Kožená and Rattle to receive Antonín Dvořák Award

This year's Antonín Dvořák Prize will be awarded to mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená and conductor Sir Simon Rattle, both renowned champions of Czech classical music, the Academy of Classical Music announced on Tuesday. They will receive the award on December 14 at a ceremony in the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle.

Kožená Magdalena Kožená is renowned for her interpretations of Czech songs, for instance by Jan Dismas Zelenka, leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů. She is also recognized as Czechia’s cultural ambassador, promoting its music and heritage internationally through performances, recordings, and support of arts education.

Kožená’s husband, Sir Simon Rattle, is a strong advocate for Czech music and has featured Czech works extensively as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra. Influenced early by the Czech Philharmonic under Karel Ančerl, he later served as its principal guest conductor.