The Dutch National Opera was named opera company of 2016 at the international opera awards ceremony in London’s Savoy theatre on Sunday night.

Director Pierre Audi, who has headed the company for 28 years, said in reaction he would use the prize to ‘strive even more for excellence’.

‘We want to dedicate this award to the future of our art form, to striving deeper to achieve excellence, to the need to risk and innovate, to the joy of educating and sharing our experience with a new generation of makers and new audiences from all walks of life,’ Audi said.

The prize was first awarded in 2012. The competition is judged by a 10-strong panel of international experts.