Riccardo Cocciante to perform during Calleja concert
Copyright: Boventoon, Photographer: Michel Figuet
Popular Italian singer Riccanto Cocciante will be joining tenor Joseph Calleja on stage during his eagerly anticipated annual summer concert on July 24, at The Granaries in Floriana.
Cocciante’s participation has been confirmed by concert organisers NnG Promotions.
Cocciante, who won the 1991 edition of the Festival di San Remo with Se Stiamo Insieme, is well known for his distinctive choice and the versatility of his style.
Cocciante is particularly well-loved by Maltese music lovers for the hit that launched him onto the international scene, Bella Senza Anima. Other classic Cocciante hits include Margherita, L’Alba and Io Canto.
In the meantime, singer Claudio Baglioni has had to forego Calleja’s invitation to perform in the concert due to an "unforeseen indisposition of a personal nature".
In a personal and handwritten letter addressed to Calleja, the Italian singer expressed his deep regrets and his disappointment while hoping for another opportunity to visit Malta in the near future.
While expressing regrets at Baglioni’s indisposition, Calleja said he is very happy to welcome Riccardo Cocciante on stage with him and that he is looking forward to a concert that promised to be the biggest musical event this summer.
“I am very happy to confirm Riccardo’s partecipation in my annual appointment with the Maltese audience. Riccardo Cocciante is one of Italy’s top selling artists and I have the greatest respect for his work. Both Riccardo’s and Dionne’s participation will add an extra dimension to this concert and I have full faith this year’s event will be just as memorable and unique for the audience as last year,” Joseph Calleja said.
The concert will also include the participation of a 500-strong children’s choir and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by celebrated Maestro Paul Bateman. Equally comfortable with both classical and lighter pop music, Bateman was a hit with the Maltese crowd when he first appeared on stage with Calleja last year. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by acclaimed musicians such as Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras.
For more information, email info@nngpromotions.com or call on 9933 4444.
Tickets for the concert are available from all Agenda, Vodafone and Exotique outlets and from www.nngpromotions.com .
The concert is supported by Vodafone Malta and Malta International Airport.
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Krista Camilleri
Jul 3rd 2010, 13:46
This was always marketed as a Joseph Calleja concert. Dionne Warwick and Claudio Baglioni are going to be his guests like Michael Bolton was his guest last year. Claudio Baglioni is pulling out and was replaced by another Italian legend, Riccardo Cocciante.
Under these circumstances I fail to see the alleged unprofessionalism of the organisers here. It would have been different of course if this was exclusively a Baglioni show.
This promises to be an extraordinary night with three world class performance. Surely not an everyday occurence on our small island.
Amy Joan Zahra
Jul 3rd 2010, 08:41
I recently had a very negative experience with NNG and they removed the positive perception of the company I previously had. I had been looking forward to watching and listening to Joseph Calleja so I called the disabled ticket hotline for a ticket; since I am disabled and cannot stand up for a long time. Though I was told that this area is only for wheelchair users. I later emailed NNG and was told the same - and that if I wanted to sit, I should buy one of the expensive tickets. I was also told that these are the standards abroad - which is so untrue as O2 Arena in London have confirmed that such area is BOTH for WHEELCHAIR USERS AND AMBIVALENT DISABLED. But I guess as they, it has to be in Malta for such companies to bend the regulations to their pleasing.
What NNG seem not to grasp is that I NEED to sit down and it is not a luxury for me. I do not have a choice whereas other non-disabled people have a choice!!
j bugeja
Jul 2nd 2010, 22:18
nng should refund all those who have tickets in hand and were only going to attend concert because claudio baglioni was amongst the performers.
NNG please advise how we can get our money back
Rita Muscat
Jul 3rd 2010, 09:40
For all of you who are writing about the performances of Joseph Calleja, you are all getting it wrong. I am many like me know all this, this is not an issue of praising Joseph Calleja, it is an issue of concert not being the same. You were going specifically for Joseph Calleja, whilst I and many others like me were going specifically for Claudio Baglioni. I am also a MALTESE like you, very proud to be one and also feel very proud when I read reviews or Mr. Calleja's performances worldwide.
