OPER! AWARDS 2026
Live Stream
Gala Program 2026: Overview & Highlights
23 FEBRUARY 2026
THEATER REGENSBURG
19.30 – 22.45
Presented by Ulrich Ruhnke
Founder of the OPER! AWARDS
and Chair of the OPER! AWARDS Jury
Musikalische Eröffnung | Musical opening
Leonard Bernstein: Candide, Ouvertüre | Overture
Philharmonisches Orchester Regensburg
Dirigent | Conductor: GMD Stefan Veselka
Moderator | Presenter
Nick-Martin Sternitzke
Begrüßung und Eröffnung | Welcome and opening
Uwe Friedrich, Mitglied der Jury | Member of the Jury
BESTES ZUKUNFTSPROJEKT | BEST FUTURE PROJECT
BESTE WIEDERENTDECKUNG | BEST REDISCOVERY
BESTES SOLO-ALBUM | BEST SOLO ALBUM
Musikalische Darbietung | Musical showcase
Léo Delibes: Lakmé, „Glöckchenarie“ | „Bell Song“
Franziska Stürz, Mitglied der Jury | Member of the Jury
BESTE AUFFÜHRUNG | BEST PERFORMANCE
BESTER REGISSEUR | BEST DIRECTOR
BESTER NACHWUCHSKÜNSTLER | BEST NEWCOMER
Musikalische Darbietung | Musical showcase
Antonio Vivaldi: Orlando furioso, „Nel profondo cieco mondo“
Georg Kasch, Mitglied der Jury | Member of the Jury
BESTER BÜHNENBILDNER | BEST STAGE DESIGNER
BESTER KOSTÜMBILDNER | BEST COSTUME DESIGNER
BESTES OPERNHAUS | BEST OPERA HOUSE
Gespräch mit | Conversation with Sebastian Ritschel
Musikalische Darbietung | Musical showcase
John Corigliano: The Ghosts of Versailles, „Samiras Arie“ | „Samira’s Aria“
Fabiana Locke (Mezzo-soprano)
INTERMISSION
Musikalische Darbietung | Musical showcase
Joseph Beer: Der Prinz von Schiras, „Du bist der selige Traum“
Carlos Moreno Pelizari (Tenor)
Manuel Brug, Mitglied der Jury | Member of the Jury
BESTER DIRIGENT | BEST CONDUCTOR
BESTES FESTIVAL | BEST FESTIVAL
BESTE GESAMTEDITION | BEST COMPLETE EDITION
Musikalische Darbietung | Musical showcase
Gaetano Donizetti: Lamento per la morte di Bellini „Venne sull‘ali ai zeffiri“
Kai Luehrs-Kaiser, Mitglied der Jury | Member of the Jury
BESTER ENTREPRENEUR | BEST ENTREPRENEUR
BESTES ORCHESTER | BEST ORCHESTRA
BESTER CHOR | BEST CHOIR
BESTER SÄNGER | BEST MALE SINGER
Musikalische Darbietung | Musical showcase
Giuseppe Verdi: Rigoletto, „La donna è mobile“
Eleonore Büning, Mitglied der Jury | Member of the Jury
BESTE URAUFFÜRUNG | BEST WORLD PREMIERE
BESTE SÄNGERIN | BEST FEMALE SINGER
Musikalische Darbietung | Musical showcase
Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung, „Fliegt heim, ihr Raben“
LEBENS- UND EHRENPREIS | HONORARY & LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Abschlussworte & musikalisches Finale | Closing words & Musical finale
Leonard Bernstein: Candide, „Make our garden grow“
Soloists of Theater Regensburg
With the cooperation of the Philharmonisches Orchester Regensburg and Choir of Theater Regensburg
WIR DANKEN UNSEREN PARTNERN UND UNTERSTÜTZERN
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Programme booklet with all winners
You can find all award winners in our programme booklet:
Photos with our award winners
Press Releases & News
15 January 2026
Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Jürgen Rose
Berlin – The stage / costume designer and director Jürgen Rose will be honoured for his lifetime achievement at the OPER! AWARDS 2026, the jury announced today in Berlin. The award will be…
4 November 2025
Theatre Regensburg is „Best Opera House“
Berlin – The Theatre Regensburg will receive the OPER! AWARD 2026 for „Best Opera House“ of 2025, the jury of the OPER! AWARDS announced in Berlin today. The award will be presented on 23 February 2026 during…
THE JURY of the
OPER! AWARDS
Manuel Brug
Dr. Eleonore Büning
Uwe Friedrich
Georg Kasch
Dr. Kai Luehrs-Kaiser
Dr. Ulrich Ruhnke
Founder of the OPER! AWARDS
and Chair of the OPER! AWARDS Jury
Stephan Schwarz-Peters
Franziska Stürz
Christian Wildhagen
OPER! Awards
The OPER! AWARDS are Germany’s only international opera prize. It is awarded annually during a gala to the best creatives of the international opera scene, working on or behind the stage. The venue is always the winning house in the “Best Opera House” category. The awards are presented across 20 categories by a jury of music journalists.
The OPER! AWARDS were launched in 2019 by the magazine OPER! and last took place on February 21, 2025 at the La Monnaie / De Munt opera house in Brussels.
Germany is the country with the highest number of opera houses worldwide, nowhere else are more operas and operettas being performed. The OPER! AWARDS are Germany’s only international opera prize, presented annually during a gala to the best creatives of the international opera scene, working on or behind the stage. The awards are presented across 20 categories by a jury of music journalists.
Award Categories
- Best female singer
- Best male singer
- Best opera company
- Best conductor
- Best director
- Best orchestra
- Best choir
- Best world premiere
- Best production
- Best stage designer / set
decorator /lighting desinger
- Best costume designer
- Best solo album
- Best opera recording
- Best newcomer / Rising Star
- Best rediscovery
-
Best future project
- Best festival
- Honorary / lifetime achievement
- Best benefactor / entrepreneur
- Biggest nuisance
Our Partners & Sponsors
Dr. Marion Knauf
Category Patron „Best Male Singer“
Become a Partner
Whether as a private or corporate supporter of the OPER! AWARDS, you will become part of the most important prize in Germany dedicated to the international opera business. Help us to give deserved recognition to the leading artists or align your business objectives with the OPER! AWARDS.
Each year, the OPER! AWARDS’ wide publicity goes well beyond audiences of opera buffs and specialist media, reaching young, new target groups not yet familiar with this art form.
Whatever your aims when becoming a private or corporate OPER! AWARDS sponsor, we can offer individual solutions based on your ideas and requirements. Why not talk to us and find out how we can offer optimum support to you? The OPER! AWARDS set great value on sound and trustful cooperation, for each partnership is as unique as the people joining it.
We look forward to getting to know you!
Contact:
Dr. Ulrich Ruhnke
Phone: +49 (0)30 220 117 690
Mail: info@oper-awards.com
Media Partners
Contact
Email: info@oper-awards.com
