We are happy to announce that the recording of 2013SKF Opera Ravel: "L'enfant et les sortileges", conducted by Seiji Ozawa and performed by the Saito Kinen Orchestra, has won the 58th Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. The highest peak of music awards was held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 15th, 2016.

Seiji Ozawa, the Artistic Director of OMF, has been nominated for the Grammy at various times in the past, however, this is his first time to win the award. The past nominated albums were all international recordings. It is the first time for the Saito Kinen Orchestra to be nominated for the Grammy award and the first time both for Seiji Ozawa and the Saito Kinen Orchestra to win the Grammy.

Seiji Ozawa made his debut at Paris Opera with Ravel’s “L’enfant et les sortileges”. This summer at the2016 Season of OMF, Seiji Ozawa will be conducting the same opera piece together with Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Orchestra.

Comments from Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Executive Committee

Seiji Ozawa, The Artistic Director

The “L’enfant et les sortileges”, is an opera production I made with my close Saito Kinen Orchestra friends and great opera singers. It is thanks to them that the rehearsals and performances of this production were fruitful and truly enjoyable. I think that this is a driving force of Matsumoto festival. I am very happy and honored that we produced this piece. I would like to share this joy with all of them!

Mutsuo Kanzawa, The Chairman

I am extremly happy and so proud to hear that the 2013SKF Opera: Ravel “L’enfant et les sortileges” has been awarded Best Opera Recording award at one of world's respectuful and longlasting music awards.

If one recalls, the 2013 year was a year when the Artistic Director Seiji Ozawa just recoved from the one-year break and when their Majesties the Emperor and Empress visited us in Matsumoto. This award goes to a long-year support of Nagano Prefecture, to Matsumoto City, sponsors and supporters and nevertheless, to all the volunteers without whose support the Festival could not be realized. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest thanks to them all.

Along with Seiji Ozawa as an Artistic Director and the Saito Kinen Orchestra, we intend to continue producing the high quality music and we count on your continuous support.

Akira Sugenoya, Matsumoto City Mayor

On behalf of Matsumoto City, a host of Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival, I would like to express my gratitude for the winning of Best Opera Recording Grammy Award.

I am extremely honored to hear that the opera held in Matsumoto won a world music prize and am very happy for the Matsumoto city which srives at becoming "The city of music".

I feel this awards just confirms the high artistic quality of classical music produced by the Artistic Director Seiji Ozawa and the Saito Kinen Orchestra and the continuous support of the citizens of Matsumoto City. Matsumoto City will continue to support Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival and as its host work to enhance its outreach projects.

The 58th Grammy Awarded CD Album

Maurice Ravel: L’enfant et les sortileges & Shéhérazade
Recorded: Ravel: L’enfant et les sortileges (Aug 2013) and Shéhérazade September 2009
DECCA / International
Released: August 2015

Saito Kinen Orchestra / Conducted by Seiji Ozawa
*For more information, please click here.

Seiji Ozawa - the Grammy Award History

1969 / O.Messaen: La Turangalîla-Symphonie (Toronto Symphony Orchestra)
1971 / Janáček & Lutosławski (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), C.Orff: Carmina Burana (Berliner Philharmoniker）
1974 / L. Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
1976 / L. Berlioz “La damnation de Faust (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
1981 / A. Schönberg: Gurre-Lieder (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
1993 / Tchaikovsky: The Queen of Spades (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
2015 / M.Ravel: L’enfant et les sortileges (Saito Kinen Orchestra) *Win

The 58th Grammy Awards Ceremony

Mr Mark Volpe, the managing director of Boston Symphony Orchestra, has recevied the award on behalf of the Artistic Director, Seiji Ozawa.

Contact

Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival Executive Committee
3-18-13 Ote Matsumoto-shi Nagano 390-0874 JAPAN
TEL: 0263-39-0001