Tenor Joseph Calleja (right) will give a special performance on Wednesday for Queen Elizabeth II at the Palace in Valletta.

The concert, hosted by President Eddie Fenech Adami and his wife, will be followed by a state dinner.

The event will take place on the eve of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, being held in Malta between Friday and November 27, which will be opened by the Queen.

The Office of the President said about 160 people have been invited to the dinner and 40-minute concert, which will also include performances by the National Orchestra.

Guests include the Prime Minister and members of the government as well as senior members of the judiciary.

A high level British delegation expected to include Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will also attend.

The 27-year-old tenor, who has just completed two sell-out performances of La Bohème at the Astra Theatre in Victoria, had to seek special dispensation from contractual commitments in Germany so that he could make a brief return to Malta to perform in the concert and he has waived his fee.

Mr Calleja said: "This is a great occasion for the island. I hope they can get to sample everything Malta has to offer; be it food, wine and, of course, music".