Laurent Pelly wins Spanish award

Laurent Pelly has won this year's Ópera XXI Award for Best Director, for his productions of Rossini's La cenerentola at the Palau de les Arts Valencia in December 2020, and Donizetti's Viva la mamma! at Madrid's Teatro Real in June 2021.

The awards were made to artists appearing in Spain during the the 2020/2021 season, decided by a jury made up of critics, experts and journalists.

Oriol Aguilà, President of Ópera XXI, said, 'The seasons that these awards represent show the ability of Spanish theatres to react and adapt to the most difficult and unexpected situations. During this time, Spain became a solitary cultural beacon, while the whole world watched. It demonstrated the full potential of our cultural industry and of the professionals of Spanish opera... We will never give up our essential work and service to society. These awards are proof of this and all the winners are an example of all the talent and strength on our stages... The awards are our expression of sharing and generating an opera community in Spain.'

The ceremony for the Ópera XXI Awards will take place at a gala on 30 April 30, 2022, at the Cervantes Theatre in Málaga.