The Joseph Calleja 2013 concert held yesterday on the Granaries was a whopping success.
The show was stolen by the great performances of Joseph Calleja and Zucchero. This was the first time I listened to Zucchero live in concert. I had missed the performance he had given a few years back – if I remember correctly – at the Luxol Grounds. He is simply fantastic. His strong voice, the intelligent lyrics of his songs and his outgoing personality are combined together to make Zucchero a great performer.
Calleja was at his best. He knows how to please the crowds not just by his voice but also by his way of presenting.
The duets performed by Calleja and Zucchero together were fantastic. The bis of Miserere was the cherry on the cake.
NnG regaled us with a surprise guest: Riccardo Cocciante. His performances were also outstanding. Rebecca Ferguson has a pleasant voice but she is still not very confident communicating with the crowds. Tenisha and Gianluca (particularly the duet with Calleja) were also very good.
During such concerts I find myself looking more at the large screens than at the main stand. From time to time one could see both general views and minute details. Some of the shots were extraordinary beautiful. These screens give close up details of the action thus putting the viewer in closer contact with the performers and enhance the feeling of participation. The concert was being recorded for television with twelve or sixteen cameras. One can image the great visuals that were recorded by the steady cam and the cranes. The post-production work that has to be done on such a production must be gargantuan. I would love to see the final production.
This year there was a welcome innovation thanks to the Ministry of Tourism. The standing area was offered free of charge. From where I was sitting I could not gauge how many people chose to benefit from this generous offer. Those who did were not disappointed.
The concert was organised by NNG Promotions who should be praised for the professionalism shown during all the show.