FINALISTS REVEALED FOR INTERNATIONAL OPERA AWARDS 2026
Petroc Trelawny presents International Opera Awards 2025 © G.Antonoglou
- Winners to be announced in glittering ceremony on Saturday 21 November at MusikTheater an der Wien, hosted by Petroc Trelawny
- Opera lovers worldwide can enjoy the ceremony, featuring live performances from stars of the opera world, via free livestream on OperaVision
- Voting for Readers’ Award – the only category decided by the public – now open
#OperaAwards2026
The International Opera Awards today [23 September] announce the finalists for the 2026 Awards. Founded by philanthropist Harry Hyman in 2012, the Awards are one of the most prestigious accolades in opera and honour exceptional operatic talent from across the globe. Funds from the event support the Opera Awards Foundation, which provides bursaries for emerging talent in opera worldwide.
The Award categories cover the entire breadth of the artform, from singers, conductors and opera companies to designers, directors, premieres, recordings, sustainability and more. This year’s shortlist includes nominees from 24 countries, once again demonstrating the truly international reach of the Awards.
Nominees for the prestigious Opera Company Award this year include Atlanta Opera, Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, English National Opera, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Opéra de Lyon and Teatro Real, Madrid. British soprano Louise Alder – winner of the Young Singer Award at the 2017 International Opera Awards – is nominated in the Female Singer category, joined by Sara Blanch, Vera-Lotte Boecker, Ambur Braid, Saioa Hernández and Golda Schultz. Another 2017 Award winner, American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, joins the list of finalists in the Male Singer category along with SeokJong Baek, Clay Hilley, John Osborn, Morris Robinson and Georg Zeppenfeld.
Voting is also open for the Readers’ Award – Opera Magazine with Opera News, the only International Opera Award decided by public vote. This year’s finalists include British-Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, British tenor Allan Clayton, Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen, Italian soprano Rosa Feola, American soprano Lisette Oropesa, Austrian tenor Andreas Schager, Chilean-Americantenor Jonathan Tetelman and German baritone Michael Volle. Voting is open until Wednesday 21 October exclusively on the International Opera Awards website.
The finalists were curated by an esteemed international jury of opera critics, administrators and performers, chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera Magazine with Opera News, the founding media partner of the Awards. The full shortlist can be found below.
Winners will be revealed on Saturday 21 November at a glittering ceremony taking place for the first time at MusikTheater an der Wien in Vienna. The ceremony will once again by hosted by the BBC’s Petroc Trelawny and features live performances from international opera stars including soprano Anastasia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano Carol Garcia and tenor Dave Monaco, who is also nominated for this year’s Rising Star Award. They are joined by the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Corrado Rovaris and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir, directed by Erwin Ortner. Audiences around the world will be able to enjoy every note via OperaVision, where the ceremony will be livestreamed for free.
Special awards for Leadership, Philanthropy and Lifetime Achievement will also be announced at the awards ceremony.
The trophies for the International Opera Awards 2026 embody a unique piece of Viennese theatre history: they have been crafted in the Theater an der Wien’s in-house workshop using wood from the theatre’s original stage floor. These boards have been graced by some of the most distinguished figures on the international opera scene, including Cecilia Bartoli, Diana Damrau, Stéphane Degout, Plácido Domingo, Edita Gruberová, Camilla Nylund, John Osborn, Marlis Petersen, Erwin Schrott, Christine Schäfer, Bo Skovhus, Michael Spyres, Kurt Streit, and Anne Sofie von Otter. Each trophy is a one-of-a-kind object, combining master craftsmanship with the theatre’s rich history and preserving the memory of countless extraordinary moments on stage.
Harry Hyman, Founder of the International Opera Awards, said: “It’s been another wonderful year for opera across the globe and I’m delighted to see this reflected in the shortlists for the 2026 International Opera Awards. My congratulations to all those nominated, and I look forward to celebrating with you in Vienna in November.”
John Allison, Chair of the Jury and Editor of Opera Magazine with Opera News, said: “This year’s shortlist offers a vivid snapshot of the vitality and breadth of achievement in opera today. From exceptional singers and conductors to visionary productions, recordings, companies and new work, it shows an art form that continues to prove itself truly international and constantly evolving. It is a pleasure to see that reflected in the jury’s choices, and I warmly congratulate all the finalists.”
More information on the Awards can be found on the International Opera Awards website.