VI awarding ceremony of the Baltic Star International Prize

22 October 2009, the Hermitage Theatre hosted VI awarding ceremony of the Baltic Star International Prize. This Prize is annually awarded for developing and strengthening humanitarian links between the countries of the Baltic Region.

This year, by decision of the Expert Council, the Prize has been awarded to the film director Kszysztof Zanussi, Gidon Kremer, violinist and founder of the Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra, composer Sergey Slonimsky. For a contribution to art in the In Memoriam category the prize has been awarded to the composer Andrey Petrov, who has recently passed away, and whose name has forever become associated with the history of St Petersburg.

The Baltic Star International Prize was established in 2004 by the RF Ministry of Culture and Mass Media, the RF Union of Theater Employees, the St Petersburg Committee on Culture, the World-Wide Club of Petersburgers and the Baltic International Festival Center Foundation. It is awarded to people who have made significant contributions in the field of art and culture, representatives of state authorities or other official organizations, public men living or working in the countries of the Baltic Region. It has become a good tradition to hold awarding ceremonies at the premises of the State Hermitage.

As Valentina Ivanova, Governor of St Petersburg, has stated: "We are proud of the fact that this marvelous and honourable event has been held in our city for six years. The prize is awarded to people who have made an invaluable contribution to the development of culture both in their countries and in the whole world. Their creative activity serves as a proof of the fact that real art conveying eternal values has neither geographic not linguistic borders".

Prize winner during the last years:

2004

Donatas Banionis, actor (Lithuania)
Andrzej Waida, film director (Poland)
Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage (Russia)
Mikhail Shvydkoi, director of the Federal Agency on Culture and Cinematography (Russia)

2005

Eugeniusz Melcarek, Honorary Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in the Russian Federation (Poland)
John Neumeier, Hamburg Ballet director (Germany)
Alexandr Sokurov, film director (Russia)

In Memoriam Category
Anatoly Sobchak, Mayor of St Petersburg (Russia)

2006

Aki Kaurismaki, film director (Finland)
Eimuntas Nekrosius, film director (Lithuania)
Kszysztof Penderecki, composer (Poland)

Support to Culture Category
Vladimir Yakunin, President of JSC RZhD

In Memoriam Category
Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev (Russia)

2007

Vija Artmane, actress (Latvia)
Lev Dodin, film director (Russia)
Arvo Part, composer (Estonia/Austria)
Maris Jansons, conductor (Latvia/Russia)

Support to Culture Category
Vadim Somov, General Director of LLC PO Kirishinefteorgsintez

In Memoriam Category
Kirill Yuryevich Lavrov (Russia)

2008

Tomas Venclova, poet, literature expert, essayist (Lithuania)
Daniil Granin, writer (Russia)
Raymond Pauls, composer (Latvia)

Support to Culture Category
Alisher Usmanov, Director General of LLC Gazprominvestholding (Russia)

In Memoriam Category
Ingmar Bergman, film director (Sweden)

Gidon Kremer

Awarding ceremony of the Baltic Star International Prize

Kszysztof Zanussi

Sergey Slonimsky

Olga Petrova, Andrey Petrov’s daughter

A commemorative photograph