Dr. Nicholas Milton has been nominated for the prestigious 2025 Austrian Music Theatre Prize in the category of Best Conductor.

The nomination is in recognition of Milton’s musical direction of an acclaimed new production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the State Opera House in Klagenfurt.

Dr Nicholas Milton. Photo © Julian Crozier

Milton is currently Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra (Germany),
Chief Conductor of the Klagenfurt State Opera House and Kärntner Sinfonieorchester (Austria) and Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Sydney’s Willoughby Symphony Orchestra.

This nomination has him in exceptional company. The other nominees in the category are Christian Thielemann, Marin Alsop and Petr Popelka.

The winners will be announced on 17 September, 2025 during a festive gala in Vienna.

Established in 2012, The Austrian Music Theatre Prize is awarded in 15 categories and honours outstanding achievements in Austria’s opera and theatre houses as well as the Austrian festival landscape. Productions from the previous season are submitted by the theatres and evaluated by a jury of media representatives. The members of the jury can also nominate productions, festival events and artists.

Milton’s next Sydney appearances will be with the