Friday, 9th January 2009 - 14:54CET

Joseph Calleja in concert with... Bolton

Jennifer Mifsud

Filming and editing: Paul Spiteri Lucas

For the first time in their careers Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja and American singer Michael Bolton will give the Maltese public a unique concert on July 19, NnG promotions announced during a press conference today.

Talking to timesofmalta.com, Joseph Calleja expressed his enthusiasm and said that the two will be singing solo pieces as well as duets together. Joseph Calleja and Micheal Bolton will be joined by soprano Tatiana Lisnic. Mr Calleja also said that other famous local artists will be performing on the night.

NnG director Dr Nigel Camilleri said that by bringing together the two artists, "we are trying to bridge the gap between two different musical genres thus bringing their music to a wider audience".

For this concert, there will be five categories of tickets - Platinum (€200), Gold circle (€150), Silver circle (€110), Bronze (€70) and general standing (€35). Further information can be obtained from www.nngpromotions.com.

Previous article • Updated: Video: People asked not to pay utility bills within 45-day window
Next article • Czech Presidency aims to finalise Treaty proposal to Ireland by June

Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Wednesday, November 25, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Joanne Sciberras (on 11/1/09)

come on guys ...we have exorbant elect bills to pay dont forget !!! why do they do them so expensive ?

Christopher Galea (on 11/1/09)

Matthew, how many people were there? You might need to do your maths again.....

Matthew Azzopardi (on 11/1/09)

Madonna - Live Tour Summer 2008 - Stade St. Denis Paris - Dress Circle (No Better Place Available) = EUROS 80.00. You do the maths now!!!! (I still have the original ticket to prove this)

Joe Micallef (on 10/1/09)

All of you!

Why have you been beating the words out of those complaining about the prices!
They're right! The last time I saw Castro backed by Kim Jong-il, I wasn't charged a dime and even clapping was wonderfully organised!!!!

I. Galea (on 10/1/09)

sorry my previous comment seems to have been edited (O_o)

it was addressed to j. galea and those whore are complaining about the concert prices.

I. Galea (on 10/1/09)

j. galea, and the rest of you

that is not true. MTV festival, notte bianca, notte gozitana, carnival...are just a few of the FREE events and concerts that are regularly held around Malta. Issa if you'd rather turn your noses up at these events and expect concerts such as this one to be free, or at least cheap..then i can't help get the impression that you fail to appreciate the quality and talent of Joseph Calleja and other renowned singers/musicians, for there are many other people whom are willing to pay the money to see him in concert.

Graham Crocker (on 10/1/09)

Lol, What have I suddenly become Rich?

Euro 35 for standing is very good. Considering most of you spent Euro80's for a new years eve party with a crap Dj and spiked drinks, this should be dirt cheap.

Euro 80 for normal seating , isn't at all bad.

Also the Euro 200 ticket is for people, who want to sit far away from people like you.

s stivala (on 10/1/09)

socialist mentality - envy of business.

Daphne Caruana Galizia (on 10/1/09)

@I can't believe these people. First they complain that the tickets are too expensive (so fine, don't go then). Then they complain that for EUR35 they'll need a pair of binoculars to see the stage. Then they demand that the concert be free (then they'll really need those binoculars). And there's somebody here claiming that the performers should have 10,000 people paying EUR10 each rather than 1,000 paying EUR100 each - and he's the very same one grumbling because, if you buy a EUR35 ticket, you don't get to see the stage close up. What's he going to say if, after he's paid his EUR10, he finds himself at the back of a crowd of 10,000? You'd think there'd be a few comments saying 'Oh wow, Michael Bolton and Joseph Calleja, great idea. Thank heavens some people bother to organise these things." But no. They're going to make a profit, and heaven forbid that should be allowed to happen without protest.

Mario Gauci (on 9/1/09)

I for one will not be duped again into watching a live concert in Malta. The sheer disorganisation that occurred Michael Bolton's concert at Ta' qali definitely puts me off. As for performing "in a second concert since he shook the Ta' Qali convention centre with his rich vocals and boisterous band last October", I doubt it very much that it was such a success.

Don't mind paying good money but in Malta you only get crappy organisation. By the way, I for one am still awaiting a reply from nngpromotions regarding the shambles presented last year.

Geraldine Gatt (on 9/1/09)

i am thrilled to see michael and joseph sing together!! it will surely be a great concert!

Adrian Borg (on 9/1/09)

€200? I'd rather go watch Coldplay abroad with that amount of money or at most €100 more, which sum would include flight expenses and accomodation!

j.galea (on 9/1/09)

Whoever said that the maltese pretend these concerts to be free. Gone are the days when the cikku il-poplu had such event presented to him for free. To day such events are always done for money by some organizations and you have to be a relative or a VIP to watch them free which in the end the rest of the audience is paying.

