The world’s greatest names in music all received the royal treatment – from Freddie Mercury to Michael Jackson, ABBA and Elvis Presley – and Malta’s own king of rock, Freddie Portelli, is being immortalised in a homegrown musical.
The production, which features a cast of some of the most well-known names on the theatre circuit, is set to showcase about 30 songs from Mr Portelli’s extensive discography.
And, although producers for long kept mum about which songs had made the cut, it has now been confirmed that ever-green classics like The Malta Bums’ greatest hit Viva Malta, Ħallini, Xewqat Sbieħ and Għal Dejjem – all songs that have made it into Malta’s hall of fame – will feature.
Titled Il-Kbir Għadu Ġej (The best is yet to come), one of Mr Portelli’s most-quoted catchphrases, the musical itself had long hinted at something bigger, the potential of a new single released by Mr Portelli to coincide with the show.
The news was confirmed, much to the delight of armies of fans that span generations, with the recent release of a new song that shares the same title of the upcoming musical.
Since its release, the song has been topping local radio charts. The official video shows Mr Portelli sporting his trademark look that he has been wearing for the past three decades – black leather jacket, tight shirt and flowing rock and roll locks.
At 75 years of age, the legendary singer – who was awarded a Medal of Service to the Republic in 2016 – shows no signs of retiring or even slowing down.
The singer still performs regularly and with the zest of a much younger man
Probably Malta’s biggest name in showbiz, his inexhaustible energy has translated into an extremely prolific output, with some 300 songs to his name. Talk of retirement is invariably met with a snigger – the singer still performs regularly and with all the zest of a much younger man. Watching the upcoming show, he says, is expected to be one of the most emotional moments of his long career.
Mr Portelli started his musical career with The Malta Bums in the 1970s.
He toured the US, Canada and Germany extensively with the band, before coming back to the island to start singing solo.
The hour-and-a-half-long musical premieres in August at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta, and is expected to present a nostalgic tribute to the 1970s.
Although Mr Portelli himself will not feature in it, the lead role has been taken up by Kevin Borg, who first rose to international fame after winning Swedish Idol in 2008. He is joined on stage by Marilena, Michela Galea, Taryn Mamo Cefai, Colin Fitz, Amber, Leontine, Mark Tonna, Max Dingli and Davide Tucci, among others.
The show is produced by Sean Buhagiar, written by Malcolm Galea and set to music by Dominic Galea.