Joseph Calleja was born in Attard, Malta, on 22 January 1978. His first encounter with the tenor voice was Mario Lanza in the film "The Great Caruso" when he was only 12 or 13. At first he tried to imitate the American tenor, then he discovered Pavarotti. He joined a choir, started piano lessons and solfeggio, and was eventually recommended to the Maltese tenor Paul Asciak, with whom he began studies in 1994. He made his debut in May three years later, at the age of 19, as Macduff in Macbeth, at the Astra Theatre, Gozo, Malta.

In the remainder of 1997 he was successful in the Belvedere competition in Wien and toured Italy with concerts of operatic arias. He also sang in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda with the Netherlands Reisopera. In 1998 he won first prize in the Caruso Competition in Milano. His name caught on and he starred in l’Elisir d'amore in Valletta, in the premiere of Azio Corghis "Isabella" at the Rossini Festival in Pesaro and in Zandonai's "I Cavalieri di Ekubu" at the Wexford Festival, where he was also seen in scenes from Carmen.

In 1999 he made his US debut as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi in Spoleto, Charleston, and was prize-winner in the 1999 Placido Domingo Operalia Competition. He also made his German debut as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the Regensburg Festival.

In 2002 he made his debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper München and the Frankfurt Opera as Rodolfo, following these performances with his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and the Royal Theatre, Copenhagen as the Duke in Rigoletto.

His debut Decca recording, Tenor Arias with conductor Riccardo Chailly, was released internationally spring 2004.

- Interact: Check out Joseph Calleja in the Forum
- Curent schedule: check operabase.com