CANNES, France (Top40 Charts/ MIDEM) - The fifth edition of the MIDEM Classical Awards will take place on Tuesday 20 January 2009 at 8pm in the Debussy auditorium of the Palais des Festivals, Cannes, during the 43rd MIDEM music market.
The MIDEM Classical Awards are the only international awards dedicated entirely to classical music. Professionals from the record and music publishing industries have submitted some 646 recordings from 127 labels and 23 companies for consideration.
A prestigious international jury from the world's leading specialist magazines, radio stations and organizations will discern the year's best artists and recordings. The jury includes Aarno Cronvall, Classic Radio (Finland), Bernadette Beyne, Crescendo (Belgium), Bjorn Woll, Fono Forum (Germany), Attila Retkes, Gramofon (Hungary), James Jolly, Gramophone (UK), Christian May, IAMA (World), Franz Patay, IMZ (World), Matthias Brixel, Klassik.com (Germany), Martin Hoffmeister, MDR - Figaro (Germany), Stephen Hastings, Musica (Italy), Andrea Meuli, Musik & Theater (Switzerland), Christian Scheib, ORF O1 (Austria), Remy Franck, Pizzicato (Luxembourg) and Luis Sunen, Scherzo (Spain).
During the ceremony, special homage will be paid to Carlo Bergonzi who will receive a special MIDEM prize in recognition of his outstanding career. It is hard to imagine a more enchanting timbre than that of French counter-tenor Philippe Jaroussky, voted "Singer of the Year", or that of the extraordinary talent of violinist Julia Fischer, "Instrumental Artist of the Year". German tenor Jonas Kaufmann will also attend as a special guest, invited to present the trophy to Carlo Bergonzi and to present his latest DVD, Carmen, published by Decca in October 2008. Finally, the Sony Masterworks label will be presented with the "Label of the Year" award. The winners at the MIDEM Classical Awards 2009 will be announced at a press conference on Sunday 18 January at 5pm on the MIDEM Classical Awards stand, located at Riviera R38.03.
On stage at this year's MIDEM Classical Awards will be the Orchestre de Cannes Alpes Provence Cote d'Azur conducted by Philippe Bender, with James Jolly as host. Several personalities from the international music scene will also honour this, the fifth edition of the MIDEM Classical Awards, with their presence.
The high attendance of professionals from the world of classical music at MIDEM, as well as the desire by jury members to pay special attention to broadcasting and promoting the winners, make the MIDEM Classical Awards an exceptional launch pad for all prize-winning artists.
