Calleja has Bergonzi's cello like vocal line and the young Pavarotti's free and open sound. Those comparisons are written soberly and without exaggeration. He is the real deal [...]"Concertonet
REVIEWS: ROYAL OPERA HOUSE CONCERT
A last minute performance after Dmitri Hvorostovky (who was replacing Rolando Villazon) had cancelled; Calleja, DiDonato and Hampson, all performing in London at the moment, accepted to sing on very short notice.
Concertonet
“First came Calleja's set of Italian love songs, including Mattinata. All were sung with just the right amount of portamento and expression. His top pinged delightfully and he didn't make heavy weather of anything. Later that clean line and lovely sense of style blessed Rodrigue's world weary prayer from Massenet's Le Cid and, with mangled English and no irony, d' Hardelot's Because. I wouldn't want it any other way and for that he joins Fritz Wunderlich and Mario del Monaco in beautifully sung crimes of the English language. Calleja has Bergonzi's cello like vocal line and the young Pavarotti's free and open sound. Those comparisons are written soberly and without exaggeration. He is the real deal and good enough to get that hermetic breed, the vocal connoisseur, to put on some deodorant and catch his remaining Alfredos."
Concertonet
The Independent, UK
“[...] and Joseph Calleja showed off his warm, well-upholstered, tenor in a series of Italian and French bon bons. What an honest and big-hearted singer he is and how he nailed Rodrigue’s aria from Massanet’s Le Cid. He and Hampson could not have escaped The Pearl Fishers duet – they nailed that, too, the blend of timbres reminding us why they make such a convincing father and son act in Traviata. Pure pleasure."
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, UK, 25 June 2009
Opera Today
"Calleja started off with three crowd-pleasing Italian concert bonbons; if the final moments of Tosti’s ‘A Vucchella’ were a touch flat, it didn’t detract too much from the pleasure of hearing a voice so integrated from top to bottom; there was real sunshine in the top note of Leoncavallo’s ‘Mattinata’. After the interval he had less success with ‘Ô souverain’ from Le Cid, that old Domingo favourite, which suffered from fragmented phrasing and a lack of care for legato. But his delivery has an endearing honesty — he sings from the heart, and his final solo, Guy d’Hardelot’s ‘Because’ was a real winner."
Opera Today
The Times
"[...] the radiant sunlight of Calleja’s spirited tenor arias from Leoncavallo and Tosti."
The Times
What's On Stage
"[...] Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja – currently appearing in La traviata – opened proceedings with three songs, all popular in appeal, including Mattinata by Leoncavallo and Tosti’s A Vucchella. This was big-hearted and charming singing, if rather dry-toned (and a little belting) that easily filled the space; the gentle imploring of the Tosti was especially inviting. Later, Calleja would find richer timbres and much depth for Rodrigue’s Aria from Act III of Massenet’s Le Cid and charmed once more with Because by Guy d’Hardelot (Helen Guy Rhodes)."
Colin Anderson, What's On Stage
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ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON
Concert 24 June 2009
Soloists:
Joyce DiDonato (soprano), Joseph Calleja (tenor), Thomas Hampson (baritone)
Vasko Vassilev (violin)
Antonio Pappano, piano and conducting
Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra
