Mezzo-soprano Vanessa Vassallo will be giving her first solo concert at St Agatha’s Auditorium, Rabat, this weekend.

Vassallo, 30, a member of the Maltese national choir KorMalta, started singing at Fgura parish church at the age of six. In recent years, she formed part of the chorus of the opera Othello staged in 2019; took part in the 2021 edition of Melodija Maġika, a festival of Maltese original songs, with a rock opera song, placing fourth; and competed in the Eleonora Lavore Festival in Gela, Sicily, three years ago. She is also a wedding singer.

“One of my greatest achievements, however, was singing live my favourite religious hymn, the Ave Maria of Schubert, while walking down the aisle,” she says.

Among her tutors is Joseph Lia, who has been her vocal coach, mentor and friend for the past four years.

“He has transformed me from just a singer in church to a professional mezzo-soprano. He pushes me to take part in activities and do auditions and share my talent. He believes in me as an artist,” Vassallo says, adding that Lia is also the mastermind behind the concert.

Titled Le più belle arie antiche (the most beautiful, antique arias), the concert focuses on arias from the baroque period. The programme includes ‘Caro mio ben’, which has long been attributed to Giuseppe Giordani, composer Tommasso Giordani’s brother. The mezzo-soprano will be accompanied by pianist Natalia Rahkmatulina.

“It has always been a dream to showcase my talent in a concert of my own. Now that it is actually happening, I am super excited to share with everyone who enjoys classical music what I have been working on for the past year. I encourage you all to attend. It would be a pleasure to see people support local talent, especially new artists,” Vassallo says.