Opera star Cecilia Bartoli, an Italian mezzo-soprano noted for her coloratura skill, is the latest winner of Denmark's Sonning Music Prize.

In announcing Bartoli as this year's recipient of the 600,000-kroner award (about $123,000 Cdn) on Wednesday, the prize committee praised the 42-year-old singer, saying "her sound is unique, her technique unsurpassed … and her radiation like that of [opera icon Maria] Callas."

The Leonie Sonning Music Foundation, which administers the annual honour, called the singer a "great diva" of the contemporary music scene.

Unlike most opera singers, who rise to fame in their 30s, Bartoli — the daughter of professional singers — began making a name for herself on the opera stage in her 20s.

Under the tutelage of mentors such as Daniel Barenboim and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, she began to develop a reputation for singing roles in Mozart and Rossini operas. She is also cited for her prowess and agility with the elaborate vocal embellishments of coloratura roles.

Considered among the genre's top stars, Bartoli has graced many world-renowned opera stages, including the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, La Scala and the Salzburg Festival.

Bartoli will receive her award at a concert in Tivoli, Italy, in June 2010. As with previous Sonning winners, she has also agreed to give a master class at the Royal Danish Academy of Music.

Named after the widow of Danish editor Carl Johan Sonning, the Sonning Music Prize has been awarded annually since 1959 to honour an internationally celebrated composer, musician, conductor or singer.

Past recipients have included Daniel Barenboim, Mstislav Rostropovich, Leonard Bernstein, Birgit Nilsson, Miles Davis, Janet Baker and Igor Stravinsky.

With files from The Associated Press