Birgit Nilsson Prize 2025 awarded to the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence
The world’s largest classical music prize honours the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence for outstanding artistic acheievements, giving special recognition to the 2021 premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s opera “Innocence”.
The prestigious French Opera Festival, becomes the first festival to receive the Prize, to be presented on October 21 by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf at Konserthuset Stockholm. The musical celebration will be accompanied by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Swedish Opera Chorus under the direction of Susanna Mälkki. Tickets go on sale on May 22 and audiences around the world can watch live on Konserthuset Play.
Announcing the Prize, President of the Birgit Nilsson Stiftelsen Susanne Rydén, said: “The Board is proud to honour the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence with the 2025 Birgit Nilsson Prize for its outstanding artistic achievements and commitment to developing and commissioning new opera productions. With its forward-looking and multi-faceted programming the Festival has produced key milestones in contemporary masterpieces which have perpetuated the art form and added an important chapter to music history. Special recognition is given to the production of Kaija Saariaho’s opera Innocence, premiered at the Festival D’Aix-en-Provence in 2021.”
“Today is both a moment of celebration and deep sadness, as the world mourns the loss of Pierre Audi who died suddenly just a few weeks before today’s announcement. As General Director of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence since 2019, Pierre’s artistic passion and dedication was truly inspirational and he was looking forward to celebrating this special honour, of which he was so proud to acknowledge on behalf of all those he worked with at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.”
Birgit Nilsson Prize. A testament to excellence.
The Birgit Nilsson Prize is the largest prize in classical music, awarded approximately every three years to an active artist or institution who has contributed an important chapter to music history.
The Prize serves not only as a recognition of the recipients’ outstanding achievements, but as a testament to the importance of passion and dedication in musical life and an incentive for younger musicians as they embark on their careers.
Recipient 2022
Yo-Yo Ma
“As I leave Sweden , I will carry with me these forever memories, the memory of this evening, with such moving performances … But l will also leave with a promise, a commitment to practice the values Birgit Nilsson held so dear: joy and humor, closeness to the land and to nature, and a life in balance with others and with our planet.”
Recipient 2018
Nina Stemme
“It is a great honour to be recognized for my work, but it is even greater to be recognized in my home country by a world-renowned organization that bears the name and carries the legacy of a legend…my idol Birgit Nilsson.”
A drum roll, and the audience at the Stockholm Concert Hall rises as one: here comes the King and Queen of Sweden … everything evokes the Nobel Prize, except that it is another name that appears on stage: the Birgit Nilsson Prize.
Le Figaro, 9 October 2014
Recipient 2014
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
“We at the Vienna Philharmonic revered and loved Birgit Nilsson. To be honoured by a Prize which bears her name makes us grateful and at the same time wistful”
Nilsson was one of opera’s iconic figures, a consummate artist who demanded the best from herself and those she worked with. She made sure those demands would be met by the winners of her Prize.
Musical America, 13 October 2014
Recipient 2011
Riccardo Muti
“I am truly honoured to receive this distinguished award, especially as it was established by one of the greatest artists in history, Birgit Nilsson, and in a country which has given so much to the world of music, and especially opera”
Birgit Nilsson was determined to preserve her memory by setting up classical music’s largest prize in her country’s capital. She succeeded.
BBC Music Magazine, August 2012
Recipient 2009
Plácido Domingo
“This commendation from Birgit is one of the highest and most emotional moments in my professional life.”
Acknowledging excellence, as Nilsson wanted, is of course a good thing ... and in an increasingly dumbed-down age, drawing wider attention to that excellence is ever more vital.
Gramophone Magazine, October 2014
Foundation
The Foundation behind the prize
Birgit Nilsson established the Birgit Nilsson Foundation for the Prize in 1989. While Birgit Nilsson chose the first Prize recipient, an international Advisory Panel has since 2011 proposed each successive recipient.