Press Releases

Anne Sofie von Otter leads young singers at the Birgit Nilsson days

Anne Sofie von Otter leads this summer's Master Class for young singers in Båstad, with a focus on concert and lieder repertoire. The course features within the framework of the Birgit Nilsson Days, which this summer takes place for the sixth consecutive year.  The week long musical activities also include the annual Stipendium recital, traditionally held in the church of Västra Karup (locally acknowleged as “Birgit’s church), and an open-air concert performance of Puccini’s opera Tosca at the Birgit Nilsson…

Anne Sofie von Otter leads young singers at the Birgit Nilsson days

Birgit Nilsson days with Opera, Concerts and Master Class

The 2023 Birgit Nilsson Days will culminate in a gala performance of "Tosca in concert" at the Birgit Nilsson Museum on 12 August. The weeklong programme opens with a Master Class and concert, both presented publically at Ravinen cultural centre in Båstad, followed by the 2023 Birgit Nilsson Stipendium laureate recital at Västra Karup Church.  The large outdoor performance of "Tosca in Concert" - on Birgit's field - features international star soloists such as Joyce El-Khoury, Michael Fabiano and court…

Birgit Nilsson days with Opera, Concerts and Master Class

Yo-Yo Ma receives 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize

World famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma is the fifth recipient and first instrumentalist to be awarded the Birgit Nilsson Prize by King Karl XVI Gustav. The ceremony took place on October 18 in a packed Konserthuset Stockholm and was followed via live stream by viewers world-wide. Receiving the Prize, Yo-Yo Ma said “As I leave Sweden tomorrow, I will carry with me these forever memories, the memory of this evening, with such moving performances ... But l will also leave with…

Yo-Yo Ma receives 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize

Yo-Yo Ma – moderated talk

On Tuesday October 18 Birgit Nilsson Stiftelsen held a moderated press talk with this year's Birgit Nilsson Prize Laureate Yo-Yo Ma. Link to audio file Photo: Felicia Margineanu

Yo-Yo Ma – moderated talk

Birgit Nilsson Prize Ceremony streamed live on Konserthuset Play

World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma will be awarded the Birgit Nilsson Prize on 18 October at the official ceremony streamed live on Konserthuset Play. The Prize - the world's largest in classical music - will be presented by King Carl XVI Gustav and the evening also features musical performances by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Swedish Radio Choir and Royal Swedish Opera Choir, under the direction of conductor Patrik Ringborg. As supporting and inspiring the next generation of young artists is a priority…

Birgit Nilsson Prize Ceremony streamed live on Konserthuset Play

Yo-Yo Ma meets young Swedish cellists

October 18 cellist Yo-Yo Ma will receive the 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize. On the occasion of his visit to Sweden a group of young cellists from various cultural schools across Sweden have the opportunity to meet the world star. They will also attend the rehearsal and concert at Konserthuset Stockholm where Yo-Yo Ma performs Dvořák's Cello Concerto. "We look forward to welcoming these young talents to a personal meeting with one of the world's foremost artists in classical music", says…

Yo-Yo Ma meets young Swedish cellists

Intensive Birgit Nilsson-days with international star line-up

An opera gala presenting over one hundred performers, including international star soloists and guest speaker, Mark Levengood, will be the highlight and finale of this year’s Birgit Nilsson Days. The 13 August concert takes place on a large outdoor stage at the Birgit Nilsson Museum, in the meadow adjacent to Birgit’s family home. Eight soloists will participate, including two young stars who perform for the first time in Scandinavia: soprano Joyce El-Khoury and tenor Jonathan Tetelman. “Joyce El-Khoury is miraculous,…

Intensive Birgit Nilsson-days with international star line-up

Yo-Yo Ma to receive the 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize

Birgit Nilsson Foundation President, Susanne Rydén, announced today that the 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize will be awarded to cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. At one million US dollars, the Prize is the largest in classical music, awarded to artists and institutions who have contributed an important chapter to music history. Yo-Yo Ma is the first instrumentalist to receive the Prize, which will be presented to him by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf at the Prize Ceremony on October 18 at the…

Yo-Yo Ma to receive the 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize

Cornelia Beskow-Birgit Nilsson Stipendium 2022

The 2022 Birgit Nilsson Stipendium is awarded to the Swedish lyric dramatic soprano, Cornelia Beskow, who receives 200.000 SEK (equivalent to $20.000) on August 12 when she will perform in Birgit Nilsson’s parish church at Västra Karup, as a part of the celebrations for this year’s “Birgit Nilsson Days”. Winner of the 2017 Lauritz Melchior International Singing Competition, where she was awarded all four prizes, Cornelia Beskow trained at the Copenhagen Opera Academy (Soloist Class, 2009-2012) and the Stockholm University…

Cornelia Beskow-Birgit Nilsson Stipendium 2022

Hillevi Martinpelto – Master Class 2022

Soprano Hillevi Martinpelto debuted at the Royal Opera in Stockholm as Cio Cio San in Madame Butterfly and has since performed on most of the world’s leading opera and concert hall stages, for example in Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Dresden, Leipzig, Salzburg, Vienna, Milan, Florence, Rome, Amsterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, London (where she participated in 8 Proms at the Royal Albert Hall), Glyndebourne, New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Tokyo and Hong Kong. She has worked with conductors such as Sir John Eliot…

Hillevi Martinpelto – Master Class 2022