After dinner in the Grand Ballroom at The Plaza, guests await the start of the awards ceremony 

The evening’s honorees: baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, soprano Anja Silja, director/producer Peters Sellars, baritone Peter Mattei and soprano Karita Mattila 

Honoree Karita Mattila with Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who presented the soprano’s award 

Honoree Peter Sellers with his award-presenter, bass Eric Owens 

Event honorary co-chairman Mercedes T. Bass with Maestro James Conlon 

Honoree Peter Mattei and family — wife, Rose-Marie, and daughters Julia and Johanna — with Rich and Carol Miller 

Mr. Miller, event honorary co-chairman Ann Ziff, and honoree Dmitri Hvorostovsky 

Awards-ceremony host Stephanie Blythe with New York Philharmonic music director Alan Gilbert 

Event co-chairman Marifé Hernández (center) with her husband, Joel Bell, and guest Carole French 

Dmitri Hvorostovsky with his wife, Florence Illi, and award-presenter Sherrill Milnes and his wife, Maria Zouves 

OPERA NEWS sweepstakes winner Samuel Aronson (right) with his guest, George Cooper 

Group shot (left–right): Richard J. Miller, Jr., Sherrill Milnes, Stephanie Blythe, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Anja Silja, Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Peter Sellars, Peter Mattei, Eric Owens, Karita Mattila, James Conlon, OPERA NEWS editor-in-chief, F. Paul Driscoll, Samuel Aronson and George Cooper 

Messrs. Driscoll and Miller open the Awards ceremony 

Stephanie Blythe receives an ovation 

Peter Mattei acknowledges applause 

Dmitri Hvorostovsky receives his crystal award and hearty congratulations from Sherrill Milnes… 

… and delivers his acceptance speech 

An excited Peter Sellars thanks the Guild and OPERA NEWS for this honor 

Anja Silja basks in the audience’s warm welcome 

Karita Mattila shows off her crystal award 

Princess Madeleine of Sweden with OPERA NEWS editor-in-chief F. Paul Driscoll