FESTIVAL AWARDS

​Exceptional festival performances will again be awarded with the so-called Libuška Awards - honorary prizes of the festival. Experts (jury of critics) and spectators (through a poll) will select the best festival production and appreciate exceptional singing-acting performances. One special prize will be awarded by the Festival Director.    

The present design of the Libuška Awards for the Festival OPERA was created by the famous Czech glass designer Václav Hanuš (1924–2009) at the very end of his life. The awards are produced by TGK – Technology, Glass and Art s.r.o.

The Critics' Award for the Best Production was awarded to the National Theatre Brno for the production of opera by Richard Strauss Salome. The prize was awarded by a jury composed of Helena Havlíková, Josef Herman, Radmila Hrdinová, Olga Janáčková and Pavel Unger.   
The following productions were shortlisted: Mysliveček's Adam ed Eva by the F. X. Šalda Theatre in Liberec, Druhé město (The Other City) by Ensemble Opera Diversa and King Roger by National Theatre Košice.   

Martin Šrejma was awarded the Critics' Award for Extraordinary Interpretation of a Role for his Fadinard in Rota's Il Capello di Paglia di Firenze (The Florentine Straw Hat) in the production by the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre, Ostrava. The prize was awarded by a jury composed of Helena Havlíková, Josef Herman, Radmila Hrdinová, Olga Janáčková and Pavel Unger.   
The following performers were shortlisted (listed in alphabetical order): Linda Ballová (Salome, R. Strauss: Salome, National Theatre Brno), Jaroslav Březina (Herodes, R. Strauss: Salome, National Theatre Brno) a Gabriela Hrženjak (Roxana, K. Szymanowski: King Roger, National Theatre Košice).   

The Audience Award for the Best Production was awarded to Ensemble Damian for the production of Hurvínek prodává něvěstu (Hurvínek Barters the Bride) by Spejbl and Hurvínek Theater and National Theatre Brno   
The audience decides about the winner through a poll: they had the opportunity to express their level of satisfaction on individual performances on a scale from one (the worst) to five (the best). On average, 60 spectators voted per performance.   

The Audience Award for Extraordinary Interpretation of a Role went to Tereza Kavecká for the interpretation of the title role in Janáček's opera Káťa Kabanová in a production by Silesian Theatre Opava.   

The Award of the Festival Director went to the Ensemble Opera Diversa, for the production of Kyas' opera Druhé město (The Other City)   

The Award of the Committee of the Czech Music Theatre Organisation for a Significant Achievement in the Field of Music Theatre: Since 2007, on the occasion of the festival, the Committee of the Czech Music Theatre Organisation has been honouring the personalities/institutions that have contributed in any way to the growth and enrichment of local opera.   
The committee of the Czech Music Theatre Organisation composed of Lubomír Havlák, Helena Havlíková, Josef Herman, Radmila Hrdinová, Olga Janáčková, Rudolf Leška, Regina Szymiková and Lenka Šaldová awarded the Ensemble Damian.