Nobel Prize Concert
Court Singer Malin Byström performs magnificent Richard Strauss, while conductor Petr Popelka makes his debut with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in a programme of dance-inspired music.
Vienna, London, New York, Berlin, Amsterdam, Salzburg, Stockholm. Swedish soprano Malin Byström is the internationally acclaimed artist who graces the world’s most prestigious opera stages. She is the soloist of the year at the Nobel Prize Concert.
Court Singer Malin Byström is one of the most sought-after sopranos of our time, having been named Female Singer of the Year at the International Opera Awards, among other honours. With the rich palette of her lyric-dramatic voice and a radiant stage presence, she has captivated and charmed audiences worldwide. ”I am very much looking forward to this extraordinary concert”, says Malin Byström. ”To be part of Nobel Week, when the eyes of the world are on Sweden, makes me both incredibly proud and deeply humbled. I will sing with all my heart.”
Malin Byström made her debut with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in 2006, performing music by Richard Strauss. Strauss’s operas have become something of a speciality for Byström, and at the 2024 Nobel Prize Concert, we hear the magnificent final scene from his opera Salome.
The programme also includes the marvellous Symphonic Dances by Rachmaninoff, with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the Czech conductor Petr Popelka, newly appointed Chief Conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and also Chief Conductor of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. Popelka opens the concert with music from his homeland, featuring Vítezslava Kaprálová's Suite Rustica from 1938, a work that resonates with delightful Czech folk songs and dances.
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The Nobel Prize Concert is an annual event of the highest international standard at which the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra appears with world-leading musicians. The concert is part of the official programme during Nobel Week and is a tribute to the year’s Nobel Prize recipients.
The concert is presented by Nobel Prize Outreach AB in collaboration with Konserthuset Stockholm.
Dress code: Dark suit
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What about bags?
Special rules apply at this concert. Bags, shoe bags, and similar items should be left in the cloakroom. If you must bring a bag into the hall, only a small handbag or clutch is permitted, with a maximum size of A4. Please note that any bags brought in will be searched.
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Swedish Radio P2 broadcasts the concert live. It is recorded by the Swedish television, SVT, and will be broadcast on 14 December. For viewers abroad, we refer to Nobelprize.org, where the concert will be available on 14 December.
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The music
Approximate times -
Otto Lindblad The Swedish Royal Anthem ’’The King’s Song’’2 min
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Vítezslava Kaprálová Suita Rustica16 min
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Richard Strauss Ah! du wolltest mich nicht deinen Mund küssen lassen, Final Scene from Salome15 min
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Encore:
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Jean Sibelius Was it a Dream? op 37:4 arr Simon Parmet3 min
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Intermission30 min
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Sergej Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances34 min
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Participants
- Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
- Petr Popelka conductor
- Malin Byström soprano
- Sandra Brandin host
- Susanne Rydén host