Nobel Peace Prize Concert Explained

The Nobel Peace Prize Concert (Norwegian and Swedish: Swedish: {{lang|no|Nobels fredspriskonsert) has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in Oslo City Hall, while the concert has been held at Oslo Spektrum, with the attendance of the laureate and other prominent guests. The Concert is broadcast to a global audience and reaches up to 350 million households in 100 countries.

In 2015 the concert venue was moved from Oslo Spektrum to the much larger Telenor Arena. The concert was held there until it was cancelled in 2018, replaced by an outdoor Nobel Peace Party which was organised outside the Oslo City Hall. In 2021 the Concert was relaunched in collaboration with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, architectural firm Snøhetta and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.[1]

The concert features performers from a wide range of musical genres with the exception of the 1995 concert, which featured only classical works. Several editions of the concert are recorded, with different lengths and content, for airing in different countries.

The hosts give descriptions of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's work as well as an interview with the laureate. The laureate gives a speech during the concert.

2018-2020 Hiatus

In 2018, the concert organizers announced that the show would be put on hiatus for 2018, hoping to hold a relaunched concert the following year. The official website stated, "The decision emerges from a wish to re-think the concert format and content but also reflects the challenging financial situation of the concert in recent years. Moreover, people’s media preferences have undergone radical change since the first concert in 1994. This is something the concert organizers and producers are keenly aware of as they move forward. We have struggled to maintain an appropriate level of financing and want to use the year ahead to develop a new format for the concert. Our ambition is to launch a renewed and better concert in 2019. [...] We plan to use this break to further develop the format and strengthen the financing beyond the continuing and generous support of our long term Norwegian sponsors. The firmer our financial base, the stronger our independence in choice of concert format and profile, say concert producers Odd Arvid Strømstad (Warner Bros. Norway) and Kristian Kirkvaag (Gyro)."

Laureates, hosts and artists by year

Since planning starts in January, the artists invited to the concert aren't typically connected to the winner, who is announced in October. However, a few late additions are usually made to reflect the winner. Originally, the show was hosted by Norwegian celebrities or television personalities. However, since the year 2000 hosts have with few exceptions come from the United States of America. The Norwegian Radio Orchestra is the main orchestra every year.

1994

Laureates: Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin
Host: Erik Bye
Artists:

1995

Laureates: Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs

This year a concert featuring only classical works was held.

1996

Laureates: Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta
Host: Lise Fjeldstad
Artists:

1997

Laureates: International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and Jody Williams
Host: Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
Artists:
Producers:

Harry Connick Jr brought 35 musicians with him on stage, when performing at the concert in 1997.

1998

Laureates: John Hume and David Trimble
Host: Åse Kleveland
Artists:
Producers:

At the concert in 1998, American TV network Fox, did not include A-ha's performance, which was edited out. Another performance edited out by Fox in 1998, was Norwegian artist Espen Lind's "Pop From Hell". The word "hell" was not the problem, but the following sentence: "You make me so hard/because you're a star". A Fox-producer stated it would be too much to take for the American family audience. Espen Lind was told his performance would not be edited out if he did not include the word "hard" in the song, but he would not change the lyrics. He said he did not want to let himself be controlled by a double-moralistic American family channel, and that such compromises were not acceptable for him to make.

1999

Laureate: Médecins Sans Frontières
Host: Claus Wiese
  • Voice-over: David Fishel
    Artists:

    2000

    Laureate: Kim Dae-jung
    Host: Jane Seymour (short notice cancellation by Meryl Streep)
    Artists:

    2001

    Laureates: The United Nations and Kofi Annan
    Hosts: Liam Neeson and Meryl Streep
    Artists:

    The 2001 concert's closing song was "Let It Be", performed by Paul McCartney and the other artists.

    2002

    Laureate: Jimmy Carter
    Hosts: Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange
    Artists:

    The Grand Finale in 2002, performed by all the artists, was "Imagine" by John Lennon.

    2003

    Laureate: Shirin Ebadi
    Hosts: Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas
    Artists:

    The Grand Finale in 2003, sung by all the artists, was "Imagine". Robert Plant sang and changed the word "religion" with "division" in the sentence "Nothing to kill or die for/ And no division too".

    2004

    Laureate: Wangari Maathai
    Hosts: Oprah Winfrey and Tom Cruise
    Artists:

    The use of Tom Cruise as a host created some controversy both from people fearing it could be used to promote Scientology[2] and from people who were unhappy with his supportive statements on the Iraq War.[3] There was however no mention of Scientology during the concert and Cruise has stated his remarks on the war were misquoted. The Grand Finale was led by Patti LaBelle. For the third year in a row, the song chosen for the finale was John Lennon's "Imagine".

    2005

    Laureates: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Mohamed ElBaradei
    Hosts: Julianne Moore and Salma Hayek
    Artists:

    The Grand Finale in 2005, sung by all the artists, was "Give Peace a Chance".

