Cecilia Bartoli wins a Polar million

Cecilia Bartoli wins a Polar million

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norman lebrecht

February 10, 2016

The Polar Prize winners for 2016 have just been announced, one from serious music the other from pop.

The Italian mezzo will receive 1m Swedish crowns (about $150,000).

A Swedish songwriter known as Max Martin is her opposite number.

Past winners include Chuck Berry, Björk, Steve Reich and Peter Sellars.

The winners get to make a big, world-relayed speech.

bartoli St--Petersburg--Teaser

UPDATE: The announcement video, with anachronistic commentary and a gormless interviewer:

Comments

  • Peter says:

    Polar prize is the most ridiculous of all of them.
    It’s all about an unknown foundation buying big names to make themselves appear more important. I just hope the prize winners would also see that and donate the money for an actually worthy cause, only in which case it would be win-win for everybody.

  • Dirk Fischer says:

    “A Swedish songwriter known as Max Martin” is probably one of the best music euphemisms I have ever heard…

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