Today, on September 12, 2023, Robert Wilson was honored, along with two other the recipients of the 34th Praemium Imperiale, Vija Celmins and Wynton Marsalis, in a ceremony at the White House hosted by First Lady Jill Biden, with remarks by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, David Rockefeller Jr., and Hisashi Hieda, Chairman of the Japan Art Association. Secretary Clinton introduced Wilson as a “true pioneer: he has created some of the most important and memorable works in contemporary theater and opera. With his stunning set designs, his arresting lighting, his innovative choreography, he helped reinvent a stage where time and space are redrawn, and the experience of narrative is reimagined.”

Watch the ceremony here:

The actual award ceremony of the prestigious Praemium Imperiale, which is often considered “the world’s most prestigious arts prize,” will take place in Tokyo on October 17 and 18. The Praemium Imperiale is awarded annually by the Japan Art Association in honor of Prince Takamatsu in five different fields: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music and Theater/Film. In addition to Celmins (Painting), Marsalis (Music), and Wilson (Theater), this year’s laureates will also include Olafur Eliasson (Sculpture) and Diébédo Francis Kéré (Architecture).

Some impressions from the White House event on September 12: