Latvijas Gāze Annual Award
The tradition to give the annual awards to the best opera and ballet artists was founded in 1997 by AS Aldaris, then the general sponsor of the LNO. In 2006, the tradition was taken over by the patron of the LNO, AS Latvijas Gāze. The collaboration between AS Latvijas Gāze and the LNO has begun in 2005 when Latvijas Gāze became the biggest supporter in the LNO history. The 2008/2009 season laureates were awarded on October 2, 2009.
Opera Soloist - INGA ŠĻUBOVSKA
Ballet Soloist - ANDRIS PUDĀNS
Orchestra Musician - LNO ORCHESTRA STRING QUARTET (Svetlana Okuņa (violin), Leonards Antoņevičs (violin), Elizabete Sorokina (viola), Inga Sunepa (cello)) and PIANIST JURIS ŽVIKOVS
Outstanding Artistic Achievements Award - MARINA REBEKA
Special Merits Award - LNO ORCHESTRA
Lifetime Achievement Award for Artistic Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - lifelong LNO Choir singer GUNTIS ROSTOKS
Lifetime Achievement Award for Technological Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - Head of Wooden- and Metal-Decorations Department VALDIS BIEZAIS
Best 2008/2009 Season New Production - ballet DER SANDMANN (choreographer Christian Spuck, conductor Normunds Šnē)
Opera Soloist - JĀNIS APEINIS
Ballet Soloist - MARGARITA DEMJANOKA
Orchestra Musician - AIJA FRIŠENFELDE (violin)
Outstanding Artistic Achievements Award - AIRA RŪRĀNE
Special Merits Award - LNO BALLET COMPANY
Lifetime Achievement Award for Artistic Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - rehearsal pianist ILZE GRĪNBERGA
Lifetime Achievement Award for Technological Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - VALDIS AULIKS
Best 2007/2008 Season New Production - ballet ANNA KARENINA (choreographer Boris Eifman, conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius)
Opera Soloist - AIRA RŪRĀNE
Ballet Soloist - BAIBA KOKINA
Orchestra Musician - IVARS BEZPROZVANOVS (cello)
Outstanding Artistic Achievements Award - costume designer KRISTĪNE PASTERNAKA
Special Merits Award - LNO Costume Design and Repair Department
Lifetime Achievement Award for Artistic Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - soprano LILIJA GREIDĀNE
Lifetime Achievement Award for Technological Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - lighting designer JĀNIS VALLE
Best 2006/2007 Season New Production - ballet LES GEMS (choreographers Christian Spuck, Petr Zuska, Peter Anastos, conductor Normunds Dreģis)
Opera Soloist - KRISTĪNE OPOLAIS
Ballet Soloist - SERGEI NEIKSHIN
Conductor - ANDRIS NELSONS
Orchestra Musician - IVO KRŪSKOPS (percussions)
Special Merits Award - LNO CHOIR
Lifetime Achievement Award for Artistic Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - lifelong orchestra musician KĀRLIS BRAŽE
Lifetime Achievement Award for Technological Contribution to the Latvian National Opera - stage worker DAINIS SKALBERGS
Best 2005/2006 Season New Production - D.Shostakovich's opera LADY MACBETH OF MTSENSK (conductor Andris Nelsons, stage director Andrejs Žagars)
