Watch our exclusive broadcast of Joseph Calleja’s star-studded sacred concert from Malta

1 April 2021, 11:22 | Updated: 1 April 2021, 19:14

By Rosie Pentreath

Calleja is joined by a host of special guests to perform sacred works from Malta’s stunning St. John’s Co-Cathedral.

Joseph Calleja– Sacred Music from St John’s
To mark Maundy Thursday, join us for a very special concert of sacred music. We take to you to Malta’s stunning St. John’s Co-Cathedral for works by Verdi, Franck, Mozart, and more. Star Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja is joined by soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, mezzo Marvic Monreal, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn, and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ramón Tebar.
Posted by Classic FM on Thursday, April 1, 2021

Tenor Joseph Calleja is performing a stunning sacred concert from St. John’s Co-Cathedral, today (Thursday 1 April) at 7pm BST.

Marking Maundy Thursday, the star-studded event sees Calleja welcoming soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn, mezzo-soprano Marvic Monreal, and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ramón Tebar, to all perform under the Co-Cathedral’s beautiful ornate naves.

You can watch the event – which features excerpts from Verdi’s Requiem, and sacred works by Mozart, Franck, Mascagni, Lloyd Webber among others – in full on Classic FM’s Facebook Page tonight. It will also be broadcast on TVM in Malta on Good Friday.

Watch our exclusive broadcast of Joseph Calleja’s star-studded sacred concert from Malta. Picture: Getty

Calleja said: “It’s a dream come true for me to perform sacred music in one of the world’s most splendid baroque cathedrals which, fittingly, is home to Caravaggio’s greatest masterpiece.

“I’m grateful to everyone who has made this project possible and especially to my colleagues who have travelled in challenging conditions to make this special event happen in a week that is very dear to the Maltese.”

St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Malta. Picture: Getty

Calleja has described himself as a ‘Maltaholic’ in the past. He was born there, performs there regularly and in 2012 he became Malta’s first Cultural Ambassador. Awarding him the honour, Malta’s Culture Minister said: “Joseph Calleja is a living testimonial to a culture of excellence, an excellence of culture as a country and as a nation we need to strive towards.”

The event is produced by Calleja in collaboration with the European Foundation for Support of Culture, and with the support of the Malta Tourism Authority and Bank of Valletta.

Joseph Calleja – Sacred Music from St John’s streams on Classic FM’s Facebook Page live at 7pm BST tonight (Thursday 1 April), and will be available to watch there afterwards on demand.