A gala celebration at the Opera News Awards 2019

During a gala evening at the Plaza Hotel, New York, director Laurent Pelly received an Opera News Award 2019.

Presented by mezzo-soprano, Joyce Didonato, Laurent was recognised for his international work and for 'transforming the way audiences experience opera and leaving an everlasting impact on this essential and ever-revolving art form', says F. Paul Drisco, Opera News editor-in-chief.

Described as 'faultlessly musical, visually stimulating and entirely singular', current work includes new productions of Falstaff at Teatro Real Madrid, Barbe Bleue at Opéra de Lyon, Candide at the Santa Fe Opera and Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera Philadelphia, as well as revivals of Cendrillon at the Metropolitan Opera and Chicago Lyric Opera and Manon and La Fille du régiment in New York and London.