Lisa Hirsch's Classical Music Blog. The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.
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Friday, February 20, 2009
Big Surprise
Domingo wins the first Birgit Nilsson Prize. It's just like the Opera News Awards or those newish national opera awards: they're all awarded to famous people who don't need more fame, money, or awards.
Hardly what one would wish, I agree, but in this case the options were a trifle limited, for as the news release made clear, this first award was decided by Nilsson herself, with the stipulation that it not be made known until three years after her death. The nature of the prize will make it rather difficult to avoid future recipients being similarly in less than straitened circumstances, so one can only hope that Domingo and those to come will channel the funds into worthy causes.
Yeah, all so. If I were giving an award to someone for service to opera, hmm, Charles Mackerras? For practically single-handedly bringing Janacek to non-Czech opera houses? To one of the parties most at the forefront of the Handel revival? To an opera house that regularly features new works? and revives them?
Hardly what one would wish, I agree, but in this case the options were a trifle limited, for as the news release made clear, this first award was decided by Nilsson herself, with the stipulation that it not be made known until three years after her death. The nature of the prize will make it rather difficult to avoid future recipients being similarly in less than straitened circumstances, so one can only hope that Domingo and those to come will channel the funds into worthy causes.
ReplyDeleteYeah, all so. If I were giving an award to someone for service to opera, hmm, Charles Mackerras? For practically single-handedly bringing Janacek to non-Czech opera houses? To one of the parties most at the forefront of the Handel revival? To an opera house that regularly features new works? and revives them?
ReplyDelete