Classic BRIT Awards 2012: Andre Rieu and Anthony Hopkins among winners
Story by Jack Foley
VIOLINIST Andre Rieu picked up his second album of the year prize at the Classic BRIT Awards (2012) last night for his latest album, And The Waltz Goes On.
The accolade meant that Oscar-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins also enjoyed a share of the prize, given that one of his compositions – the album’s title track – featured on Rieu’s record.
Indeed, Rieu dedicated his prize to Sir Anthony, describing him as “the greatest actor we have now on this planet”.
While speaking to the BBC back-stage afterwards, the Welsh acting legend insisted that the win was all down to Rieu and that he was “just here by happy accident”.
Taking place at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall venue, the night also saw notable wins for Gareth Malone and his choir of Military Wives, who took home the coveted single of the year for their hit record Wherever You Are.
The chart-topper beat off the likes of Nessun Dorma and Adagio For Strings, as well as a Hans Zimmer score for the movie Inception and was voted for by the public.
Choirmaster Malone described the award as “the candle on the icing of a very large cake”.
While the Wives themselves celebrated by performing Diamond Jubilee anthem, Sing, accompanied by the song’s composers, Take That star Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber, who both played grand pianos.
Pianist Benjamin Grosvenor became the Classic Brits’ youngest ever male winner at the age of 20 after taking the critics’ choice prize for his album Chopin, Liszt and Ravel.
While Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti was crowned top female artist and Vasily Petrenko, Russian conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, was named best male artist.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli collected the prize for best international artist, while veteran US composer John Williams was honoured with a lifetime achievement award that recognised his work on dozens of scores for such movies as Jaws, Star Wars and Superman.
The 80-year-old was also awarded a best composer prize recognising his scores for the Steven Spielberg films War Horse and The Adventures of Tintin.
The event is to be broadcast on ITV1 on October 7.
The 2012 winners (and nominees) at a glance are (winners appear in bold)…
Female Artist
Alison Balsom – Seraph
Joyce DiDonato – Diva Divo — Opera Arias
Nicola Benedetti – Italia
Male Artist
Andrea Bocelli – Concerto — One Night In Central Park
Lang Lang – Liszt — My Piano Hero
Vasily Petrenko – Shostakovich/Symphony No. 1 & 3
Shostakovich/Symphony No. 6 & 12
Shostakovich/Symphony No. 2 & 15
Rachmaninov/Piano Concertos 1 & 4
Rachmaninov/Symphony No. 3
MasterCard’s Breakthrough Artist Of The Year Award
Benjamin Grosvenor – Benjamin Grosvenor Plays Chopin, Liszt & Ravel
Miloš Karadaglio – Latino
Noah Stewart – Noah
Composer
Ennio Morricone – Paradiso
John Williams – War Horse/The Adventures Of TinTin
Paul Mealor – A Tender Light
Classic BRITs Single Of The Year in association with iTunes
Royal Choral Society, BBC Concert Orchestra/Wordsworth – Jerusalem
Della Jones, Royal Choral Society, BBC Concert Orchestra/Wordsworth – Rule Britannia
Ennio Morricone – Gabriel’s Oboe (The Mission — OST)
Hans Zimmer – Time (Inception — OST)
Karl Jenkins – Adiemus
Klaus Badelt – He’s a Pirate (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl — OST)
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Parry – Adagio for Strings (Barber)
Luciano Pavarotti – Nessun Dorma
Ludovico Einaudi – I Giorni
Military Wives/Gareth Malone – Wherever You Are
Critics’ Award
Berlin Philharmonic/Rattle – Bruckner Symphony No.9
Benjamin Grosvenor – Chopin/Liszt/Ravel
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Belohlavek – Martinu: The 6 Symphonies
Classic FM Album Of The Year in association with MasterCard
André Rieu – And The Waltz Goes On
Andrea Bocelli – Concerto — One Night In Central Park
Band Of HM Royal Marines – Summon The Heroes
Band Of The Coldstream Guards – Pride Of The Nation
Craig Ogden – Summertime
Hayley Westenra – Paradiso
Laura Wright – The Last Rose
Miloš Karadaglić – The Guitar
Noah Stewart – Noah
Russell Watson – Anthemsl
International Artist Of The Year in association with Raymond Weil
Andrea Bocelli
Lifetime Achievement
John Williams