On November 16, an awarding ceremony of the Third National Opera Prize Onegin took place at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St.Petersburg. The opera company soloist of the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre Ksenia Khovanova received the award in the Debut nomination for performing the part of Leonora in the Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Il Trovatore staged by Maria Tikhonova.

“I’m so happy to receive such an honorary award!” - says Ksenia, -  “I was tremendously excited when Vladislav Ivanovich Piavko spoke out my name and personally handed the statuette over to me, noting that Krasnoyarsk was his native city, too, and he was proud of it. I felt pride and happiness when several spectators - Siberians who happened to be in St.Petersburg - approached me during an intermission and said they were glad that the award had gone to Krasnoyarsk! Thanks to our theatre for supporting our initiatives, thanks to Maria Tikhonova and Irina Sid, the creators of the performance - I wouldn’t have received this award without them!

The Onegin Award was established in 2016. Its goal is to promote the Russian opera art and aid its development. This event brings together most of the opera houses of our country, gives the opportunity to professionals and opera fans to get acquainted with the best performers and companies of Russia.

In 2018, the award organizing committee processed record participation applications: nearly 80 singers of more than 30 theatres of Russia took part in the competition.

Il Trovatore entered the list of nominees for the National Opera Award Onegin in three categories: the Prima Donna nomination - People's Artist of Russia Irina Dolzhenko for the Azucena part, the Master of the Scene nomination - Honoured Artist of Buryatia Mikhail Pirogov for the Manrico part and the Female Debut nomination - Ksenia Khovanova for the Leonora part.