The shortlist for the 2016 International Opera Awards was announce earlier today and we’re thrilled to see so many Askonas Holt artists nominated!

In partnership with Opera magazine, the awards aim to recognise and reward success in the opera world, raise the profile of opera as an art form, and generate funds to provide bursaries for aspiring talent in opera all over the world. 2015 bursary recipients include young AH tenor Gyula Rab.

For all categories apart from the Readers' Award, winners will be selected by an international jury chaired by the Editor of Opera magazine, John Allison. The winner of the Readers' Award will be chosen by a public vote. Vote here.

The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on 15 May 2016. Tickets here.

 

The full shortlist can be seen on the International Opera Awards website.

CD (Complete Opera)

Brett Dean: Bliss, ABC Classics – starring Peter Coleman Wright

Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Opera Rara – starring Brindley Sherratt

Handel: Partenope, Erato – starring John Mark Ainsley

Verdi: Aida, Warner – starring Ludovic Tézier 

 

CD (Operatic Recital)

Christiane Karg, Jonathan Cohen: Scene!, Berlin Classics

Matthew Rose, Jonathan Cohen: Arias for Benucci, Hyperion

 

DVD

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (The Royal Opera), Sony – starring Christopher Maltman and Benjamin Hulett, directed by Jonathan Kent

Rimsky-Korsakov: The Tsar's Bride (Staatsoper Berlin), Bel Air – conducted by Daniel Barenboim

Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (Glyndebourne), Opus Arte – starring Kate Royal, conducted by Robin Ticciati

 

Female Singer

Rosa Feola

 

New Production

Bellini: I Puritani, Welsh National Opera – starring Rosa Feola

Berg: Wozzeck, Lyric Opera of Chicago – starring Angela Denoke and Brindley Sherratt

Halévy: La Juive, Opera Vlaanderen – starring Asmik Grigorian

Handel: Saul, Glyndebourne – starring Iestyn Davies, Lucy Crowe, Sophie Bevan and Benjamin Hulett

 

Readers’ Award – vote here

Joyce DiDonato

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

 

World Premiere

Harrison Birtwistle: The Cure, Aldeburgh Festival – directed by Martin Duncan

Pascal Dusapin: Penthesilea, La Monnaie – conducted by Franck Ollu

Jennifer Higdon: Cold Mountain, Santa Fe Opera – starring Isabel Leonard

 

Young Conductor

Duncan Ward

 

Young Female Singer

Aida Garifullina

Asmik Grigorian