Royal Opera House leads shortlist for International Opera Awards

The International Opera Awards has announced the finalists for its 2019 awards. The annual event celebrates achievements in opera around the world, recognising excellence in categories including performance, design, and direction, as well as education and outreach.

The Royal Opera House leads the shortlist, with a total of four nominations including for Janáček’s  From the House of the Dead (best new production) and Benjamin’s Lessons in Love and Violence (best world premiere).

The winners will be announced at a gala event at Sadler’s Wells on 29 April, with special awards for philanthropy, leadership and lifetime achievement.

Chair of the jury John Allison said: ‘It’s gratifying that we received a record-breaking number of nominations for this year’s International Opera Awards, and I feel that this excitement is reflected in the shortlists we’re announcing today.’

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla signs to Deutsche Grammophon

The CBSO director is the first female conductor to secure a long-term contract with the Yellow label

Deutsche Grammophon has announced that it has signed Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, on an exclusive long-term contract.

In recording with DG, the 32-year-old Lithuanian follows in the footsteps of the likes of Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and Andris Nelsons, and becomes the first female conductor to sign an exclusive long-term contract with the Yellow label.

‘Deutsche Grammophon was part of my musical upbringing,’ Gražinytė-Tyla said. ‘It’s a genuine honour to join DG and to record works that will be new to so many listeners. I look forward to this thrilling collaboration with DG and to the musical discoveries we can make together.’

Gražinytė-Tyla took on her first orchestral directorship in 2010 with the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra and her star has been rising rapidly ever since. She was appointed Musical Director of the CBSO in 2016 at the age of 29, a move which has been widely seen to continue the ensemble’s excellent recent record in choosing its chief conductors. Her move to Deutsche Grammophon is a further step towards replicating the success of her predecessors Sir Simon Rattle, Sakari Oramo and Andris Nelsons.