregenda-Le Villi by Puccini. Some of the best-loved operas will be featured: La Boheme, Tosca, Ballo in Maschera, Turandot, Manon Lescaut and Pagliacci will make up an evening that will linger long in the memories of Maltese music lovers.