Tenebrae wins Opus Klassik Award for Messiah performance with the AAM

Prize-winning vocal ensemble Tenebrae has won an Opus Klassik award for Messiah performance with the Academy of Ancient Music and leading soloists.

Each year, a jury of eleven experts from the classical music world selects winners across 30 different categories, celebrating and crediting inspiring artists who exceed the expectations set for classical music. Tenebrae received the award for ‘Orchestra/Ensemble Live Performance of the Year’ for their concert on 6 December 2024 in Wiesbaden with the Academy of Ancient Music, in which they presented Handel’s ever-popular oratorio, Messiah, alongside soloists Grace Davidson (soprano), Martha McLorinan (alto), Nick Pritchard (tenor), and Matthew Brook (bass-baritone). 

The performance was well-received in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Wiesbadener Kurier, with critics noting that the ‘inner rather than outward intensity’ made it feel like ‘something that matters’, and that ‘the youthful Tenebrae choir captivated in a performance marked by Short’s clear, intelligent and pathos-free direction, excelling in its streamlined yet grand approach’. The Wiesbadener Kurier finished their review by reporting that ‘the artists received well-deserved ovations, particularly the Tenebrae Choir, affirming its status as one of the world’s finest vocal ensembles’.

Tenebrae’s Artistic Director Nigel Short was thrilled by the special recognition, commenting, ‘Performing the Messiah is always a joy,’ and that it was a ‘golden opportunity’ for him to be able to enjoy such wonderful music.

To learn more about the Opus Klassik awards and the other exceptional winners, visit the Opus Klassik website.

Photo credit: Sophie Oliver