Germany’s OPUS KLASSIK Awards Names 2024 Winners

This year’s winners include Lang Lang, Anna Prohaska, Gautier Capuçon, Anastasia Kobekina, Klaus Mäkelä, and more

Germany’s foremost classical music prize, the OPUS KLASSIK Awards, has named its prizewinners in anticipation of the awards ceremony in October 2024 in Berlin. 

Previously named the Echo Klassik Awards, the OPUS KLASSIK Awards have been running since 1994 and recognize excellence at the highest level in classical music.

Among the string players who received awards, include cellists Gautier Capuçon and Anastasia Kobekina; violinists Hilary Hahn and Isabelle Faust; plus VC Artist María Dueñas, who won the Young Talent of the Year award for her debut album, “Beethoven and Beyond.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

• Female Singer of the Year - Anna Prohaska
• Male Singer of the Year - Konstantin Krimmel
• Instrumentalists of the Year - Gautier Capuçon, Isabelle Faust, Lang Lang
• Conductor of the Year - Klaus Mäkelä
• Composer of the Year - Liza Lim
• Young Talent of the Year - María Dueñas, Valerie Eickhoff, Bruce Liu, Anastasia Kobekina
• Orchestra of the Year - Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
• Ensemble of the Year - Berliner Barock Solisten
• Solo Vocal - Michael Spyres, Charles Castronovo
• Solo Instrumental - Bertrand Chamayou, Anna Lapwood, Hilary Hahn
• Concerto - Franziska Fleischanderl; Nemanja Radulović, Double Sens; Avi Avital, Giovanni Antonini, Il Giardino Armonico; 
• Chamber Music - Shirley Brill & Jonathan Aner; Bertrand Chamayou & Sol Gabetta; Signum Quartett
• Classical Without Borders - Reginald Mobley, Efrat Alony
• Orchestral - Antonello Manacorda, Kammerakademie Potsdam; Christian Thielemann, Wiener Philharmoniker
• Choral - Hans-Christoph Rademann, Gaechinger Cantorey
• Opera - Dorothee Oberlinger, Ensemble 1700; Paul Daniel, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Anne-Catherine Gillet
• World Premiere Recording - Anna Skryleva, Magdeburgische Philharmonie, Raffaela Lintl
• Innovative Concert - Konzerthaus Berlin
• Audiovisual Music Production - Kyra Steckeweh / Tim van Beveren
• Video Clip - Marcin
• Editorial Achievement - Rainer Maillard
• Innovative Listening Experience - Werner Dabringhaus
• Film Music/Score - Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Bradley Cooper, London Symphony Orchestra
• New Classical/Neo Classical - Alexandra Stréliski
• Promotion of Young Talent - Hanke Brothers
• Bestseller - Víkingur Ólafsson
• Innovation Award for Sustainability - Tonhalle Düsseldorf

“Here you can see that it is worthwhile to believe in a concept, to rummage through lesser-known repertoire and to fight for its realization,” said Anna Prohaska on winning with her joint project Maria Mater Meretrix.

This year was the first time that winners were chosen from a shortlist selected by the OPUS KLASSIK jury. 

“The broad participation and impressive quality of the submissions for the OPUS KLASSIK 2024 clearly underline the passion and creativity that prevail in the German classical music scene,” said the jury spokesperson Kerstin Schüssler-Bach. “Each entry reflects the commitment and artistic ambition that exists in this vibrant and dynamic community.”

The awards gala will be presented in the Konzerthaus Berlin on October 13, 2024. The event will include performances from award winners alongside the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and conductor Kevin John Edusai. Tickets can be purchased here.