The Midem Classical Awards 2010 will be held during the record industry’s annual trade fair in Cannes in late January. At a gala event, to be co-hosted by the Canadian mezzo Marie-Nicole Lemieux and Gramophone’s Editor in Chief James Jolly, on January 26, awards will be made for a host of recordings (over many categories) and to a handful of major international stars. Jacek Kaspszyck will conduct Sinfonietta Cracovia. The Awards have been voted for by an international jury comprising magazines (including Gramophone), websites and artist management organisations. A special award is being made to coincide with “Chopin Year” (the great Polish composer and pianist was born 200 years ago, in 1810). Among the recipients of the special artist awards are the Italian soprano Mirella Freni who is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award and the Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt, voted Instrumentalist of the Year. Two singers are receiving the Singer of the Year, the Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca and the German baritone, Christian Gerhaher. The Label of the Year has been chosen: it goes to the French independent, Naïve. The record categories to be awarded are: Early Music, Baroque Music, Vocal Recitals, Choral Works, Opera, Solo Instrument, Chamber Music, Concertos, Symphonic Works, Contemporary Music, First Recording, Historical DVD (Opera & Ballet), DVD (Concerts) and DVD (Documentaries). Voting partners at the Midem Classical Awards are: Crescendo, Fono Forum, Gramophone, IAMA. IMZ, Klassik.com, MDR-Figaro, ORF, Pizzicato, Orpheus, ResMusica.com and Scherzo.