The opera Alma by composer Ella Milch-Sheriff, which prompted enthusiastic reactions from both the press and audiences in October 2024, was awarded Best World Premiere. “I can’t even put into words how happy and proud we are,” librettist Ido Ricklin sent his greetings from Tel Aviv on the evening of the ceremony, after director Ruth Brauer-Kvam had accepted the award on behalf of the entire team, including Annette Dasch, who had been nominated for Best Protagonist.
A Triumphant Night or the Volksoper at the Austrian Music Theatre Awards
September has only just begun, and at the Volksoper, as the new season gets underway, we are of course looking ahead with particular anticipation: to upcoming premieres and the new 2026/27 season. The 14th Austrian Music Theatre Awards on September 8, however, also provided an opportunity to look back at the highlights of the 2024/25 theatre season and brought the Volksoper Wien three awards in total:
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The work of the Volksoper’s former music director, Omer Meir Wellber, was once again brought into the spotlight not only through the world premiere of Alma, but also through the award-winning KaiserRequiem, which received the award for Best Overall Dance Production. The combination of Viktor Ullmann’s operatic rarity Der Kaiser von Atlantis and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem, created by Wellber, impressed the jury just as much as Andreas Heise’s sensitive direction and captivating choreography.
And the Volksoper ensemble also took home one of the coveted award statuettes: contralto Jasmin White, who joined the ensemble after graduating from the first Opernstudio class in 2022/24, was named Best Emerging Talent. In the acceptance speech, the contralto described the Volksoper as a cherished and precious artistic home.
In the press coverage of yesterday’s Austrian Music Theatre Awards ceremony, particular emphasis was placed on the fact that “the Volksoper Wien impressed with its innovative energy and diversity” (APA). In keeping with this spirit, rising star Nils Strunk, whose production Killing Carmen, created in collaboration with Lukas Schrenk, will return to the programme from December 2026, also received the Special Award in the Cross Over category.
We are delighted to celebrate with all the award winners and look forward to seeing them, as well as all the nominated artists, back on the Volksoper stage in the future! Those who do not want to wait much longer can already experience the latest work by the multi-award-winning director Ruth Brauer-Kvam as part of our opening production Ronja Räubertochter, starting September 20.
Because future music theatre awards are created here and now …
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