OPERA NEWS has announced the recipients for 2020 Opera News Awards which include Diana Damrau, Thomas Allen. Javier Camarena, Ana María Martinez, and Anthony Roth Costanzo.

This is the 15^th year that the organization distributes its awards, with this year’s gala event set for April, 5, 2020 at the Plaza Hotel.

“Since the first presentation of the OPERA NEWS Awards in 2005, the highlight of the magazine’s year is our tradition of honoring outstanding men and women who have had a transformative effect on the world of opera,” said OPERA NEWS Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll. “These five singers are artists of rare accomplishment who have changed the way their audiences experience this ever-changing, exhilarating art form.”

Sir Thomas Allen is a legendary baritone who turned to directing in his post-singing career. In 1999, he was knighted in recognition of his services to the art form.

Camarena is enjoying the prime of his career as the go-to bel canto tenor. He recently made history by encoring Met audiences during the Live in HD performance of “La Fille du Régiment;” it was the first time in the simulcast’s history that a singer had performed an encore. Camarena had encored every performance of the run.

Costanzo is coming off a major turn in the title role of “Akhnaten” and has become one of the most renowned counter tenors of his time.

Damrau has been a major star of the opera world for close to two decades, dominating music across the French, German, and Italian repertory. She has a plethora of recordings, both audio and video, and is set to take on the title role of “Maria Stuarda” at the Met Opera later this season, which will be presented live in HD.

Finally, Martinez is one of the most beloved interpreters of the role of Cio-Cio San, which she will perform at the Metropolitan Opera later this season. She is also a champion of the works of Daniel Catán and has a wide-ranging repertory that includes the operas of Puccini, Dvorak, Mozart, and even Rossini.