    2006

    Laureates: Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank
    Hosts: Sharon Stone and Anjelica Huston
    Artists:

    The artists joined Lionel Richie on stage at the end of the show when/after he was singing "All Night Long".

    2007

    Laureates: Al Gore and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
    Hosts: Kevin Spacey (short notice cancellation by Tommy Lee Jones) and Uma Thurman[4]
    Artists:

    2008

    Laureate: Martti Ahtisaari
    Hosts: Scarlett Johansson[5] & Michael Caine[6]
    Artists:

    The artists joined Diana Ross on stage at the end of the show when/after she was singing "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)".

    2009

    Laureate: Barack Obama (did not attend the concert)
    Hosts: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith with additional appearance by their children Jaden Smith and Willow Smith
    Artists:

    The Grand Finale in 2009, sung by all the artists, was Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror".[8]

    2010

    Laureate: Liu Xiaobo (absent)
    Hosts: Denzel Washington and Anne Hathaway[9]
    Artists:

    All artists performed Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" as the finale to the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

    2011

    Laureates: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Roberta Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman
    Hosts: Helen Mirren and Rosario Dawson[10]
    Artists:

    All artists joined with Angélique Kidjo on the stage singing the song "Move On Up" as the finale to the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

    2012

    Laureate: European Union
    Hosts: Sarah Jessica Parker and Gerard Butler[11]
    Artists:

    2013

    Laureate: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons[16]
    Hosts: Claire Danes[17] and Aaron Eckhart[18]
    Artists:[19] [20]

    2014

    Laureates: Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi
    Host: Queen Latifah[21] (also performed two songs during the show: "I Know Where I've Been" and "U.N: I.T.Y.")
    Artists:[22] [23] [24] [25]

    Much of the concert of 2014 was influenced by Bollywood performances.

    2015

    Laureates: Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet[26]
    Hosts: Jay Leno (main program),[27] Derek Muller (YouTube backstage host)[28]
    Artists:

    2016

    Laureate: President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos for his peace negotiation efforts with FARC[32]
    Host: Conan O'Brien (also performed a short "traditional Norwegian song" based on Jørn Hoel's "Har en drøm" with the orchestra after Halsey's set)
    Artists:

    2017

    Laureate:
    Host:
    Artists:

    One of the surviving Hibaku pianos, a series of pianos that were successfully restored following the Hiroshima and Nagaski atomic bombings in 1945, was featured during the event. It was played by John Legend during his and Zara Larsson's duet. This was the last concert before a hiatus was announced in 2018.

    2018

    Laureate:

    No regular Nobel Peace Prize Concert was held in 2018, as the organizers decided to look at the event and make changes. An alternative concert was planned for 9 December 2018. It was estimated that the original Nobel Peace Prize concert will appear again in a different format in 2019, however this has not proven to be the case.

    Hosts: Kåre Magnus Bergh and Silje Nordnes

    Artists for alternative concert:[44]

    2023

    Laureate:
    Orchestra and Conductor:Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen
  • Artists:Julia Fischer

    • This concert features classical orchestral pieces from classical composers: Boccherini, Brahms, Ravel, and a modern American composer Gabriella Smith

    International broadcasters

    CountryBroadcaster
    NorwayNRK
    SwedenSVT
    AustraliaABC2
    ArgentinaChannel 7
    BrazilTV Bandeirantes
    DenmarkDR K
    IcelandSkjárEinn
    IndiaZee Café
    IndonesiaMetroTV
    ItalyPlayme.tv, repeat Mediaset
    TurkeyTRT
    UKSky Arts
    USAFox Broadcasting Company

