Joseph Calleja hangs out with Snoop Dogg at Kennedy Center Honors

10 December 2013, 09:42

Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja performed an aria from Verdi's Aïda last night at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony.

The ceremony was attended not only by President Obama and his wife Michelle, but also the likes of rapper Snoop Dogg and a whole host of other stars from stage and screen.

Posting the photo to his Facebook page, Calleja added the caption, "No comment!" to the picture of himself and the rapper, real name Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. He also posted pictures of himself with Glenn Close and Shirley MacLaine, as well as pictures of President Obama addressing the guests from the stage.

Calleja also performed the finale to Aïda with soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as part of a tribute to the Martina Arroyo Foundation. Calleja commented: "It was a real privilege to participate in this tribute to Martina Arroyo, for whom I have the most profound respect. Thanks to her incomparable voice and to the work she does for young artist development through the Martina Arroyo Foundation, her contribution to opera is invaluable."

Also honoured at the annual ceremony were musicians Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte and Billy Joel, as well as actress Shirley MacLaine.