Germany's Gerhaher is top classical singer for RPS

German baritone Christian Gerhaher was named best classical singer of 2014 and Latvian Andris Nelsons the year's best conductor by Britain's Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) on Tuesday. It was the second major award for Gerhaher, who last month was named top male vocalist at the International Opera Awards. Nelsons is the outgoing head of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The RPS, which was founded in 1813 and commissioned Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, gives awards at its annual May dinner for "th