https://www.youtube.com/live/HYJI8YXpXnw Join us live from Stockholm for a “Behind the Scenes” talk with guest artists Sir George Benjamin and Sofi Oksanen. British composer / conductor Sir George Benjamin, wrote two operas for Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. “Written on Skin" (2012) and “Picture a day like this” both made headlines following their premiere and continue to be staged around the world. The recent recording of the “Picture a day like this” received the 2025 Gramophone Award for Best Contemporary Album. Writer Sofi Oksanen…

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…

The recipient of the Birgit Nilsson Prize 2025 will announced on May 21. Follow the live broadcast of the announcement from Stockholm at 11.00 CEST here. Founded in tandem with the Stipendium which Birgit Nilsson created to support young singers, the Birgit Nilsson Prize pays tribute to an active artist or institution which has contributed an important chapter to music history. Her legacy lives on just as she intended – giving incentive to young musicians at the start of their careers…

Good evening your majesties, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, my fellow musicians — I am truly overwhelmed. I thank your majesties, I thank you, Susanne, I thank the Birgit Nilsson Foundation for this great honor. I am grateful to all of you for making me feel so much at home in Stockholm and welcoming me into the magnificent world of Birgit Nilsson. I never met La Nilsson in person. I so wish I could have. The world acknowledges that that…

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…

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 had the opportunity to meet the world star. They also attended the rehearsal and concert at Konserthuset Stockholm where Yo-Yo Ma performed Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. The young cellists were invited from all over Sweden to meet a role model that was just as interested in them as they were…

In a special musical celebration the 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize is awarded to the world-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The Birgit Nilsson Prize Ceremony 2022, which takes place on October 18 in the presence of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, features performances by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Swedish Opera Choir and Radio Choir. Joining them on stage are young soloists, cellist Amalie Stalheim and Birgit Nilsson Stipendium singers Johanna Wallroth and Emma Sventelius among others. The Prize Ceremony will be…

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has been announced as the recipient of the 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize 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 Stockholm Concert Hall. On receiving the news, Yo-Yo Ma said: “I wish I could have met Birgit Nilsson in person. Yet, she is alive for me through the recordings of her legendary voice and…

On Birgit's birthday May 17 the 2022 Birgit Nilsson Prize is announced by Susanne Rydén, president of Birgit Nilsson Stiftelsen. Join us live at 11.00 CET! https://youtu.be/R58vakX18iA