All shall have prizes: Joyce goes Dutch
OrchestrasA tulip from Amsterdam:
Amsterdam, 21 February 2024 – The Concertgebouw Prize 2024 has been awarded to Joyce DiDonato. The American mezzo-soprano will receive this honour in September 2024 for her exceptional contribution to the artistic profile of the Concertgebouw. With this, the world-renowned singer joins an illustrious group including conductor Jaap van Zweden, violinist Janine Jansen, baritone Thomas Hampson, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Before receiving the Concertgebouw Prize in the fall, DiDonato will appear in the Concertgebouw on 13 March with her programme Songplay.
So what’s it worth?
The Concertgebouw Prize consists of an artwork and a permanent entry for the laureate on the honorary tableau opposite the Main Hall’s soloist staircase.
Guess that’ll pay the bills.
Why, does Joyce have trouble paying the bills?
Makes more sense to carp about gifted and highly-paid classical performers who get awards that come with a load of cash they don’t need.
Didn’t know she and the Concertgebouw had a particularly close or long or noteworthy relationship, I mean, neither her personal page nor her Wikipedia page even mentions the Concertgebouw much less singles it out, so like what’s the most noteworthy thing they ever did together?
Sounds like they just wanna give her a prize…
Did you bother to check her own website, joycedidonato.com?
I think the truth is she has done so much of note in all the top places, you’d need an essay to capture every award and great thing she’s done. There’s a lovely little piece on her website here about her work at Concertgebouw: https://joycedidonato.com/2024/02/21/concertgebouw-prize-for-mezzo-soprano-joyce-didonato/
But this is Dutch: hughe gesture, small pay. It’s a very old local tradition.
Sort of like Hollywood’s Walk of Fame? except it’s in Amsterdam, it’s a staircase, and it’s not that famous?
Although all Ms. DiDonato’s performances in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, were mostly sold out, I have come to the conclusion that despite the long years of her singing in this country (since 2001, viz. in Handel’s opera Giulio Cesare) the world-famous mezzo (especially in Berlioz) has not become a leading light in this country.
People are not aware of her immense artistry in opera roles as well as her amazing master classes all over the world.
Let’s hope that the Concertgebouw Prize will be, besides a well-earned honour, an incentive to expand her exceptional and unique talent.
Amazing and congratulations to Joyce, an exceptional artist!