Joseph Calleja facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joseph Calleja
Born	(1978-01-22) January 22, 1978 (age 47) Attard, Malta
Nationality	Maltese
Alma mater	De la Salle College
Occupation	Operatic tenor
Years active	1997–present
Height	189 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Children	2

Joseph Calleja was born on January 22, 1978. He is a famous Maltese tenor, which means he is a male singer with a high voice, often performing in operas.

Joseph Calleja's Early Life and Career

Joseph Calleja was born in Attard, Malta. He started singing when he was 16 years old. Another tenor, Brian Cefai, discovered his talent. Joseph then studied with Maltese tenor Paul Asciak. He went to De La Salle College.

When he was 19, Joseph sang in his first opera. He played the role of Macduff in Verdi's Macbeth at the Astra Theatre in Gozo. In the same year, he won a prize at the Belvedere Hans Gabor Competition. He also won the Caruso Competition in Milan in 1998. In 1999, he won a prize at Plácido Domingo's Operalia, another big singing contest.

On November 2, 2012, the University of Malta gave Joseph Calleja a special award. It was called a Doctor of Literature Honoris Causa. This award recognized his amazing achievements as a world-famous tenor. On October 8, 2015, he was chosen to join the board of directors for the European Academy of Music Theatre. This means he helps lead an important music organization.

Joseph Calleja's Concerts in Malta

Since 2009, Joseph Calleja has held yearly concerts at the Granaries in Malta. These concerts are very popular.

• In 2009, he sang with Michael Bolton.
• In 2010, he performed with Dionne Warwick and Riccardo Cocciante. A choir of 500 children also joined them.
• In 2011, he sang with soprano Hayley Westenra and Italian singer Lucio Dalla.
• In 2012, Ronan Keating and Gigi D'Alessio joined him.
• In 2013, he sang with Zucchero, Rebecca Ferguson, Gianluca Bezzina, Riccardo Cocciante, and Tenisha.
• In 2015, Anastacia was a special guest at his concert.

In 2012, Joseph Calleja became Malta's first Cultural Ambassador. This is a very important role, and he takes it seriously. He helps represent Malta's culture to the world.

Joseph Calleja's Music Recordings

Joseph Calleja has released many successful music recordings.

• His first solo album, Tenor Arias, came out in 2004.
• In 2005, he released The Golden Voice.
• His 2011 album, Joseph Calleja – The Maltese Tenor, was very popular. It reached second place on the German music charts. It also debuted at number one on the US Billboard Classical Traditional chart.
• In 2011, his DVD of La traviata was nominated for a Grammy award. He starred in it with Renée Fleming.
• His 2020 album, The Magic of Mantovani. The Original Recordings With Joseph Calleja, was number one on Amazon UK's Opera Charts.

Joseph Calleja also appeared on Renée Fleming's album By Request. He sang the role of Alfredo in a scene from La traviata. His song "La donna è mobile" from Verdi's Rigoletto was used in the 2007 movie No Reservations.

Joseph Calleja's Philanthropy (Helping Others)

Joseph Calleja is also known for his charity work, which is called philanthropy. He helps others through special foundations.

The Drake Calleja Trust

The Drake Calleja Trust started on September 1, 2015. Joseph Calleja is the patron of this trust. This trust gives scholarships to talented classical music students. These scholarships help students study music in the United Kingdom. They can use the money to buy instruments, join competitions, or continue their studies. By 2021, the trust had given 70 scholarships.

The BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation

On October 25, 2013, Joseph Calleja and Bank of Valletta started the BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation. This foundation helps people and groups in Malta who need support. It especially focuses on helping children who are not as lucky but have special artistic or musical talents.

Joseph Calleja in Movies

Joseph Calleja appeared in the 2013 movie The Immigrant. He played the famous tenor Enrico Caruso. The movie also starred Joaquin Phoenix and Marion Cotillard.

Joseph Calleja's Opera Roles

Joseph Calleja has performed many different roles in operas. Here are some of the operas he has sung in:

Joseph Calleja's Personal Life

Joseph Calleja has two children.