Opus Klassik Award – one of the most prestigious in the field of classical music. It is awarded in more than 20 nominations and solemnly presented in the German capital. For the first time, the award ceremony was held at the initiative of music, record companies and concert agencies in 2018 – immediately after the Echo Klassik award was abolished due to scandalous accusations of anti-Semitism, homophobia and misogyny.
The names of the winners of the Opus Klassik-2022 were announced back in August, and the award ceremony took place last Sunday, October 9, at the Konzerthaus Theater in the center of Berlin.
Performer Winners
French-Italian mezzo-sopranist Léa Desandre was awarded in two categories at once: for her part in Mozart’s Così fan tutte accompanied by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and as Singer of the Year for the album “Amazone”, dedicated to the legendary Amazons.
53-year-old German tenor Jonas Kaufmann (Jonas Kaufmann) won in the nomination “Singer of the Year” for the album “Liszt – Freudvoll und leidvoll” (“Leaf – full of joy and suffering”). Kaufman sings in all major opera houses – from Paris to New York.
The American multi-instrumentalist, DJ Moby and the Luxembourg pianist Francesco Tristano were recognized as the best in the “Classics without Borders” nomination. In the “Bestseller” nomination, the award was given to a concert by the American composer and conductor John Williams with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The prize in the nomination “Instrumentalist of the Year” was shared between the Italian pianist Beatrice Rana, the Chinese violinist Tianwa Yang and the German oboist, soloist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Dominik Wollenweber.
Conductor of the Year – Vladimir Yurovsky
A German conductor of Russian origin (born and educated in Moscow), artistic director of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Bavarian Opera Vladimir Yurovsky became the winner in the nomination “Conductor of the Year” for the album “Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie” (Strauss: “Alpine Symphony”).
The performance of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Yurovsky was called by critics one of the best in history.
Pianist Igor Levit received the award for “Best Solo Recording”
25-year-old musician Igor Levit moved with his parents to Germany from Gorky (today Nizhny Novgorod) at the age of eight. “I am a full-blooded Jew, born in Russia, raised in Germany and in love with Europe,” Igor Levit said in an interview with DW.
In the German press one can find many enthusiastic reviews of the young pianist’s concertos. The award-winning album “On DSCH” includes preludes and fugues by Dmitri Shostakovich and “Passacaglia on DSCH” by British composer Ronald Stevenson.
Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov was especially noted
The Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov was awarded the prize in the nomination “The Work of Life” (“Lebenswerk”). Just the other day, the outstanding musician and writer turned 85 years old. Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of this year, Sylvestrov had to leave his native Kyiv. He now lives and works in Berlin.
“Valentin Silvestrov, who was born in Kyiv in 1937, is considered the most outstanding composer of Ukraine and one of the most outstanding composers of the world,” the Opus Klassik music competition organizers said in a message. Many of Silvestrov’s compositions “have become iconic and are performed by the world’s leading orchestras and soloists. In addition to the eight symphonies and the Requiem dedicated to his wife Larisa, who died in 1996, these are, first of all, chamber music and piano solo compositions, most clearly reflecting the composer’s ideas “, said Claudia Roth, Minister of State for Culture and the Media, in her speech at the awards ceremony.
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