S Galea (on 9/1/09)

@ eric
Culture is the music. The concert is entertainment - and I simply can't understand how an individual can 'ask' another to "lower his prices" in such a condescending tone.

@ Jeremy
If the 'ripping-off' is the result of some businessman's greed and short-sighted money-grabbing mentality: unfortunate, true. However... fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. And the limited target market (due to population) for these people will surely (hopefully) lead to a short-lived business venture in such cases.

@ wally
Arrogant? Possibly. Just a concise way of preempting your conclusion though...

@ J.
It's not the complaining. It's the tone.

J.Galea (on 9/1/09)

Its very good to have such high level singers brought to Malta for Us to enjoy, but what is wrong is that the organizers are almost always found to be wanting in the end. Let us not blame it on their greediness to make a larg ammount of money in one event. But how come that last summer's boulton concert started an hr and a half late and than lasted for only 1and a half hour instead of three? maybe he is not capable of singing for three hours. I don't think so.
In my opinion this is robbing the audience and i am amazed how many of our "accept all attitude" in other words pay these high prices to get robbed.

Paula Cassar (on 9/1/09)

Wow this is great news! I missed Joseph Calleja's concert last year and am greatful to the organizers for this opportunity. Also good to hear that other famous local artists are will be given the opportunity to perform. Looking forward to a great show.

B Sant (on 9/1/09)

for roger waters i paid the high price and was nt disappointed at all since the show and sound where the same as his US concerts, for Sting i paid the low price and would have been better off i stood at home listening to his cd...... the show and more so the sound was utterly disgusting

Gladys Abela (on 9/1/09)

Why do we continue to insist on getting everything for free in this country??? If you don't like the prices don't attend - I'm sure the concerts will be sold out all the same, bought by people who enjoy good music and an excellent show.
€35 is nothing to pay considering you will have two incredible artists in a unique worldwide concert, definately worth that kind of money.

J. Borg (on 9/1/09)

What's the use of going to a concert and watch it on a projection screen.
People are made to pay hefty sums just to watch concerts on screens....what a laugh.
@ J, Camillerri; S galea...Jekk ma joghgbox tmurx?
So we have to this now......no one can complain in Malta now!!!!!
I gave up going to concerts....as they are a rip off.......

Henry Jacobs (on 9/1/09)

Great Stuff. It is incredible to have such high level events here in Malta. Looking forward. There is an entry level ticket at €35 which to me is incredibly cheap.

Juliana Bezzina (on 9/1/09)

Having travelled to see other artists abroad I really think that the catagory of prices are quite fair. Come on people!... we are being previlaged to see two artist is one show!

J Azzopardi (on 9/1/09)

Some people seem to want to ride on their elitist high horse at the expense of others. I purchased a silver ticket to attend the Joseph Calleja concert last year, but the location, seat arrangement and stage set up were atrocious. Suffice it to say that patrons with bronze tickets were seated on each side of the stage and they could see absolutely nothing. In fact projection screens were set up for them. If people are expected to pay these kind of prices then they should be given service to match.

edmond baldacchino (on 9/1/09)

by the way who is Micheal Bolton??? he seems like my grandpa ...bring someone who rocks

wally vella-zarb (on 9/1/09)

Quite right, nobody is being forced to attend. Many won't because, like me, they would as a matter of principle not be willing - even if comfortably able - to support rip-off pricing.

However, I do find the exhortation "TINDAHALX! " in poor taste, very offensive and downright arrogant! If you want to blow your money away just go ahead and do it; it does not matter to me. But NEVER expect other people to call a 'Rip-off' by any other name, if that is how they see it. They have just as much a right to their opinion as anyone else.

Tony Bonello (on 9/1/09)

Are the prices serious I go to Festivals and the entrance ticket will be 35 euros for 7 days with lots of artists and not for 2 hrs to see two well know artists. Sorry this is another situation where promoters want to get rich quickly, sorry but you not get rich on me. Glasto here I come and than Freedom in Portugal. This should be free of charge or at a reasonable price.

Keith Aquilina (on 9/1/09)

in fact many seats are always filled up through promotional tickets...believe me only the minority fork out the whole price for such events

jamie pace (on 9/1/09)

@s galea..i strongly agree with you...no one has been forced at gun point to go buy the tickets...very simple if you find the tickets too expensive and above ur reach...simply dont go..stay at home...

Jeremy J Camilleri (on 9/1/09)

Jaen Mifsud...Malta can also afford to do free concerts....

How much did the EU accession celebrations cost again?

