Universal Music celebrates twelve wins at OPUS KLASSIK 2026 - Martha Argerich receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Berlin, 11 October 2026. Artists from Deutsche Grammophon, Decca Classics and DG partner labels CAvi-music, ECM and Myrios received twelve awards across eleven categories at OPUS KLASSIK 2026. Martha Argerich was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating her extraordinary contribution to classical music. The gala at Konzerthaus Berlin featured performances by Alice Sara Ott, Andrè Schuen, Katharina Konradi and Sarah Willis with her band, The Sarahbanda. Désirée Nosbusch hosted the ceremony, accompanied by the Konzerthausorchester Berlin conducted by Anna Rakitina. ZDF will broadcast the ceremony on 11 October at 10.15pm.
The awards recognise a remarkable range of artists, repertoire and recording projects. Anna Lucia Richter was named Female Singer of the Year for Mahler – Songs of Fate, while Andrè Schuen received the Male Singer of the Year award for Mozart. Sarah Willis, for Cuban Christmas, and Yunchan Lim, for his recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations live from Carnegie Hall, were honoured as Instrumentalists of the Year.
Andris Nelsons was named Conductor of the Year for Mendelssohn: Symphonies & Oratorios with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla received the Symphonic Recording of the Year award for Back to Nature: Čiurlionis & Gražinis. Alice Sara Ott won in the New Classic/Neoclassic category for Jóhann Jóhannsson – Piano Works, featuring world premiere recordings of piano transcriptions. Katharina Konradi and Daniel Heide received the award for Vocal Solo Recording of the Year for Franz Liszt: Un Cycle Imaginaire.
Producer Rainer Maillard received the Innovative Listening Experience of the Year award for Mikhail Pletnev’s Chopin & Scriabin: Préludes, DG’s first entirely analogue new recording since the 1980s. The Chamber Music Recording of the Year award went to Pur ti miro by Wu Wei, Martin Stegner and Janne Saksala, which brings together the sheng, a Chinese mouth organ, with viola and double bass. Lang Lang received the Bestseller of the Year award for Piano Book 2, spanning music by Bach, Chopin and Liszt alongside film, anime and gaming music.
Argerich’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognises a career that has inspired generations of musicians and listeners. Over almost six decades, she has built an exceptional discography at Deutsche Grammophon. At 85, she continues to perform worldwide and champion young musicians.
The gala brought several of the award-winning artists to the stage. Alice Sara Ott performed a nocturne from her DG recording John Field · Complete Nocturnes, while Andrè Schuen sang “Non più andrai” from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. Sarah Willis and The Sarahbanda performed an arrangement of Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik with vocals, followed by “Horn Extravaganza”. Katharina Konradi joined Jonas Kaufmann for “Tanzen möcht ich” from Emmerich Kálmán’s Die Csárdásfürstin.
“Our artists represent different generations, cultures and musical voices. From great classical works and Cuban rhythms to anime and gaming music, they bring fresh perspectives and create new ways for audiences to connect with classical music. This diversity keeps classical music alive – and we are proud to support our artists on their artistic journeys,” says Kleopatra Sofroniou, General Manager Classics, Deutsche Grammophon.
Frank Briegmann, Chairman & CEO Universal Music Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada & Deutsche Grammophon: “Twelve OPUS KLASSIK awards are a tremendous recognition of our artists and, at the same time, a powerful testament to the creative vitality of classical music. Martha Argerich has inspired generations for decades, while other artists are opening up new perspectives on great works today. That is precisely what makes classical music so special: the pursuit of the highest artistic standards, an enduring spirit of curiosity, and the courage to bring fresh perspectives to timeless works. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to all the award winners. My sincere thanks also go to ZDF, the media partner of OPUS KLASSIK, for providing these exceptional artists and their music with such an outstanding platform.”
OPUS KLASSIK honours outstanding classical artists and productions. The winners are selected by an independent, eleven-member expert jury from the music and media industry.