@ Melanie Demanuele - I also travel every year to watch Claudio Baglioni in concert overseas however the issue here is NNG, I also want my money back. I will call them professionals not when they replace a singer by another one but when they inform us from where we can get our full refund. Maybe you and the many others who are writing in favour of NNG,are one of the many lucky ones who got complimentary tickets!
Matt Barthet
Jul 3rd 2010, 13:34
i have written to NNG as soon as i heard the news yesterday and have not as yet received a reply from them....i am not interested in going to this concert if Claudio Baglioni will not be performing.... i was promised a package and now this has been changed. want my money back....from someone who always buys his own tickets to every concert he attends unlike lucky friends of promoters etc. if one can afford to give free tickets, one can afford to reduce prices of tickets to others
Angelica Bossert
Jul 2nd 2010, 21:28
Joseph Calleja's performance in Tales of Hoffman at the NYC Metropolitan Opera has been broadcast by public television all over the USA not just once, as is the case with such presentations in the "Great Performances" series, but TWICE! I watched both presentations, as well as the original, live telecast. You have to see it to believe it.
Henry Jacobs
Jul 2nd 2010, 19:46
Has anyone seen the reviews of Joseph Calleja's latest performance at the Royal Opera Hse. Just one from the Times of London -' In the tenor role of Adorno, the fabulous Joseph Calleja, a protégé of Domingo, made me think not of his elder co-star but more of a young Pavarotti: in his care, the future of tenor singing looks pretty rosy.'
Joseph you make us proud. We want to see you perform in Malta and you can invite whom you like.
Melanie Demanuele
Jul 2nd 2010, 19:01
@ P Scicluna I travel abroad once or twice a year to attend Baglioni's performances, some of which are for private audiences and I can tell you that as an informed fan, it is clear from this statement and even his site, that Baglioni is indisposed for unforeseen personal reasons. Isn't it clear enough to you what this means? The organisers could have rested on their laurels, sat on their bums and do nothing. Instead they are ensuring an excellent experience for all those who attend Joseph's concert on July 24. They acted professionally as usual and brought over an artist who is not only of the same calibre and nationality like Baglioni but perhaps an even bigger star than him. Isn;t this a serious approach to manage an unforeseen circumstance? Well done NNG - you have set an example to other event organisers on how to act in such emergency situations. your approach to the situation is the envy to any professional organiser, local or international. See you at Fosos on July 24.
M Attard
Jul 2nd 2010, 16:22
@ P Scicluna.
Before jumping to conclusions, take a deep breath, relax and read article again :
In the meantime, singer Claudio Baglioni has had to forego Calleja’s invitation to perform in the concert due to an "unforeseen indisposition of a personal nature".
In a personal and handwritten letter addressed to Calleja, the Italian singer expressed his deep regrets and his disappointment while hoping for another opportunity to visit Malta in the near future.
What has "La Maltija" got to do with it?
This is Joseph Calleja's concert. He's the MALTESE star together with the MALTESE choir.
Thanks Mr. Calleja for honouring us with your concerts. Others have to travel hundreds of miles to hear you, yet you come here every year to perform to YOUR people.
D Debono
Jul 2nd 2010, 19:04
Well said ... @ P Scicluna You sound like one of the gemgem lot.... li jeqirdu u jgergru fuq kollox.... even in the face of a very professional management of a clear emergency situation Well done nNG
eric saliba
Jul 2nd 2010, 15:42
@ p scicluna. this was no fault from the maltese side. what were the organisers supposed to do???? cancel just because baglioni cannot make it??
good luck joseph calleja. i'll be there even if no foreign artist turns up.
Rita Muscat
Jul 2nd 2010, 18:20
Very disappointed indeed. I have personally seen Joseph Calleja many a time, however I am a fan of Claudio Baglioni and was specifically coming to Malta to watch him sing, having booked my air ticket, vacation leave and the lot.................. would have travelled to Malta at a much later date and now thanks to whatever the reason is behind Claudio Baglioni's cancellation, I will be enjoying the boring life of an empty city during the month of August instead of enjoying the summer in Malta.
P.Scicluna
Jul 2nd 2010, 15:26
Shame.
First we were told that Baglioni was going to sing now he cancilled. Now we have a different taste singer. I bboked back in March for this concert. Usually this concert is very well organised but now I must say it is a la maltija.Shame we deserved better.