OPUS KLASSIK 2025 - Universal Music’s Classical Artists Honoured in Major Categories
Berlin, 12 October 2025. The work of some of Universal Music’s leading classical artists has been recognised at the OPUS KLASSIK 2025 awards. Musicians signed to Deutsche Grammophon, Decca Classics and DG partner label CAvi Music won awards in 9 different categories, including major categories such as Singer (both male and female), Instrumentalist and Conductor of the Year. Today’s prestigious gala awards ceremony, hosted by actress and presenter Désirée Nosbusch at the Konzerthaus Berlin, featured live performances by several prize-winners with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin conducted by Anu Tali.
Emily D’Angelo (Female Singer of the Year) – honoured for her second solo DG album freezing – captivated the audience with a newly arranged orchestral medley of Wild Mountain Thyme and O Love is Teasing, while Benjamin Bernheim – named Male Singer of the Year for his first solo song album Douce France: Mélodies & Chansons – performed the aria “Pourquoi me réveiller” from Massenet’s Werther. Instrumentalist of the Year awards went to Seong-Jin Cho (Ravel: The Complete Solo Piano Works) and Antje Weithaas (Vasks: Violin Concerto No. 2). Having won the latter award last year for Lang Lang – Saint-Saëns, pianist Lang Lang this year won Bestseller of the Year for the same album. He played Chopin’s Prélude in E minor, Op. 28 No. 4 and Andrew Wrangell’s Rush E, two of the many miniatures on the upcoming album Piano Book 2. This new volume amplifies the message of the original Piano Book (Lang Lang’s highest-streaming album to date), namely that classical music is for everyone. The 2025 Conductor of the Year award went to Joana Mallwitz for The Kurt Weill Album, recorded with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, of which she is Chief Conductor, while Aigul Akhmetshina was named a Young Talent of the Year for her debut solo album Aigul. Creative storytelling – as in Alice Sara Ott’s ‑immersive 45minute film Nocturne, directed by Andrew Staples (Audiovisual Music Production of the Year), and David Chalmin’s experimental Sonic Wires (Innovative Listening Experience of the Year) – demonstrated the spirit of artistic renewal at the heart of OPUS KLASSIK 2025.
Key to the ceremony were the celebrations surrounding Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award. Still active at the age of 90, Pärt has exerted a decisive influence on classical music since the 1960s. In developing his tintinnabuli technique, he opened up a new soundworld that has touched millions of people worldwide. He made his first recording for DG partner label ECM Records in 1984, launching an ongoing collaboration with ECM’s founder and producer Manfred Eicher which has led to legendary recordings of key works including Tabula Rasa, Fratres and Spiegel im Spiegel. Pärt’s work also features on Deutsche Grammophon, notably on the recently-released album of pianist Georgijs Osokins, For Arvo.
“The OPUS KLASSIK has established itself as one of the world’s most eminent music awards and a true celebration of classical music in all its variety. We’re proud to have seen our artists triumph in so many major categories this year,” says Kleopatra Sofroniou, General Manager Classics, Deutsche Grammophon. “Every project honoured today, from virtuosic interpretations of core repertoire to innovative collaborations and cutting-edge new music, reflects the creativity and extraordinary vitality of our roster.”
Frank Briegmann, Chairman & CEO Universal Music Central Europe and Deutsche Grammophon, adds: “My heartfelt congratulations to all our nominees and award-winners on their outstanding achievements. Universal Music’s artists and labels have once again shown how world-class artistry, creativity and a shared passion for music define what we do. My thanks go to our partners and all involved in making the OPUS KLASSIK weekend such a wonderful celebration of what classical music can achieve today and in the future.”
The OPUS KLASSIK is Germany’s most prestigious classical music prize. Designed to honour outstanding artists and recordings, it is awarded by the Verein zur Förderung der Klassischen Musik e.V. (Society for the Promotion of Classical Music), whose members are drawn from record labels, promoters, publishers and other representatives of the classical music world. A jury of industry experts decide the OPUS KLASSIK awards in 30 different categories.
The ceremony was broadcast at 22.15 (CEST) by OPUS KLASSIK’s media partner ZDF. The OPUS KLASSIK concert was broadcast on RBB’s radio3 at 20.00 (CEST) on 12 October 2025.
