THE BEETHOVEN FRIENDSHIP AWARD, a new cultural prize, goes to Tan Dun

The winner of THE BEETHOVEN FRIENDSHIP AWARD, presented for the first time on 17 December 2025 in Bonn, is the Chinese-American composer, conductor and Oscar winner Tan Dun (born 1957) – a self-confessed Beethoven enthusiast and wine connoisseur. The award honours Tan Dun's intensive artistic engagement with Beethoven, which dates back to 1973 when he heard classical music by the Bonn composer for the first time in his life on a rice field in the Chinese province of Hunan via radio loudspeakers. Tan Dun's award-winning oeuvre contains numerous references to Beethoven. He recently celebrated international success with his 'Choral Concerto: Nine', premiered in 2024 by the German National Youth Orchestra and the World Youth Choir, whose lyrics, instrumentation and message of peace are closely related to Beethoven's ‘Ninth’ and the theme of 'wine'.

'Tan Dun is one of the most successful composers of our time, and his Chinese-influenced view of Beethoven is one of the most unusual and exciting contributions to the recent reception of Beethoven,' says violinist Daniel Hope, president of the Beethoven House, explaining the choice of award winner. 'We have been meeting musically for over 25 years – which makes his special voice in dialogue with Beethoven all the more moving to me.'

The award is an initiative of Beethoven House Bonn and Wegeler Wineries, with support from leading European wine producers and star designer Michele De Lucchi.

The award refers to a friendship glass that Ludwig van Beethoven presented to his childhood friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler in Bonn in 1816, which is on display in the permanent exhibition at the Beethoven House Museum.

The BEETHOVEN FRIENDSHIP AWARD honours artists who have made a special contribution to music and wine culture. It is awarded on the initiative of the Beethoven House Bonn and the Wegeler Wineries and is supported by the world-famous Italian philosopher, architect, artist and designer Michele De Lucchi, as well as eleven wineries that are among the most renowned wine producers in Europe. These include GAJA, Piedmont; DOMAINE PAUL JABOULET AÎNÉ, Rhône; KLAUS PETER KELLER, Rheinhessen; CHÂTEAU LASCOMBES, Bordeaux; DOMAINE JACQUES-FRÉDÉRIC MUGNIER, Burgundy; ERWIN SABATHI, Styria; SCHLOSS GOBELSBURG, Kamptal; CHÂTEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE, Bordeaux; TENUTA SAN GUIDO, Tuscany; VEGA SICILIA, Ribera del Duero; CHÂTEAU D’YQUEM, Bordeaux.

THE BEETHOVEN FRIENDSHIP AWARD is a precious rarity and collector's item

THE BEETHOVEN FRIENDSHIP AWARD consists of a handcrafted replica of Beethoven's friendship glass and twelve carefully selected rarities from the cellars of the participating wineries – each magnum bottle an icon of European wine culture. The friendship glass and the magnum bottles selected by the participating wineries are stored and presented in a wine cabinet designed by star designer Michele De Lucchi and produced in a limited edition by the workshop of the Beethoven House Museum, which is modelled on a wine barrel made of black oxidised oak.

THE BEETHOVEN FRIENDSHIP WINE CABINET 2025, containing the replica friendship glass and the 12 magnum bottles, is available in a strictly limited edition of only 3 copies, each authorised by Michele De Lucchi's signature. Each copy is a precious rarity and a collector's item for music and wine lovers alike.

Award ceremony for the new prize with charity auction on 17 December 2025 at the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn

Tan Dun will accept the award in person on 17 December 2025 at 11 a.m. The laudatory speech will be given by violinist Daniel Hope, President of the Beethoven House. The keynote address will be given by philosopher Markus Gabriel. The ceremony, which will be held in German and English (without simultaneous translation), will be streamed live.

Following the ceremony, a copy of the wine cabinet and its contents will be auctioned at invaluable.com in an online charity auction conducted by RR Auction, with the proceeds going towards an artistic project that Tan Dun will realise with the Beethoven-Haus in 2027.

Live stream of the ceremony at Beethoven-Haus Bonn – YouTube and of the charity auction at invaluable.com

Members of the press are cordially invited to attend the ceremony:

Accreditation via vip@beethoven.gmbh

Images:

Image of the friendship glass (photo: Guido Bittner)

Image of the wine cabinet (photo: Guido Bittner)

Images of rare wines (magnum cut-out, magnum with reflection)

Image of Tan Dun (photo: Feng Hai)

Image of winery logos

Download: www.swisstransfer.com/d/b8f59990-1af0-4403-bee0-2d524576c304

Press enquiries:

Ursula Timmer-Fontani, Communications Beethoven-Haus Bonn timmer-fontani@beethoven.de

Christine Schlötterer, CPA! Communications and Project Agency c.schloetterer@cpagmbh.de

About Beethoven-Haus GmbH

Beethoven-Haus Vertriebs- und Service GmbH is the commercially oriented shop, ticket and service centre for the non-profit cultural institution Beethoven-Haus Bonn. Its managing directors are Malte Boecker and Rolf Zeppenfeld. The GmbH sells museum and concert tickets as well as publications from the Beethoven-Haus and occasionally organises its own concerts. It also offers a wide range of books, recordings, films and merchandise related to Beethoven and classical music. The profits of the GmbH are used to finance the non-profit work of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn association.

About Wegeler Wineries

Wegeler Wineries was founded as a family-run business in 1882. In 2021, the wineries were sold to the parent company Villa FORTUNA WEINE Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH. The main owners are Ralf Frenzel and Torsten Vogt.

The Wegeler Wineries consist of three branches on the Rhine and Moselle, united by their passion for Riesling. A small but fine selection of Pinot Noir has completed the company since the purchase of the Krone Assmannshausen winery.

Further information about the Wegeler wineries can be found at:www.wegeler.com/

or at www.yumpu.com/de/document/read/70595794/weinguter-wegeler-und-krone-33-spitzenlagen.