Birgit Nilsson Prize

The Birgit Nilsson Prize is an international music prize, which was donated by the Swedish opera singer Birgit Nilsson. The award is given for " extraordinary achievements " on the territory of the art of song (opera, concert, oratorio, song) to active singers or conductors. The music prize is awarded every two to three years and one million dollars prize (about 775,000 Euros ).

Background

Birgit Nilsson (1918-2005) founded a few years before her death, the Birgit Nilsson Foundation, whose sole purpose is the award of the Birgit Nilsson Prize. The award is intended to help to preserve the heritage Birgit Nilsson in the Swedish opera tradition. They even certain the first prize winner, who was allowed to be published until three years after her death. The other award winners chosen by a jury, who are appointed for three years by the Foundation. President of the Foundation since 2008 Rutbert Reisch. An award to two winners is possible, with the prize money is shared in this case; a repeated assignment to the same person is not possible.

The ceremony will take place at the Royal Opera in Stockholm each October. Prices are adjusted by King Carl XVI. Presented Gustaf of Sweden. The ceremony is to be aware builds on the Nobel Prize, which knows no Nobel Prize for Music. The Birgit Nilsson Prize is the highest honor awarded music award world.

Members of the jury

2011 were members of the jury:

• The English writer and opera critic of the Daily Telegraph Rupert Christiansen,
• The director of the Malmö Opera Bengt Hall,
• The Chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Clemens Hellberg,
• General Director of Seattle Opera's Speight Jenkins and
• Eva Wagner- Pasquier, the co-director of the Bayreuth Festival.

Award winners

• 2009 Plácido Domingo
• 2011 Riccardo Muti