Kaija Saariaho and Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart Win Biennale Musica Lions

The 2021 Lions of the Biennale Musica have been presented to Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who is honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, and the Stuttgart vocal group Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, which receives the Silver Lion. This decision was made by the Board of Directors of the Biennale di Venezia, based on a recommendation from the new director, Lucia Ronchetti. Scheduled to take place in Venice from September 17 to 26, the festival, themed Choruses, will emphasize contemporary vocal dramaturgies. Saariaho, born in Helsinki in 1952, is celebrated for her 1999 work Oltra mar and her new opera, Innocence, which premiered in July 2021. The awards ceremony will honor Saariaho on September 17 and the ensemble on September 20.