The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence has received the 2025 Birgit Nilsson Prize, the world’s most prestigious distinction in classical music, during a ceremony held on 21 October at Konserthuset Stockholm in the presence of Their Majesties The King and Queen of Sweden. The award was presented by King Carl XVI Gustaf to Sophie Joissains, Mayor of Aix-en-Provence, and Paul Hermelin, President of the Festival’s Board of Directors.
The Prize honours the festival’s outstanding artistic achievement, particularly its commitment to new opera productions, including the world premiere of Innocence by Kaija Saariaho and Sofi Oksanen in 2021. This marks the first time the Birgit Nilsson Foundation has awarded the distinction to a festival rather than an individual or orchestra.
The evening included a musical gala conducted by Susanna Mälkki, featuring the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Swedish Opera Chorus, and soloists Peter Mattei, Daniel Johansson, and Matilda Sterby, recipient of the 2024 Birgit Nilsson Scholarship. The programme included works by Wagner, Mozart, Stenhammar, and Saariaho, and was streamed live on Konserthuset Play, where it remains available on demand for 30 days.
During a press event preceding the ceremony, Sofi Oksanen, Sir George Benjamin, and Klaus Mäkelä reflected on their collaborations with the Festival, recalling productions such as Innocence, Written on Skin, Picture a day like this, and Stravinsky’s Ballets Russes. In his remarks, Sir George Benjamin described working with Aix as “a paradise for opera”, praising the festival’s long-term artistic support and unique atmosphere.
In her speech, Susanne Rydén, President of the Birgit Nilsson Foundation, highlighted the festival’s lasting impact:
“Throughout its 77 years, the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence has created experiences of great resonance for both artists and audiences. Tonight we also celebrate its late general director Pierre Audi, whose sudden death earlier this year was a great loss to the opera world. He would have been proud of the festival and the team that made this honour possible.”
The Birgit Nilsson Prize, awarded roughly every three years, recognises major contributions to classical music. Previous laureates include Plácido Domingo (2009), Riccardo Muti (2011), the Vienna Philharmonic (2014), Nina Stemme (2018), and Yo-Yo Ma (2022).
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