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International Opera Awards
A series of organisations and individuals were honoured at a ceremony in Poland on 9 November 2023, plus other news
The winners of the 2023 International Opera Awards were announced on 9 November at Teatr Wielki, Polish National Opera in Warsaw. American mezzo Marilyn Horne received the lifetime achievement award. English/Italian conductor and pianist Antonio Pappano received (for the second time) the conductor award. Munich-based Bayerische Staatsoper was opera company of the year (also for the second time) and also received the new production award for its recent production of Sergei Prokofiev's War and Peace. Russian soprano Aigul Akhmetshina won the female singer award and American baritenor Michael Spyres the male singer award. Polish baritone Andrzej Filończyk received the young singer award.
Polish baritone Andrzej Filończyk (born 1994)
French theatre director Stéphane Lissner, director of the Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, was presented with the leadership award. New York's Sullivan Foundation, which provides support to young singers, was given the Philanthropy Award. British theatre designer Lizzie Clachlan received the designer award and Australian opera and theatre director Barry Kosky the director award. La Monnaie / De Munt, Belgium's national opera, took the award for equal opportunities and impact, and the festival award went to Aix-en-Provence in France. The opera readers' award went to American soprano Nadine Sierra. Dutch National Opera was awarded for sustainability, and the rediscovered work award went to Teatr Wielki, Poznań, for Stanisław Moniuszko's Jawnuta.
Poznań Opera wins the rediscovered work award at the 2023 International Opera Awards for Moniuszko's Jawnuta. Photo © 2023 Krzysztof Bielinski
There were two recording awards, which went to American/Cuban soprano Lisette Oropesa for her Pentatone album French Bel Canto Arias (solo recital award) and to London-based Opera Rara for Saverio Mercadante's Il proscritto (complete opera award).
The International Opera Awards, founded by British philanthropist and property entrepreneur Harry Hyman in 2012, aim to raise the profile of opera as an art form, to recognise and reward success in opera and to generate funds to provide bursaries for aspiring operatic talent from around the world. Since 2012 over £600,000 (750,000 US dollars) has been raised by the Opera Awards Foundation, going to more than a-hundred-and-twenty-five bursary recipients from twenty-five countries.
Further information: operaawards.org
The new documentary on the life and career of French pianist, writer, human rights activist and wildlife conservationist Hélène Grimaud will be shown at AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square, New York, USA on 5 December 2023 at 8pm. Directed and produced by David Serero in partnership with Deutsche Grammophon, this film offers an intimate look into Grimaud's life and the challenges she faced throughout her journey through unique interviews. Watch the trailer below or see the complete film at vimeo.com/ondemand/helenegrimaud
Watch and listen — Hélène Grimaud - Between the Notes Trailer :
Posted 25 November 2023 by Keith Bramich