The classical stars were out in force at the 2023 OPUS KLASSIK Award ceremony, held on 8 October. Singer of the Year Jakub Józef Orliński thrilled the audience at Konzerthaus Berlin with his performance of Caccini’s “Amarilli mia bella”. The prestigious awards, which were announced in June 2023, are selected by a specialist jury whose members represent the music and media industries. Viewers in Germany, Switzerland and Austria may watch the full award ceremony broadcast on ZDF.de through 6 January 2024.
Orlinski earned this honour for his Erato recording, Farewells. This tribute to 19th and 20th century Polish composers, with his long-time collaborative pianist Michał Biel, features beautiful songs by Karel Szymanowski, Henryk Czyż, Stanisław Moniuszko, Mieczysław Karłowicz, and Tadeusz Baird. In its 5-star review, BBC Music Magazine writes, “the rare beauty of Orliński’s countertenor makes the whole recital an unusually introspective experience – and by any standards of Polish song recitals, this is an extraordinarily wide programme, one equally shaped by the excellent pianist Michał Biel.”
Jakub Hrůša is named Conductor of the Year for his award-winning recording of Hans Rott: Symphony No. 1 with Bamberger Symphoniker (Deutsche Grammophon). Hrůša and Bamberg’s recording is full of energy and depth and sheds a vital new light on an important work from a groundbreaking composer enjoying a worthy rediscovery. “Since [the symphony’s] disinterring in 1989, there have been some fine recordings, but surely none more persuasive than this. Jakub Hrůša plainly loves the score and strives to characterise its every detail, drawing lovely playing from the Bamberg Symphony.” (BBC Music Magazine)
Constantin Trinks was awarded Symphonic Recording of the Year for his world-premiere recording of Wilhelm Petersen Symphony No. 3 with hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt (Profil). Music Web International writes, “Constantin Trinks and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony give a performance truly worthy of this intriguing score, and they’ve been recorded in the best possible sound.”
Christian Immler wins the Opera Recording of the Year Award for Weber’s dark, magical folktale, Der Freischütz (Harmonia Mundi). He shares the honour with conductor René Jacobs, tenor Maximilian Schmitt and Freiburger Barockorchester. Limelight magazine writes that, “Christian Immler is by turns authoritative and tender. …in the expanded role of The Hermit. …making the most of his restored scene.”
For more information, please visit opusklassik.de
Photos: Jakub Józef Orliński – Honorata Karapuda; Jakub Hrůša – Marian Lenhard; Constantin Trinks and Christian Immler – Marco Borggreve