I have attended a host of concerts abroad, and have NEVER been asked to pay anything similar to the prices asked by Maltese organisers!

I did not attend the Bolton concert, having boycotted certain promoters ages ago, however, I can still recall the host of letters by those who attended....

S galea...Jekk ma joghgbox tmurx? And those who attended the previous concert and felt they were ripped off.?? did they get their money back?

One other thing...In the past..letters to the editor and positive comments in blogs where written by people close to certain artists or organisers.....Hope it isn';t happening here...

eric saliba (on 9/1/09)

@ s galea. thank you for your very christian comment. so culture will from now on be reserved for the ones who can afford to pay !!
i asked for lower prices so that even more people would be able to attend.....unlike to what happened at the end of year concert where the promoters were forced to cancel due to lack of sale of tickets.

jane mifsud (on 9/1/09)

mr saliba... if the concert involved some dancing choreography, i would understand your frustration at not being able to see because of the people in front of you. both last june and last year, during the isle of mtv concert i had to see what was happening on stage on the screen. but in my case i don't mind paying €35 and (just) hear these two artists singing live!

@ s galea... spot on!

S Galea (on 9/1/09)

@ The bunch of negativity-crusaders
When you are dragged by the scruff of your necks to the ticketing booth and forced to fork out the money at gunpoint I shall stand up for your rights to get on my nerves. Jekk ma joghgbokx - TMURX!
This is after all a private business venture and just like you can choose your grocer for his lower prices you can choose your entertainment. TINDAHALX!

@NnG
Well done for yet another effort to bring classy, prestigious and unique events to these shores and I hope your efforts do translate into the "massive profit" mentioned below - both to provide you with the impetus to keep up this annual endeavour and for your own sake too.

eric saliba (on 9/1/09)

@ anth cassar & jane mifsud. i forgot to ask if for 35 euros i would also get a pair of binoculars to be able to see the performers on stage.
has anyone of you seen the end of year concert in rimini??
if i were a performer i'd rather have 10.000 people who paid 10 euros present than 1000 who paid 100 euros !!! dunno about you and no i'm not in a position to sponsor this event as suggested by mr cassar.

anthony cassar (on 9/1/09)

to make a concert like this free of charge you would need a huge sponsor or sponsors. perhaps mr.saliba knows someone who can fork out the money. by the way one must note that in Italy festivalbar was stopped due to financial difficulties.

jane mifsud (on 9/1/09)

Mr Borg, i fully share your opinion. but what i can't understand is that people find it hard to pay €35 stand up in public space (considering it will be summer) when you have at least 2 performers of high calibre (a tenor said to be the next pavarotti, and another who sang with each of the three tenors themselves) together in one concert and, according to the article, local artists will be given a chance to perform too (unlike this year's isle of mtv).

Joe Tabone-Adami (on 9/1/09)

For the price of a platinum ticket (200 euros) many of us would rather but between 10 and 20 CD's featuring classical music - including arias by Joseph Calleja himself, if one so fancies, which will make our tenor vary happy indeed by way of income from rights!

V. Mallia (on 9/1/09)

Wonderful!!! Is the venue going to be the same as the previous Bolton's concert with those uncomfortable chairs? Since now there are going to be two world renowned singers and not one, does that mean that the spectators will have to wait three hours and not 1 and a half hours for the concert to commence?!!! Sorry... but my memory is still vivid from Bolton's last concert. Ohhh forgot to mention... the prices are exorbitant!!

Matthew Borg (on 9/1/09)

@ Jane Mifsud

Oh come on, €35 to stand up in a public space? Its fairly evident that the promoters are doing their utmost to make a massive profit over that that they'll have to spend for Calleja and Bolton's services, apart from everything else involved.

Plus I would hope that this is anything like the Promotion's last debacle - the organisation of the Bolton concert last year !

jane mifsud (on 9/1/09)

mr saliba, in italy with such a large market, they can afford to do so... it would be enough to have one sponsor over there. Not so here. but why is it that the people of this country want everything for free? there are €35 tickets too, you know!

eric saliba (on 9/1/09)

i agree with kevin galea. in neighbouring italy megaconcerts are held in major piazzas for the people to enjoy free of charge !!!

M Borg (on 9/1/09)

Kevin,
it is demand and supply...if people want them they pay for them...if everyone thinks they are ridiculos the promoters will have to fill them in themselves

kevin galea (on 9/1/09)

can you please reserve me 20 platinium tickets please???????? what ridiculous prices!!!!

Joseph Calleja in concert with... Bolton

Comments

Poll

Fun Stuff

	15 °C
Mostly Clear Feels like: 14.0°C UV Index: 3