Maltese Tenor Joseph Calleja on Tuesday (today) announced that he has received the prestigious “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres” (Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature) award.

The award is presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves by their work in the artistic or literary fields, or who have made an influence on arts and literature in France and around the world. It is presented by order of the Minister of Culture and Communication of France, and is classed in three different grades: Knight, Officer, and Commander.

In order to qualify to become a Knight, an applicant must be at least 30 years of age and enjoy civil rights. To become an Officer, they have to have held the rank of Knight for five years, and if they hold the position for five years, they can then qualify to become a Commander.

Mr Calleja said that it was a privilege to receive the award, stating that his connection with France “goes beyond opera” thanks to Michael Tabone, who has become emblematic of Vins de Saint-Emilion and the prestigious wines that stem from that part of France. Mr Tabone and Mr Calleja have worked together often in the past, hosting events in aid of charity.

He also thanked French Ambassador to Malta Agnès Von der Mühll, who presented him with the award, together with her team.

Mr Calleja is well known in both the local and global artistic scene, having become one of the most acclaimed and sought-after tenors today. His career started when he made his operatic debut at only 19 years of age, and since then has won a number of awards and honours for his work, while also having solo concerts are renowned festivals. In 2012, he had the honour of being appointed Malta’s first-ever Cultural Ambassador.