Placido Domingo will star at the Royal Opera House later this month

Domingo received a lifetime achievement award and shared the critics' prize for his part in the Royal Opera House's production of Tristan and Isolde.

Katherine Jenkins won album of the year for Living A Dream while Andreas Scholl won singer of the year crown.

Domingo thanked the British public for their support over 35 years, saying: "To receive this is wonderful for me."

The singer was reduced to tears when he received the honour.

Full list of Classical Brits winners

Oscar-nominated composer Dario Marianelli picked up the best soundtrack award for his score for the 2005 film Pride & Prejudice.

Other winners included trumpet player Alison Balsom, who was named British classical performer of the year.

Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins received the album of the year award for the second year running, saying she was "absolutely stunned" to pick up the accolade.

"I didn't expect to win it last year, but to win two years in a row - I'm absolutely gobsmacked," she said.

Jenkins is the first female to win best album two years in a row

"I called my album Living A Dream and that's exactly what I'm doing right now. I'm loving every minute of this."

Actor Tom Conti, ballerina Darcey Bussell and soprano Lesley Garrett presented awards at the ceremony, which included performances from Domingo and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

The Classical Brit Awards were founded in 2000 by UK music industry trade body the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Noting the stellar line-up, BPI chairman Peter Jamieson said the event had "truly come of age".

Contemporary music award
James MacMillan - Symphony no 3, Silence

Singer of the year
Andreas Scholl - Arias for Senesino

Soundtrack/musical theatre composer award
Dario Marianelli - Pride & Prejudice (performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the English Chamber Orchestra)

Ensemble/orchestral album of the year
Takacs Quartet - Beethoven: The Late String Quartets

Critics' award
Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra, Placido Domingo, Antonio Pappano - Tristan and Isolde

Young British classical performer
Alison Balsom

Instrumentalist of the year
Leif Ove Andsnes - Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 1 & 2

Album of the year
Katherine Jenkins - Living A Dream