The Opéra de Monte-Carlo has taken two of the top prizes at the 2026 Oper! Awards, with Cecilia Bartoli named Best Production and Gianluca Capuano recognised as Best Conductor.
Cecilia Bartoli, who serves as both Director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Artistic Director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival, was honoured for Hotel Metamorphosis — an inventive pastiche weaving Vivaldi arias together with Ovid’s Metamorphoses, presented in Salzburg last year. The award reflects the critical attention the production attracted across the opera world since its premiere.
Gianluca Capuano, principal conductor of Les Musiciens du Prince – Monaco, claimed the Best Conductor prize in recognition of his work on the same Vivaldi pastiche as well as his direction of Das Rheingold, which was presented at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo in January 2025.
The double recognition is a significant moment for Monaco’s opera house and the artistic community it has built around it, and confirms the international standing of both its leadership and its resident ensemble.
Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo of Cecilia Bartoli, credit: Sylvain Guillot, Opera de Monte Carlo