Austrian mezzo-soprano Anja Mittermüller, who was recently named Young Artist 2026 by the International Classical Music Awards, won the SWR’s Emmerich Smola Prize in Landau on January 17 together with Oleh Lebedyev. The Emmerich Smola Orchestra Prize of the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra also went to Anja Mittermüller.
Every year, the SWR radio station invites six young singers to apply for the Emmerich Smola Prize, which was established with the involvement of its namesake, conductor Emmerich Smola, to promote young opera talent.
In addition, the orchestra awards another prize: the Emmerich Smola Orchestra Prize of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern.
The concert video can be viewed here. Anja Mittermüller sings from approx. 33’30 »: https://www.swr.de/kultur/musik/livestream-swr-junge-opernstars-2026-100.html
