"The first Birgit Nilsson Prize ($ 1 million) has been awarded to the Spanish opera tenor and conductor Plácido Domingo", it was announced today
^^^update^^^
Tim Smith has the big man's reaction:
I was just informed by Dr. Rutbert Reisch, President of the
Birgit Nilsson Foundation, that Birgit Nilsson has chosen me to be the
first winner of her prize for musical excellence.
How do I express how deeply honored I am, how personally touched I feel, and how very much this prize means to me? Over the years I have been privileged to receive some wonderful tributes from world leaders and respected professional organizations for which I am most grateful, and I can say without hesitation, that this commendation from Birgit is one of my highest achievements...
There's more, Tim has the whole statement on his blog.