We were delighted to hear that three Askonas Holt artists are shortlisted for the WhatsOnStage Opera Poll, celebrating opera performances between December 2014 and November 2015.

Winners of each category will be decided by a public vote on the WhatsOnStage website. Voting closes on 31 December 2015 and results will be published on 4 January 2016. 

Outstanding Achievement in an Operatic Role – Rosa Feola

Breakthrough Artist in UK Opera – Duncan Ward

Event of the Year/Outstanding Contribution to the UK Operatic Scene – Edward Gardner for sustained musical excellence in ENO’s music directorship handover

A number of artists were also involved in productions shortlisted for Best New Opera Production:

Robin Ticciati – ‘Die Entführung aus dem Serail’, Glyndebourne 

Alexander Shelley – ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, Opera North

Rosa Feola – ‘I puritani’, Welsh National Opera

Iestyn Davies, Sophie Bevan, Lucy Crowe & Benjamin Hulett – ‘Saul’, Glyndebourne

And for Best Opera Revival:

Duncan Ward – ‘Don Pasquale’, Glyndebourne

Edward Gardner – ‘The Mastersingers of Nuremberg’, English National Opera

Robin Ticciati – Ravel double bill, Glyndebourne

Sarah Connolly – ‘Tristan und Isolde’, Royal Opera House

It has been a busy couple of weeks for award nominations, with nine AH artists nominated for a GRAMMY, 39 nominated for the International Classical Music Awards and six nominated for Presto Classical Awards.