    External links

    59.913°N 10.7547°W

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: 2021-09-01 . Nobel Peace Prize Concert - Nobel Peace Prize . 2023-10-23 . www.nobelpeaceprize.org . en.
    2. http://www.dagbladet.no/magasinet/2004/10/27/412596.html Article in Dagbladet on Cruise, Scientology and the Concert (Norwegian)
    3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2282774.stm Article from BBC NEWS on Cruise and Spielberg backing the war in Iraq
    4. Web site: Article in BT on the concert.
    5. News: Nobel Institute nabs high-profile concert host. . 21 October 2008 . 20 November 2008 .
    6. News: Michael Caine to co-host Nobel Concert. Associated Press . International Herald Tribune . 28 October 2008 . 20 November 2008 .
    7. Web site: Sideways . Dierks . Bentley . AOL Music Sessions . AOL Inc . 1 September 2011.
    8. Web site: Hairstyles of Will Smith's kids, Willow and Jaden, rock Obama's Nobel Peace Prize concert in Norway. Soraya. Roberts. New York Daily News. 12 December 2009.
    9. Web site: Denzel Washington leder Nobelkonserten – VG Nett om Nobels fredspris . Vg.no . 1 January 1970 . 6 October 2013.
    10. Web site: Hollywood-stjerne leder Nobelkonserten – kultur . Dagbladet.no . 24 November 2011 . 6 October 2013.
    11. Web site: Sex og singelliv-stjernen leder Nobelkonserten – Aftenposten . Aftenposten.no . 1 January 1970 . 6 October 2013.
    12. Web site: Karpe Diem synger for fred og EU – Aftenposten . Aftenposten.no . 1 January 1970 . 6 October 2013.
    13. Web site: Hudson og Seal klare for Nobelkonserten – VG Nett . 7 November 2012 . Vg.no . 6 October 2013.
    14. http://m.nrk.no/artikkel.jsp?art_id=110596035 Fikk applaus for engasjement
    15. Web site: Lise Grønskar lise.gronskar@dagbladet.no . Ne-Yo kommer til Norge – kultur . Dagbladet.no . 28 November 2012 . 6 October 2013.
    16. Web site: - Fredsprisen kan åpne opp for en bredere Syria-løsning. Vibeke. Buan. Aftenposten.
    17. Web site: "Homeland"-stjerne blir årets Nobelvert. www.vg.no. 30 October 2013 .
    18. Web site: Aaron Eckhart leder Nobelkonserten sammen med Claire Danes. Pål. Nordseth. 3 December 2013. Dagbladet.no.
    19. Web site: Her er de første Nobelartistene. www.vg.no. 6 November 2013 .
    20. Web site: 2011: Rystet Norge med 22. juli-utsagn 2013: Spiller på fredspriskonserten. THEA STEEN Guro Havro. Bjørnstad. 25 November 2013. Dagbladet.no.
    21. Web site: Queen Latifah er årets Nobel-vertinne. Linn-Christin. Marthinussen. 20 November 2014. Dagbladet.no.
    22. Web site: De skal opptre på fredspriskonserten. www.vg.no. 19 November 2014 .
    23. Web site: Gabrielle eneste norske bidrag når Malala skal hylles. Steinar Solås. Suvatne. 19 November 2014. Dagbladet.no.
    24. Web site: Steven Tyler til Nobelkonserten. Pål. Nordseth. 21 November 2014. Dagbladet.no.
    25. Web site: Norske Kygo gjorde henne til stjerne. Pål. Nordseth. 27 November 2014. Dagbladet.no.
    26. Web site: 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Announced . www.nobelpeaceprizeconcert.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092138/http://www.nobelpeaceprizeconcert.org/news/2015-nobel-peace-prize-winner-announced/ . 2016-03-04.
    27. Web site: Jay Leno skal lede Fredspriskonserten. Cathrine. Elnan. 16 November 2015. NRK.
    28. Web site: YouTube sensation Derek Muller to host live backstage show prior to Concert . www.nobelpeaceprizeconcert.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151217000722/http://www.nobelpeaceprizeconcert.org/news/youtube-sensation-derek-muller-host-live-backstage-show-prior-concert . 2015-12-17.
    29. This selection was performed before the actual show started. It did not appear in the televised broadcast, but was featured in the YouTube preshow.
    30. Web site: A-ha og Aurora Aksnes til Nobelkonserten. Gabrielle. Graatrud. 25 October 2015. Dagbladet.no.
    31. Web site: Kygo spiller på Fredspriskonserten. Oddvin. Aune. 18 November 2015. NRK.
    32. News: Nobel Peace Prize for Colombia president. BBC News. 7 October 2016. BBC.
    33. Web site: FRØDER – OVER THE SEA – The 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Concert. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/r3JcI2JWF8U . 2021-12-21 . live. www.youtube.com.
    34. This selection was performed before the actual show started. It did not appear in the televised broadcast, but was uploaded as a separate clip on the concert's YouTube page.
    35. Web site: Stjerneskudd til Nobelkonserten. 28 September 2016. NRK P3.
    36. "Tickets for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Concert is here! (link in bio) First band out is @Highasakiteband #nppc pic.twitter.com/FmALPmXOrM" Nobel Peace Prize Concert Twitter account, 1 July 2016
    37. Web site: Marcus og Martinus til Nobelkonserten. Karianne. Grindem. 19 October 2016. Dagbladet.no.
    38. Web site: Hollywood-stjernen David Oyelowo skal lede fredspriskonserten. www.vg.no. 5 December 2017 .
    39. Web site: Oslo me loves Oslo you: John Legend to headline Nobel Peace Prize concert. Midwest Communications. Inc. 101 WIXX.
    40. Web site: Sigrid Raabe spiller på Nobelkonserten. www.vg.no. 5 October 2017 .
    41. Web site: Zara Larsson til Nobelkonserten. www.vg.no. 11 October 2017 .
    42. Web site: Official website.
    43. Web site: Matoma bruker Adam Douglas som stand-in. www.vg.no. 11 December 2017 .
    44. Web site: Slik blir utendørskonserten "Nobels Fredsfest". www.vg.no. 22 November 2018 .

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