April 29 in the evening, at the gala ceremony of the International Opera Awards in London, the winners were announced at the Sadler's Wells Theatre. Asmik Grigorian, who captivated the world with the role of Salome at the Salzburg Festival, became the opera soloist of the year. The daughter of famous opera soloists Irena Milkevičiūtė and Geham Grigorian became a global opera sensation in the summer, and tonight her title was confirmed - she is currently the best opera soloist in the world.
One of the founders of "Bohemians", a long-time soloist of the Vilnius City Opera, last appeared in Vilnius in the "Queen of Spades" directed by Dalia Ibelhauptaitė, where she played the part of Liza. It was in the House of Congress that Asmik Grigorian's career once began, in the now iconic role of Musette in "Boheme". Well, then, as they say, history. A long, frantic and emotional journey to the biggest stages and the highest ratings. Today, Asmik is preparing the lead role at La Scala in the opera "Dead City" by the famous director Graham Vick.
"Trust. Understanding. Support. Love. What more could you want? Maybe a little life time? To be able to thank everyone who helped me get to where I am today. Thank you," Asmik, whose husband, director Vasilijus Barchatovas, was also nominated for the award this year, together with such notable creators as Calixto Bieito, Katie Mitchell, and Krzysztof Warlikowski, said meaningfully and succinctly while accepting the award.
The annual gala ceremony of Opera's Response to the Oscars honors outstanding achievements on stage, behind the scenes, in the orchestra box and in many other areas of the operatic art. Nominations are also given to troupes, choirs, young performers, debutants, and a special Lifetime Achievement Award is also presented. Asmik has already won in the young artist category, as well as another Lithuanian - Justina Gringytė.
The evening featured performances by opera stars such as Charles Castronovo, Joyce El-Khoury, David Butt Philip and Vivica Genaux, with the Orpheus Sinfonia orchestra conducted by Oliver Gooch.
In 2019, over 100 nominees were presented in twenty different categories. All of them were selected from thousands of proposals by an expert commission led by John Allison, the editor of Opera Magazine, one of the most important publications devoted to the art of opera, published since the 1950s.
Founded by philanthropist and opera lover Harry Hyman, these awards not only honor well-known stars, but also support the next generation of talent. The International Opera Awards also raise funds for a special charity fund that supports the development of opera talent around the world.
