On November 9th 2022, after a performance of Richard Strauss’s “Ariadne auf Naxos”, Camilla Nylund was awarded the Lotte-Lehmann-Gedächtnisring at the Vienna State Opera by director Bogdan Roscic and Hans-Peter Kammerer, president of the Soloists’ Association (Solistenverband der Wiener Staatsoper).
The Lotte-Lehmann-Gedächtnisring as an award dates back to 1955, when it was first given to its namesake – soprano Lotte Lehmann – by the Soloists’ Association, which has since then handpicked each bearer – a leading soprano at the Vienna State Opera – under advice of the predecessor. The ring has since been awarded to Leonie Rysanek, Hildegard Behrens and lastly, in 2011, Waltraud Meier – all of whom are, in the words of Bogdan Roscic, “legends of [this] stage”.
Camilla Nylund, as the fifth awardee, spoke of a ring as the highest honour and sign of friendship from her colleagues – “I hope I can sometime return the happiness that you have given me today,” she said in her note of thanks after receiving the award.
Natasha Orrell