The “Onegin” National Opera Award ceremony and a gala concert featuring opera stars will be held on November 29 at the Mariinsky Theater. This marks the 10th presentation of the “Onegin” Award in 2025.

The award ceremony will feature performances by prominent opera figures. Alexey Aslanov will conduct the Mariinsky Theater’s symphony orchestra. Joining him will be award president Hibla Gerzmava, Elen Yeghiazaryan, Kangyoon Shine Lee, Polina Sharovarova, Vyacheslav Vasiliev, and others.

Italian baritone Leo Nucci, renowned as the best Rigoletto of his generation, will be a special guest, receiving the “Onegin” award in the “From Russia with Love” nomination. Sati Spivakova and Vadim Vernik will host the ceremony.

Winners will be selected across eight categories. A total of 165 applications were submitted for the 2025 competition, with the expert council reviewing 58 performances. Fifteen theaters from 12 regions, along with two independent opera projects, have been shortlisted.

The nominees include a diverse range of productions. Productions such as “Anna Bolena”, “Il Trovatore”, “The Queen of Spades”, Mozart’s “Così fan tutte”, and “Turandot” are among the nominees.

Several contemporary operas are vying for the “Event” nomination. These include the world premieres of “Peter the Great” and “To Love at War,” as well as the rarely performed opera “The Birds.”

Several St. Petersburg artists are also nominated. Yegor Martynenko, Karlen Manukyan, and “Little Red Riding Hood” are among them.