Only a handful of people get the opportunity to sing for a US presidential candidate, yet aspiring tenor Stanley Portelli is one of the those lucky few.
The Gozitan lawyer recently performed for Republican candidate Donald Trump during a dinner at Trump National Golf Course in New Jersey. The candidate’s wife Melania and daughter Ivanka were also among those at the event.
“While on a trip to the States I was invited by some friends to join them for dinner to mark America’s Labour Day weekend at the Trump National Golf Course.
“The original plan was that we would be spending some time socialising at the pool, have dinner and then I was going to interpret some arias. It was going to be a small concert for some American friends,” Mr Portelli recalled.
But while enjoying the meal on the golf course’s terrace, the aspiring tenor was told that Mr Trump and his family were seated just a few tables away and would also be listening to him sing.
“The next thing I know I’m being told that he wanted to hear me sing. Of course I was kind of shocked and couldn’t believe what was happening but I felt I had to do it,” he said.
You have a beautiful voice, if I had your voice I’d be rich
According to Mr Portelli, who performed pieces by Mozart and Tosti, the presidential hopeful was “very gracious” and even complimented his singing.
Mr Portelli was introduced to singing and acting at a young age by members of the MUSEUM society in Nadur.
Since then, he has sat for a number of voice exams, attending workshops abroad to further his musical studies.
Yet while singing for a possible future president of the US will forever be etched in Mr Portelli’s mind as one of the best days of his life, he insisted that he performed just as he would in front of any other audience, especially since the meeting happened by chance.
“For me communicating feelings that cannot be expressed by mere words is the most important thing when it comes to singing. But I must say I was touched by the comments from the Trumps, especially Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who stopped over, together with her husband, to tell me how touched she was by my singing.”
On whether the singer was a keen follower of the tycoon, who has throughout the election campaign come out as a strong contender despite some highly-criticised views and a series of gaffes, Mr Portelli said that while he was interested in politics in general, meeting Mr Trump had nothing to do with the election or his views.
“Mr Trump was beyond polite. As I was singing I couldn’t stop noticing how attentive he was.
“As soon as I finished my last piece he stood up, came over and told me: ‘You have a beautiful voice, if I had your voice I’d be rich. I knew Pavarotti, you will be like him one day’.”