Monday, April 18, 2011

Opera Scores Big at Golden Mask Awards in Russia

Mezzo-soprano Yelena Zhidkova
"2011 will go down as the year when the Golden Mask truly went international. Non-Russian artists have won awards in the past, but this year was something special. More than two dozen foreign artists — singers, choreographers, conductors, directors and designers — received nominations for work completed during the 2009-10 season. Of them, five walked away with the coveted plaque featuring a ceramic mask on a mirrored background."

American tenor Neil Shicoff - Best Male Singer in La Juive for the Mikhailovsky Theater of St. Petersburg. Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis - Best Director for Wozzeck at the Bolshoi Theater. Britain's Paul Brown - Best Designer for Die Frau Ohne Schatten at the Mariinsky Theater. Russian mezzo-soprano Yelena Zhidkova - Best Female Opera Singer for Duke Bluebeard's Castle for the Mariinsky Theater. Additional winners included Tatyana Maslakova - Best Female Singer in an Operetta/Musical (Khabarovsk Musical Theater) and Dmitry Averin - Best Male Singer in an Operetta/Musical (Rostov-on-Don Musical Theater) [Source]