Opera Awards Winners 2022
2022 Winners Announced
The winners of the 2022 International Opera Awards were announced last night in a gala ceremony at the Teatro Real Madrid
The international opera world came together at the Teatro Real in Madrid last night for the 2022 International Opera Awards sponsored by Mazars. Hosted by the BBC’s Petroc Trelawny, it was the first time the Awards has ever taken place outside of the UK, and the first in-person event since 2019.
Two Ukrainian companies, Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre and Odesa Opera and Ballet Theatre were jointly awarded the Opera Company award – the first time the award has ever been given to two companies – to acknowledge their courage and resilience for continuing to perform despite the dangers and depredations unleashed by the war. While the invasion forced both theatres to close initially, both companies have recently reopened and started staging world-class productions again. Representatives from both companies accepted the award in person
Legendary British mezzo-soprano Dame Janet Baker was celebrated with the Lifetime Achievement award. Speaking in a video acceptance speech, Dame Janet Baker said: “I look back over those working years and my mind is full of the joy it brought me. I learnt something useful and valuable from all my colleagues, and I miss every one of them so much. I feel tonight is a very special gift to me.”
The Opera Magazine Readers’ Award – the only award voted for by the public – was won by Samoan tenor Pene Pati. Accepting the award via video, Pati said: “What an absolute surprise! Thank you to everyone who voted – what an amazing feeling to know that your singing has touched many people. When you’re from little old Samoa on the other side of the globe, you never quite imagine that your voice will reach this far, so thank you truly from the bottom of my heart and I hope to sing for you in the near future.”
British soprano Nardus Williams was awarded the Rising Star award, while the Good Governance Institute Leadership Award was given to Nicholas Payne, who has led Opera Europa since 2003 and previously been in charge at English National Opera and the Royal Opera House, and the Philanthropy award was given to Aline Foriel-Destezet for her continued support of music and opera.
Other winners announced on the night included French soprano Sabine Devieilhe and French baritone Stéphane Degout, who were named as Female Singer and Male Singer respectively, and Daniele Rustioni was presented with the Conductor award. Soprano Susan Bullock CBE presented the Villa Conchi International Opera Award for Festival of the Year to Santa Fe Opera, and the Sustainability award was won by Gothenburg Opera. The full list of winners can be found below.
Harry Hyman, founder of the International Opera Awards, said: “Huge congratulations to all the winners, and to all of the nominees for providing opera lovers across the world with such joy over the past season. After three years of not being able to celebrate the International Opera Awards in person, it’s a true joy to be able to come together at the spectacular Teatro Real and celebrate the best of opera across the globe. As well as celebrating the past season, it’s also been an opportunity to look towards the future – with the funds raised tonight to support our Opera Awards Foundation bursaries, we can ensure that the next generation of aspiring operatic talent can achieve their goals and enthral audiences for years to come.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
CONDUCTOR
Daniele Rustioni
DESIGNER
Michael Levine
DIGITAL OPERA
Upload (Dutch National Opera)
DIRECTOR
Stefan Herheim
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES & IMPACT
Foundation Studio, Cape Town Opera
FEMALE SINGER
Sabine Devieilhe
VILLA CONCHI INTERNATIONAL OPERA AWARD
FOR FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Santa Fe Opera
GOOD GOVERNANCE INSTITUTE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Nicholas Payne
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Dame Janet Baker
MALE SINGER
Stéphane Degout
NEW PRODUCTION
Glyndebourne: La Voix humaine/Les Mamelles de Tirésias (c. Robin Ticciati, d. Laurent Pelly)
OPERA COMPANY
Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
jointly with
Odesa Opera and Ballet Theatre
PHILANTHROPY
Aline Foriel-Destezet
OPERA MAGAZINE READERS’ AWARD
Pene Pati
RECORDING (COMPLETE OPERA)
Offenbach: Le Voyage dans la Lune (Bru Zane)
RECORDING (SOLO RECITAL)
Michael Spyres: BariTenor (Erato)
REDISCOVERED WORK
Dallapiccola: Ulisse (Oper Frankfurt)
RISING STAR
Nardus Williams
SUSTAINABILITY
Gothenburg Opera
WORLD PREMIERE
Defoort: The Time of our Singing (La Monnaie De Munt)
