Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording - Definition

The Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording has been awarded since 1961. The award was originally titled Best Classical Opera Production . The current title has been used since 1962.

Prior to 1961 the awards for operatic and choral performances were combined in a single award for Best Classical Performance, Operatic or Choral

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

2000s

• Grammy Awards of 2004
  • Wolfram Graul (producer), Bernard Haitink (conductor), Jerry Hadley, Karita Mattila, Eva Randová, Anja Silja, Jorma Silvasti for Janácek: Jenufa performed by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House & Chorus & various artists
• Grammy Awards of 2003
  • Christoph Classen (producer), Eberhard Sengpiel, Tobias Lehmann (engineers), Daniel Barenboim (conductor), Jane Eaglen, Thomas Hampson, Waltraud Meier, René Pape, Peter Seiffert, the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin & the Staatskapelle Berlin for Wagner: Tannhäuser
• Grammy Awards of 2002
  • James Mallinson (producer), Simon Rhodes (engineer), Colin Davis (conductor), Michelle DeYoung, Ben Heppner, Petra Lang, Peter Mattei, Stephen Milling, Sara Mingardo, Kenneth Tarver & the London Symphony Orchestra for Berlioz: Les Troyens
• Grammy Awards of 2001
  • Martin Sauer (producer), Jean Chatauret (engineer), Kent Nagano (conductor), Kim Begley, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Dietrich Henschel, Markus Hollop, Eva Jenis, Torsten Kerl & the Orchestre de l'Opera Nationale de Lyon for Busoni: Doktor Faust
• Grammy Awards of 2000
  • Nicholas Parker (producer), John Eliot Gardiner (conductor), Ian Bostridge, Anne Sofie von Otter, Bryn Terfel, Deborah York, the Monteverdi Choir & the London Symphony Orchestra for Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress

1990s

• Grammy Awards of 1999
  • Pierre Boulez (conductor), Jessye Norman, Laszlo Polgar & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle
• Grammy Awards of 1998
  • Michael Woolcock (producer), Georg Solti (conductor), José van Dam, Ben Heppner, Herbert Lippert, Karita Mattila, Alan Opie, Rene Pape, Iris Vermillion & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
• Grammy Awards of 1997
  • Brian Couzens (producer), Richard Hickox (conductor), Philip Langridge, Alan Opie, Janice Watson, the London Symphony Chorus & the City of London Sinfonia for Britten: Peter Grimes
• Grammy Awards of 1996
  • Raymond Minshull (producer), Charles Dutoit (conductor), Gary Lakes, Francoise Pollet, Gino Quilico, Deborah Voigt & L'Orchestra Symphonie Montreal & Chorus for Berlioz: Les Troyens
• Grammy Awards of 1995
  • Martin Sauer (producer), Kent Nagano (conductor), Kenn Chester, Jerry Hadley, Samuel Ramey, Cheryl Studer, & the Orchestre of Opera De Lyon & Chorus for Floyd: Susannah
• Grammy Awards of 1994
  • Steven Paul (producer), John Nelson (conductor), John Aler, Kathleen Battle, Michael Chance, Mark S. Doss, Marilyn Horne, Neil Mackie, Sylvia McNair, Samuel Ramey, the Ambrosian Opera Chorus & the English Chamber Orchestra for Handel: Semele
• Grammy Awards of 1993
  • Christopher Raeburn, Stephen Trainor, Morten Winding (producers), Georg Solti (conductor), Hildegard Behrens, José van Dam, Plácido Domingo, Sumi Jo, Reinhild Runkel, Julia Varady & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for R. Strauss: Die Frau Ohne Schatten
• Grammy Awards of 1992
  • Cord Garben (producer), James Levine (conductor), Hildegard Behrens, Reiner Goldberg, Matti Salminen, Hanna Schwarz, Cheryl Studer, Bernd Weikl, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, & the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for Wagner: Gotterdammerung
• Grammy Awards of 1991
  • Cord Garben (producer), James Levine (conductor), Siegfried Jerusalem, Christa Ludwig, Kurt Moll, James Morris, Jan Hendrik Rootering, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Heinz Zednik & the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for Wagner: Das Rheingold
• Grammy Awards of 1990
  • Cord Garben (producer), James Levine (conductor), Hildegard Behrens, Gary Lakes, Christa Ludwig, Kurt Moll, James Morris, Jessye Norman & the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for Wagner: Die Walkuere

