In Thursday’s (10/13) Chicago Sun-Times, Andrew Patner writes about the $1 million Birgit Nilsson Prize awarded to Riccardo Muti, music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. At a press conference Thursday in Stockholm, Sweden, where he received the award, Muti “told journalists he would answer any questions, ‘except the one I know that all of you want to ask: What am I going to do with the money? For me, this remains very private, very personal,’ said Muti, 70, about the money attached to the award, which honors senior musicians of great accomplishment…. ‘I have helped certain people and institutions in the past, but always privately. I do not wish to associate my name with publicity for this.’ … Rutbert Reisch, president of the Birgit Nilsson Foundation, added, ‘Birgit Nilsson wanted to emphasize that the prize is given with absolutely no strings attached. She was also a very private person, and she would endorse Maestro Muti’s statement.’ The Swedish soprano, an international opera star who died in 2005, endowed the prize in perpetuity through her estate. She personally selected the first winner, tenor Plácido Domingo, 10 years before her death… Domingo received his award in 2009.”
Posted October 14, 2011
