Valais honors Franziska Heinzen
The soprano Franziska Andrea Heinzen has been awarded a 10,000 franc prize from the Canton of Valais. A special prize of the same amount is awarded to the musician Richard Jean. This year's cantonal culture prize goes to filmmaker Pierre-André Thiébaud.
Born in Brig in 1985, soprano Franziska Andrea Heinzen studied at the music academies in Zurich and Düsseldorf. In addition to opera, she also performs lieder and concert repertoire with pianist Benjamin Malcolm Mead. The duo won first prize at the 2nd International Lied Duo Competition Rhine-Ruhr in 2017 and will perform at the Schubertiade in Barcelona in March 2018.
Born in 1951, musician and video filmmaker Richard Jean lives and works in Sion. With installations, concerts and encounters with sound and image, he stages "special atmospheres to show the art of the avant-garde". He is the driving force behind the collective "L'oeil et l'oreille".
Further sponsorship awards in Valais go to the actress Mali Van Valenberg and the ensemble Courant d'Cirque. The award ceremony will take place on November 3, 2017 in Lower Valais.