1980s

• Grammy Awards of 1989
  • Christopher Raeburn (producer), Georg Solti (conductor), Plácido Domingo, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Siegmund Nimsgern, Jessye Norman, Eva Randova, Hans Sotin, & the Vienna State Opera Orchestra for Wagner: Lohengrin
• Grammy Awards of 1988
  • Cord Garben (producer), James Levine (conductor), Agnes Baltsa, Kathleen Battle, Gary Lakes, Hermann Prey, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for R. Strauss: Ariadne Auf Naxos
• Grammy Awards of 1987
  • Elizabeth Ostrow (producer), John Mauceri (conductor), James Billings, Joyce Castle, Maris Clement, David Eisler, Jack Harrold, John Lankston, Erie Mills, Scott Reeve & the New York City Opera Orchestra for Bernstein: Candide
• Grammy Awards of 1986
  • James Mallinson (producer), Georg Solti (conductor), Philip Langridge, Franz Mazura & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus for Schoenberg: Moses und Aron
• Grammy Awards of 1985
  • Michel Glotz (producer), Lorin Maazel (conductor), the Choeurs et Maitrise de Radio France & the Orchestre National de France for Bizet: Carmen (Original Soundtrack)
• Grammy Awards of 1984
  • Christopher Raeburn (producer), Georg Solti (conductor), Thomas Allen, Kiri Te Kanawa, Kurt Moll, Lucia Popp, Samuel Ramey, Frederica von Stade & the London Philharmonic for Mozart: Le Nozzi di Figaro
  • Jay David Saks, Max Wilcox (producers), James Levine (conductor), Plácido Domingo, Cornell MacNeil, Teresa Stratas, & the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for Verdi: La Traviata
• Grammy Awards of 1983
  • Andrew Kazdin (producer), Pierre Boulez (conductor), Jeannine Altmeyer, Hermann Becht, Peter Hofmann, Siegfried Jerusalem, Gwyneth Jones, Manfred Jung, Donald McIntyre, Matti Salminen, Ortrun Wenkel, Heinz Zednik & the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra for Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
• Grammy Awards of 1982
  • James Mallinson (producer), Charles Mackerras (conductor), Jiri Zahradnicek, Ivo Zidek, Vaclav Zitek & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for Janáček: From the House of the Dead
• Grammy Awards of 1981
  • Gunther Breest, Michael Horwath (producers), Pierre Boulez (conductor), Toni Blankenheim, Franz Mazura, Yvonne Minton, Teresa Stratas & the Orchestre de l'Opera de Paris for Berg: Lulu
• Grammy Awards of 1980
  • Vittorio Negri (producer), Colin Davis (conductor), Heather Harper, Jonathan Summers , Jon Vickers & the Royal Opera House Orchestra for Britten: Peter Grimes

1970s

• Grammy Awards of 1979
  • George Sponhaltz, John Coveney (producers), Julius Rudel (conductor), Beverly Sills, Alan Titus & the New York City Opera Orchestra for Lehár: The Merry Widow
• Grammy Awards of 1978
  • Thomas Z. Shepard (producer), John De Main (conductor), Donnie Albert, Carol Brice, Clamma Dale & the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra for Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
• Grammy Awards of 1977
  • Michael Woolcock (producer), Lorin Maazel (conductor), Leona Mitchell, Willard White & the Cleveland Orchestra for Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
• Grammy Awards of 1976
  • Erik Smith (producer), Colin Davis (conductor), Richard van Allan, Janet Baker, Montserrat Caballé, Ileana Cotrubas, Vladimiro Ganzarolli, Nicolai Gedda & the Royal Opera House Orchestra for Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutte
• Grammy Awards of 1975
  • Richard Mohr (producer), Georg Solti (conductor), Judith Blegen, Montserrat Caballé, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Ruggero Raimondi & the London Philharmonic for Puccini: La Boheme
• Grammy Awards of 1974
  • Tom Mowrey (producer), Leonard Bernstein (conductor), Marilyn Horne, Tom Krause, Adriana Maliponte, James McCracken 7 the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus for Bizet: Carmen
• Grammy Awards of 1973
  • Erik Smith (producer), Colin Davis (conductor) the BBC Symphony Orchestra & various artists for Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini
• Grammy Awards of 1972
  • Richard Mohr (producer), Erich Leinsdorf (conductor), Grace Bumbry, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Leontyne Price, Ruggero Raimondi, the John Aldis Choir & the London Symphony Orchestra for Verdi: Aida
• Grammy Awards of 1971
  • Erik Smith (producer), Colin Davis (conductor), the Royal Opera House Orchestra & Chorus & various artists for Berlioz: Les Troyens
• Grammy Awards of 1970
  • Otto Gerdes (producer), Herbert von Karajan (conductor), Helga Dernesch, Thomas Stolze, Jess Thomas & the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for Wagner: Siegfried

1960s

• Grammy Awards of 1969
  • Richard Mohr (producer), Erich Leinsdorf (conductor), Ezio Flagello, Sherrill Milnes, Leontyne Price, Judith Raskin, George Shirley, Tatiana Troyanos & the New Philharmonia Orchestra for Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutte
• Grammy Awards of 1968
  • Thomas Z. Shepard (producer), Pierre Boulez (conductor), Walter Berry, Ingeborg Lasser, Isabel Strauss, Fritz Uhl & the Paris National Opera Orchestra & Chorus for Berg: Wozzeck
• Grammy Awards of 1967
  • Georg Solti (conductor), Regine Crespin, Hans Hotter, James King, Christa Ludwig, Birgit Nilsson, & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for Wagner: Die Walkure
  • George Bragg (conductor), Gregg Smith (choir director), the Gregg Smith Singers, the Ithaca College Concert Choir, the Texas Boys Choir & the Columbia Chamber Orchestra for Ives: Music for Chorus
• Grammy Awards of 1966
  • Karl Bohm (conductor), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Evelyn Lear Fritz Wunderlich & the German Opera Orchestra & Chorus for Berg: Wozzeck
• Grammy Awards of 1965
  • Herbert von Karajan (conductor) Franco Corelli, Mirella Freni, Robert Merrill, Leontyne Price & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for Bizet: Carmen
• Grammy Awards of 1964
  • Erich Leinsdorf (conductor), Rosalind Elias, Leontyne Price, Richard Tucker & the RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra for Puccini: Madama Butterfly
• Grammy Awards of 1963
  • Georg Solti (conductor), Robert Merrill, Leontyne Price, Giorgio Tozzi, Jon Vickers, & the Rome Opera House Orchestra for Verdi: Aida
• Grammy Awards of 1962
  • Gabriele Santini (conductor), Victoria de los Angeles, Jussi Bjoerling, Miriam Pirazzini, Mario Sereni & the Rome Opera Orchestra for Puccini: Madama Butterfly
• Grammy Awards of 1961
  • Erich Leinsdorf (conductor), Birgit Nilsson, Giorgio Tozzi, Jussi Bjoerling, Renata Tebaldi & the Rome Opera Orchestra for Puccini: Turandot

sa