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By Matthew Westphal
18 Feb 2007
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| Amanda Roocroft in the title role of Jenufa at English National Opera. |
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| photo by Clive Barda |
English National Opera's production of Janácek's Jenufa was the leader among the fine arts winners at the 2007 Laurence Olivier Awards, presented by the Society of London Theatre this evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel in the British capital.
ENO had dominated the nominations in the two opera categories, taking five of the eight available slots. Jenufa won Best New Opera Production honors for David Alden's staging, and Amanda Roocroft received the Outstanding Achievement in Opera prize for her portrayal of the title character. In accepting the award, the soprano said that working on the production was "the high point of my career."
One of Roocroft's fellow nominees was veteran bass John Tomlinson, now something of an institution in the British opera world, for playing Hagen in Wagner's Götterdämmerung at the Royal Opera House. He was honored with the Society's own Special Award — previously given to the likes of actors Ian McKellen, Judi Dench and John Gielgud, director Peter Hall, playwright Harold Pinter, choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, and Royal Ballet founder Ninette de Valois. Tomlinson is the first opera figure to be given the Society's Special Award — which was presented by another living legend, Janet Baker.
The Royal Ballet, which dominated the dance nominations, won Best New Dance Production for Wayne McGregor's Chroma. Taking the Outstanding Achievement in Dance award was Cuban ballet superstar Carlos Acosta for his body of work over the past year at Sadler's Wells.
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