Prestigious nominations for the Mariinsky label

Four recordings on the Mariinsky label have been nominated for the International Classical Music Awards. Two recordings from Richard Wagner’s tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen already released on the label (the composer’s Ring cycle will be released in full this year) – Das Rheingold and Die Walküre – have been nominated in the category “Best Opera”. It should be noted that these are the only Russian-produced recordings to have been nominated in this category. Released on the Mariinsky label last year, thanks to the magnificent casts of soloists and “first-class playing by the Mariinsky Orchestra” (BBC Radio 3 CD Review) under the baton of Valery Gergiev, the first two instalments of Wagner’s tetralogy immediately won wide acclaim from audiences and critics, receiving numerous awards and prizes. Die Walküre, the first release of the tetralogy, won a Diapason d’Or prize, the Opera Diamond award, five stars from Audiophile Audition magazine and Germany’s most prestigious classical music award, the ECHO Klassik, as “Best Opera Recording of the Year”. The Mariinsky label’s Das Rheingold was awarded the Choc de l’année prize by respected French magazine Classica.

The recording of Dmitry Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony performed by the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev has been nominated in the category “Symphony Music”. Here, too, the Mariinsky Orchestra is the only Russian ensemble to appear among the nominees. The recording of the Eighth Symphony was released on 14 October 2013 and was the fifth disc of Shostakovich’s symphony music to be recorded by the Mariinsky Orchestra under maestro Gergiev (recording the complete Shostakovich symphonies on the Mariinsky label is also among Valery Gergiev’s priorities). This release has already been named “Editor’s Choice” and highly recommended by Great Britain’s Classical CD Choice internet publication.

Again, the Mariinsky label’s recording of Sergei Prokofiev’s The Gambler (released on 3 June 2013) is the only Russian production to be nominated in the category “Best Opera DVD”. This dazzling version of Prokofiev’s early opera, staged by People’s Artist of Russia and Georgia Temur Chkheidze in 2007 at the historic Mariinsky Theatre, features a stellar cast of singers together with the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev.

This year two hundred and sixty-four audio and video recordings produced by ninety-four labels from throughout the world have been nominated for the International Classical Music Awards in fifteen categories. The results of the competition and the recipients of honorary awards will be announced in late January.