Tom Stoppard Wins Japan's Praemium Imperiale Arts Award

The New York Times reports that Tom Stoppard is among the winners of the Japan Arts Association's Praemium Imperiale arts awards. The global award is presented annually for lifetime achievement in categories not covered by the Nobel Prize. According to the Association's website, since the honor's inception in 1989 it has become one of the highest international distinctions for artists. The ceremony will take place in in Tokyo on October 22nd.

Stoppard's honor has been made in recognition of both his theater and film work, which includes his most recent Broadway prouctions, ROCK' N' ROLL and COAST of UTOPIA, and screenplays for films such as his Academy Award-winning "Shakespeare in Love" and Oscar-nominated "Brazil." The scribe became famous for pieces such as ARCADIA, ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, and "Enigma." In all, Stoppard has penned over 25 plays, 20 screenplays/scripts and one novel, in addition to dozens of essays. He and is works are the recipient of multiple Tony Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Evening Standard Prizes, Olivier Awards and Academy Awards.

In addition to Stoppard, Praemium Imperiale award winners this year include the architect Zahn Hadid, the photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, the sculptor Richard Long, and the pianist Alfred Brendel.

For further information, visit: www.praemiumimperiale.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride