Simone Young, Barrie Kosky, Brett Dean, Dane Lam and Lauren Fagan – are among the artists nominated for this year’s International Opera Awards, the best Australian showing since the Awards were launched in 2013. The finalists were selected by an international jury of 28, chaired by Opera Magazine Editor John Allison and including Opera Queensland outgoing AD Lindy Hume and Opera Australia head Lyndon Terracini.

“It’s gratifying to see how the International Opera Awards just keep growing,” said jury Chairman John Allison. “With a record number of nominations to consider, and our biggest and most international jury yet, I’m delighted to say that our exciting shortlists – covering six continents and around 30 countries – reflect the truly cosmopolitan nature of the art form. Despite the challenges faced by opera companies almost everywhere, opera is vibrantly alive.”

Young is nominated for Best Conductor in an impressive field that includes Daniele Gatti, Vladimir Jurowski and Fabio Luisi. Kosky is recognised for his acclaimed and thought-provoking staging of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at this year’s Bayreuth Festival, while Dean is nominated for Hamlet, his second opera, which had its highly successful premiere at Glyndebourne last June and is already headed to this...