Two awards

Landestheater gets involved in music theater prize

Erica Eloff in the opera "Die tote Stadt", September 2022(Bild: Reinhard Winkler)

The Austrian Music Theater Prize was awarded at the Vienna Volksoper on Sunday morning. Outstanding productions and exceptional artists from the fields of opera, operetta and musicals are honored. The Landestheater Linz did not go away empty-handed either.

It is coveted and important: the Austrian Music Theater Prize, an annual testament to diversity and quality. "It reflects the enormous innovative power and artistic commitment that is lived in the most diverse theaters and ensembles in the country," says Karl-Michael Ebner, initiator and president of this initiative - and artistic director of the Steyr Music Festival.

The decision on the nominations and award winners was made by a jury of experts, and the "Krone" also had a seat.

The result at a glance
The Vienna State Opera won the awards in the categories "Best Male Leading Role" and "Best Female Supporting Role", while the Vienna Volksoper excelled in the categories "Best Young Male Talent" and "Best Set Design".

The Landestheater Linz was able to claim two awards for "Best Female Leading Role" and "Best Overall Musical Production", while the Theater an der Wien and the Salzburg Festival also received awards.

Singer from Linz and the "Komet"
Erica Eloff was honored as "Best Female Leading Role". The soprano at the Landestheater Linz impressed both as Eva in "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" and as Marie-Marietta in "Die tote Stadt". "Natascha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812", also at the Landestheater in Linz, was named "Best Overall Musical Production".

A performance with a thunderstorm of cheers
As previously reported, soprano Asmik Grigorian was awarded the "Grand Jury Prize". She also wowed audiences at the Linz Musiktheater in June, with "Krone" music critic Johannes Sonnberger cheering: "Star soprano made music theater tremble!"

Further awards for Upper Austria
The conductor Tobias Wögerer from Wilhering won in the category "Best Musical Direction", the choreographer Doris Uhlich from Attersee was also honored.

Other award winners included Michael Volle in "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" at the Vienna State Opera, Anina Wachter in "Lakmé" at the Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck, Pablo Santa Cruz in "La Cenerentola für Kinder" at the Volksoper Vienna.

Harald Serafin was honored for his "Lifetime Achievement", Philipp Hochmair with the special "Cross Over" award for the production "Der Hagestolz" - we already reported on this.