Tokyo – Riccardo Muti received the Praemium Imperiale for music in Tokyo yesterday. The ceremony took place in the Meiji Kinenkan architectural complex. In addition to Muti, other recipients of the award were the Belgian-French Pierre Alechinsky for painting, the Japanese Fujiko Nakaya for sculpture, and the French Christian de Portzamparc for architecture, and Catherine Deneuve for theatre / cinema. In the presence of Prince Hitachi, honorary Patron of the Japan Art Association and brother of the Emperor, the five artists received a diploma, a commemorative medal and a prize of 15 million yen (about €115,000). Muti said he was happy and proud of the award received “because it comes from the imperial family”. “Today – he added – I met Emperor and the Empress, along with the other winners, who were extremely kind and perfectly informed of my activity. I love Japan very much. I find it a truly amazing country, with a culture and a social discipline that should be a an example for many countries in the world. So this award acquires even more profound value because it comes from a land that I respect, that I love and in which, since 1975, I have performed many concerts for a unique and extraordinary audience “. (9Colonne)
