Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja is among the finalists of the first edition of the International Opera Awards.

The awards, which will be presented at a ceremony in London on April 22, are the brainchild of Opera Magazine and British businessman Harry Hyman.

Calleja was chosen among the finalists in the male singer category together with tenors Aleksandrs Antonenko, Piotr Beczala, Jonas Kaufmann, bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni and baritone Bryn Terfel.

Also known as The Operas, the awards have 23 categories that recognise the achievements of all performers, producers and teams that work in opera.

Awards will also be given to the best female singer, conductor, opera company and chorus together with a life-time achievement and a readers’ award.

Prizes for young singers will also include bursaries.

The categories will be judged by an independent panel of industry experts. However, there is also a Readers’ Award, which allows people to vote for a singer of their choice on www.operaawards.org/ operareadersawards.aspx.

Calleja’s latest album Be My Love: A Tribute to Mario Lanza topped charts in several countries, amid a successful European tour.

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