The Dutch production of the musical Lazarus has won four Musical Awards during the Musical Awards Gala which drew almost a million television viewers on Wednesday night.

The musical is among the last works of David Bowie who died in 2016. Lazarus won the award for best major production while best direction and best male lead were won by Ivo van Hove and Pieter Embrechts respectively. The production also won the award for best set design.

The award for the best small musical was won by Fun Home, with a best female lead award for actress Renée van Wegberg.

Soldier of Orange was given a prize for being the longest running show: the musical has been performed for nine years in a row and will continue at least until its tenth anniversary in October of next year.

The AD audience award went to Anastasia, despite attempts by the production company Stage Entertainment to influence the voting process by encouraging staff to vote for it, broadcaster Omroep West reported earlier.

Staff were invited to a meeting with ‘phones, drinks and snacks provided’ where they could all vote together and were promised to be paid for their time. The management reportedly later cancelled the meeting.

It is the 19^th time the Dutch Musical Awards have been awarded.