SA chorus group wins "Chorus of the Year" award in London

Exclusively sponsored by SPI, the awards aim to celebrate excellence in the international world of opera. SPI chief executive Daniël Kriel said that the International Opera Awards sponsorship is a key part of its endeavour to build the company's brand in the UK.

"We are extremely pleased to extend our activities in the UK to include opera, a passion shared by so many of our high net worth clients."

He said that over 24,500 operatic performances took place around the world in the 2012/13 season. "It is clear that the world's love affair with this musical art form is alive and well and it is fitting that the achievements of performers, producers and teams are recognised."

Kriel says it was with delight that SPI watched the Cape Town Opera Chorus walk away with the 'Chorus of the Year' award. "The awards attracted 1,500 nominations from 41 countries around the world, so to have a South African entry among the winners made us proud and we hope to see more of these in years to come."

Patrons of the opera awards include the Spanish tenor Placido Domingo. Categories range from Male and Female Singer of the Year to best DVD, Young Singer and Opera Company of the Year. Shortlisted stars included the singers Jonas Kaufmann (hailed as the Pavarotti of today), Bryn Terfel, Nina Stemme and the conductor Antonio Pappano.