On Monday 10 May we celebrate the opera world's best and brightest at the 2021 International Opera Awards sponsored by Mazars.

After being forced offstage last year, this online event will at last honour our 2020 winners, while paying tribute to the resilience shown by the opera world during the pandemic.

We are also raising funds for our Artist Hardship Fund.

Established last year, this fund has provided emergency grants to previous Opera Awards Foundation bursary recipients facing serious financial hardship due to the theatre closures and travel restrictions caused by Covid-19.

Although theatres are now gradually re-opening, the road ahead for emerging artists will be long and difficult.

Many have already suffered immense losses, both financial and personal.

In 2020 we were able to fund just half of total amount applied for. We're now committed to fully funding every one of those applications, and once that target is met, to opening the Fund up again more widely to artists in need.

Please give generously if you can.

Opera must not only survive, but thrive, as we adjust to the new normal - and we cannot afford to lose this gifted, passionate and diverse generation of artists.