Italian conductor Riccardo Muti wins Birgit Nilsson prize

Mar 16, 2011, 11:17 GMT

Stockholm - Italian conductor Riccardo Muti was Wednesday named the second recipient of the 1-million-dollar Birgit Nilsson Prize for 'extraordinary work, dedication and passion for music.'

The prize was created by the late Swedish soprano star Birgit Nilsson, who also set up a foundation that handles the award.

'Muti personifies and exemplifies all of the qualities that were so important to Birgit Nilsson: extraordinary work, dedication and passion for music over many decades,' said Rutbert Reisch, foundation president.

Naples-born Muti was selected by a five-member international jury, Reisch said at a news conference at the Royal Swedish Opera.

Muti - who was informed by Reisch of the award already in October 2010 - said he was 'deeply touched' and expressed his 'profound admiration for this unique and extraordinary artist (Nilsson), both as an incomparable musician and as a great interpreter.'

'It was obvious how deeply honoured he felt,' Reisch said of his meeting in the United States with Muti, who is currently music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The award ceremony was to take place on October 13 at the Royal Opera in Stockholm in the presence of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

The first recipient of the prize, Spanish star tenor Placido Domingo, was selected by Nilsson herself. Nilsson made her selection before her death, at the age of 87, in December 2005.

The jury has members from Austria, Britain, Germany, Sweden and the United States. It was set up in early 2010. Each juror is allowed to put forward names that are then discussed until a unanimous decision is made. In Muti's case, this happened in the second round, Reisch said.

He declined to disclose how many names had been discussed or the gender composition of the candidates, adding that for the next prize, the jury starts with a clean slate.

'The only criteria for this prize is artistic achievement,' Reisch said.

Muti and Nilsson had 'a lot of respect for each other,' Reisch said, but could not recall if the two had ever performed together.

Both shared the view that 'music comes first,' he added.

Born on July 28, 1941, Muti has conducted most of the world's major orchestras and in 2010 celebrated his 40th year of association with the Salzburg Festival in Austria and 19 years at La Scala in Milan.

Nilsson (1918-2005) is considered one of the world's best dramatic sopranos. She was known for her performances in operas by Richard Wagner, including The Ring Cycle and Lohengrin, the operas Salome and Elektra by Richard Strauss, Puccini's Tosca, as well as Giuseppe Verdi's Aida.

She performed at many leading opera houses and stages, including Bayreuth, Vienna, Milan, London, Paris, Munich, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, and Stockholm, where she made her debut in 1946.

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