[...] Joseph Calleja, the young Maltese tenor who sings, miracle of miracles, in the genuinely bel canto style of another age. His voice is replete with the warmth, burnished coloration, and most pleasingly comfortable placement that singers from long ago used to revel in."
LA TRAVIATA: Donna Perlmutter, Los Angeles City Beat, 22 June 2006
IMAGE GALLERY
Joseph Calleja as Alfredo and Elisabeth Futral as Violeta in the Los Angeles Opera production of La Traviata in June 2006. All photos Robert Millard / Los Angeles Opera.
REVIEWS: LA TRAVIATA
Below are a selection of reviews from LA TRAVIATA, Los Angeles Opera, June 2006. Joseph Calleja performed the role of Alfredo:
Music and Vision (mvdaily.com)
"Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja was a magnificent Alfredo. He has a large, warm voice with a bit of weight to it and he knows exactly how to use it. However, one might wonder why he omitted the high note at the end of 'O mio rimorso, o infamia.' As with most sizeable voices, recordings do not capture the full impact of his sound. He is an excellent addition to the Los Angeles Opera roster and we can hope he will return on a regular basis."
Maria Nockin, mvdaily.com, 25 June 2006
Los Angeles City Beat (lacitybeat.com)
"[...] do not miss the current cast. It heralds Joseph Calleja, the young Maltese tenor who sings, miracle of miracles, in the genuinely bel canto style of another age. His voice is replete with the warmth, burnished coloration, and most pleasingly comfortable placement that singers from long ago used to revel in. It’s lustrous without sounding high-tech. And, despite a slightly less-than-dashing presence, his moment-to-moment engagement and dramatic urgency make him a star on the horizon."
Donna Perlmutter, lacitybeat.com, 22 June 2006
LA Daily News (dailynews.com)
"Futral was well matched with Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, who sang Violetta's suitor Alfredo with great passion. Calleja has more than a beautiful voice - warm, ringing and plush; he has a voice that fills the hall. At a time when Verdi tenors are in short supply, he brings hope along with impressive vocalism. His acting could use work, but that is a small quibble, given his gifts."
David Mermelstein, dailynews.com, 15 June 2006
LA Weekly (laweekly.com)
"[...] the Alfredo of Joseph Calleja, a remarkably convincing dramatic tenor new to these ears."
Alan Rich, laweekly.com, 14 June 2006
ShowMag.com
"Joseph Calleja is a fairly stolid Alfredo with a meltingly sweet lyric tenor. Hopefully he will be challenged by other directors to loosen up and find some humanity in Alfredo’s character."
Michael Van Duzer, showmag.com, June 2006
Bloomberg.com
"Likewise, the rising Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, as her callow lover Alfredo, lends his role enviable robustness and sonic plushness."
David Mermelstein, Bloomberg.com, June 2006
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LA TRAVIATA, Los Angeles Opera
7, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21 and 24 June 2006
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A.,
Info: (213) 972-8001 · http://www.losangelesopera.com
