About award

Award Categories

Female Debut

This award is given to a nominee who has demonstrated outstanding talent in making her first steps on the domestic opera scene. Nominees are chosen on the basis of their vocal and acting prowess.

Male Debut

This award is given to a nominee who has demonstrated outstanding talent in making his first steps on the domestic opera scene. Nominees are selected on the basis of their vocal and acting prowess.

Primadonna

This award is given to a veteran female nominee for vocal and acting prowess, professionalism and loyal service to the Russian opera theatre.

Master of the Stage

This award is given to a veteran male nominee for vocal and acting prowess, professionalism and loyal service to the Russian opera theatre.

Distinguished Guest

This award is given to a nominee from Russia, or a representative of another country for their vocal and acting prowess, as well as for their contribution to the Russian opera theatre.

Artistic Management

This award is given to a team of artistic directors supporting an ensemble of singers in the successful realization of their artistic tasks in a premiering play of the season. A winning team is selected on the basis of the musical and acting performance of the ensemble.

Supporting Role

This award is given to a male or female nominee for outstanding vocal and acting prowess in the performance of a supporting role.

Cultural Event or Project*

This award is given for outstanding artistic direction and management of non-theatre projects, festivals, onetime opera events, and other unique projects. Teams selected for the Award are judged on the basis of the novelty of the theatrical concept, for the discovery of new talent, for unearthing and reintroducing forgotten masterpieces, for broadening the geography of the opera genre, for innovation in opera, and professionalism in the realization of projects.

Special Categories

Soul of Opera

This award is given to a male or female theatre professional irrespective of position whose lifelong dedication to the theatre has played a demonstrable role in the development of a particular opera theatre or venue. Eligible nominees may include make-up artists, costume designers, ticket collectors, theatre managers or others whose sacrifice for the operatic art form has been felt by others.

Concert Master

This award is given a concert master or performance coach whose work is inseparable from the success of singers, musicians and the theatre he or she serves.

Musical Director

This award is given to a musical director or a conductor of opera performances in theaters, festivals and onetime opera projects in recognition of their contribution to the development of modern opera art. Winners are selected on the basis of musical concepts and the overall level of execution of musical elements in a performance.

Theatre

This award is given to a theatre which, in the past year, by means of their repertoire, management, and interaction with the public, has managed to realize the full creative potential of their opera troupe and has resulted in an increased interest among the viewing public, attendance at performances and overall popularization of opera in a given region or town. A winning theatre is selected on the basis of an assessment of repertoire in correlation with talent and means of the theatre, public interaction and play attendance.

Patron of the Arts**

This award is given to a person or organization whose consistent dedication and support of the opera has helped theatres, production teams and singers achieve success in producing new plays, projects and concerts.

Legend

This award is given to an outstanding male or female figure in Russian opera whose artistic path and professionalism has become a shining example of service to culture and art through the medium of opera.

From Russia with Love

This award is given to non-Russian opera performer in gratitude for his or her contribution to the development of the opera on a global scale, whose bright talent and professional skills have earned the love and admiration of the Russian opera viewing public and the professional Russian opera community.