The Empress Theophano Prize focuses on Art as common ground for mutual understanding between peoples, and awards leading Pianist and Conductor Daniel Barenboim

The third Empress Theophano Prize is focused on  Art and is awarded to leading Pianist and Conductor Daniel Barenboim, one of the most influential figures of the international music scene, who has distinguished himself both for his musical work and for his initiatives on issues concerning peace and understanding between peoples.  The Award Ceremony will take place on Tuesday 11 October 2022 in Thessaloniki, at the monument of the Rotunda, a symbol of multiculturalism and the intersection of peoples. Η.Ε. the President of the Hellenic Republic Ms Katerina Sakellaropoulou and the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis will honour the event with their presence and they will address a greeting.

Following the themes of Education and Science for the Common Good, and the awarding of the prize to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen for the ERASMUS student exchange programme (2020), and the pair of scientists who developed the first vaccine against the novel coronavirus, Dr Uğur Şahin and Dr Özlem Türeci (2021), this year’s prize aims to highlight the role of Art in intercultural dialogue, in the figure of a legend of music and a great thinker of political and human collaboration, Daniel Barenboim. After seven decades on a mythical journey as an artist, his action has been linked to pioneering projects for peace, art, and supporting young artists: his greatest initiative is the creation of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a classical music orchestra that consists of Israelis and Palestinians, known globally, for which he has received the title of Messenger of Peace from the United Nations.

A few weeks before the award ceremony, Maestro Daniel Barenboim stated, “It is an honour for me to receive this award on behalf of the musicians of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, since it is they who, through their participation in the orchestra, set an example of openness, dialogue and a strong will to listen to the narrative of the “other”. […] The “Divan” musicians show outstanding courage and vision by coming together every year to tirelessly send out a call for dialogue and mutual understanding. It is in this spirit that I am personally very grateful for the recognition of our work through such a symbolic prize as the Empress Theophano Award”. An eight-member ensemble of musicians from the Orchestra will attend the Award Ceremony alongside the Maestro. They will perform as part of the event’s programme, in a powerfully symbolic initiative.

CONTACT: Vicky Papadimitriou, Project Coordination | E: info@theophano.eu | T: +30 6937 229858

The award ceremony will take place with the kind support of:

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THE 2020 & 2021 EMPRESS THEOPHANO PRIZE AT A GLANCE

THEOPHANO PRIZE 2020 The 2020 Empress Theophano Prize at a glance

THEOPHANO PRIZE 2021 The 2021 Empress Theophano Prize Ceremony at a glance

EMPRESS THEOPHANO

Empress Theophano, who inspired this prize, is a historic figure of Europe who played a significant role in its development during the 10^th century.

The niece of Emperor John I Tzimiskes, she married Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Empress as his wife.  Following his death, she maintained the title of Empress. Her historic presence in Western Europe, dedicated to improving relations between East and West, offered a positive contribution to the cultural renaissance of western European territories, introducing to the west the central role women had in Byzantine society and transferring significant influence from the flourishing Byzantine empire in the fields of education, the arts, commerce, and health, while working to advance civil governance, promoting it over the military.

Empress Theophano is buried at the Cathedral of St Pantaleon in Cologne, Germany.

THE ROTUNDA MONUMENT

The emblematic monument of Thessaloniki, was constructed in the early 4th century AD, on the turning point between the pagan with the Christian world, probably as a temple for ancient cult worship or as a mausoleum for Constantine the Great (306-337). This circular, domed building measures 29.80 meters in height, 24.50 meters in diameter, its walls are 6.30 meters thick and can only be compared architecturally to the Pantheon in Rome. Not long after it was built and during the early years of the long-lived Byzantine Empire (330-1453), the Rotunda was turned into a Christian church with the addition of a sanctuary on its eastern side. The interior was decorated with Early Byzantine (4th- 6th c. AD) wall mosaics of unique artistry and beauty. It was Thessaloniki’s cathedral church (metropolis) between 1524 and 1591, the year in which it was converted to a mosque by the Ottoman conquerors. It remained in use as a mosque until the city’s liberation in 1912. Its dedication since that time to Saint George (Agios Georgios) is owing to the small neighboring church of this name. The mosaic decoration of the Rotunda is a masterpiece of Late Antique art.

Text source: http://galeriuspalace.culture.gr/en/monuments/rotonta/