Grammys 2013: Met’s ‘Ring,’ Eighth Blackbird win classical awards

The Metropolitan Opera’s recent recording of Wagner’s “Ring” cycle and the Chicago new-music sextet Eighth Blackbird were winners in the classical music categories at the Grammy Awards on Sunday.

The classical category winners were announced as part of a pre-show ceremony at Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

The Met won in the category of opera recording. Its new “Ring” production was conducted by James Levine and Fabio Luisi and features singers Jay Hunter Morris and Deborah Voigt. The new production, directed by Robert Lepage, has divided classical critics.

Eighth Blackbird’s album “Meanwhile” was recognized with awards in the chamber music category as well as for composer Stephen Hartke’s title work, which won in the classical composition category.

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The San Francisco Symphony won the award for orchestral performance for its live-concert album of music by John Adams, including “Harmonielehre” and “Short Ride in a Fast Machine.” Michael Tilson Thomas, the orchestra’s music director, conducted the recording.

Last year the Los Angeles Philharmonic won the award for orchestra recording for its album of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony.

Solo awards this year went to soprano Renée Fleming for her album “Poemes” and violist Kim Kashkashian for the recording “Kurtág & Ligeti: Music for Viola.”

The Kansas City Chorale received two awards for the album “Life & Breath: Choral Works By René Clausen.” Its engineering was awarded, and Blanton Anspaugh was given the Grammy for classical producer of the year.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma was a winner in the folk album category for the recording “The Goat Rodeo Sessions.” His bluegrass group, Goat Rodeo, will perform at the Hollywood Bowl in August.

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