Scarlett Johansson and Michael Caine at the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize Concert

The Nobel Peace Prize Concert (Norwegian and Swedish: 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.[citation needed]

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.

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.[citation needed]

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)."[citation needed]

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. 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

  • Andrew Lanter- IMG

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

  • Andrew Lanter- IMG

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 and from people who were unhappy with his supportive statements on the Iraq War. 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

Artists

2008

Diana Ross (in yellow dress) and the other artists round off the Nobel Concert 2008 in Oslo Spektrum.

Laureate

Martti Ahtisaari

Hosts

Scarlett Johansson & Michael Caine

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

Nobel Peace Prize Concert 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".

2010

Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2010

Laureate

Liu Xiaobo (absent)

Hosts

Denzel Washington and Anne Hathaway

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

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

Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2012

Laureate

European Union

Hosts

Sarah Jessica Parker and Gerard Butler

Artists

2013

Laureate

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

Hosts

Claire Danes and Aaron Eckhart

Artists

  • Mary J. Blige – "Family Affair", "Just Fine", "One" (finale)
  • James Blunt – "You're Beautiful", "Bonfire Heart", "No Bravery"
  • Envy (aka. Nico & Vinz) – "In Your Arms", "Am I Wrong"
  • Zara Larsson – "Uncover"
  • Morrissey – "Satellite of Love", "People Are The Same Everywhere", "Irish Blood, English Heart"
  • Jake Bugg – "Broken", "A Song About Love"
  • Timbuktu feat. Vinni – "Alla Vill Till Himmelen Men Få Vill Ju Dö", "Let The Monkey Out"
  • Omar Souleyman – "Salamat Galbi Bidek"
  • Norwegian Radio Orchestra conducted by Nick Davies (featured in all performances)
  • Mosaic (Gospel Choir) (featured in Envy's "Am I Wrong", Timbuktu's "Alla vill till himmelen men ingen vill dö" and "Let the Monkey Out" and Mary J. Blige's "One")

2014

Laureates

Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi

Host

Queen Latifah (also performed two songs during the show: "I Know Where I've Been" and "U.N: I.T.Y.")

Artists

  • Gabrielle Leithaug – "5 Fine Frøkner", "I Believe"
  • Seinabo Sey – "Younger"
  • Nuno Bettencourt – "More Than Words" with Steven Tyler
  • Steven Tyler – "Dream On", "Livin' On the Edge", "More than Words"
  • Rahat Fateh Ali Khan – "Medley", "Aao Parhao"
  • Laura Mvula – "Sing to the Moon", "That's Alright"
  • Girls of the World (Juliana Joya, Emily Anne, and Carmen Amare) – "I Am Malala"
  • Amjad Ali Khan – "Raga For Peace"
  • Bolly Flex Dancers – "Jai Ho", "Chaiya Chaiya", "Nagada Sang Dhol", "One Two Three Four Get"
  • Norwegian Radio Orchestra conducted by Nick Davies (featured in all performances)
  • Mosaic (Gospel Choir) (featured in Queen Latifah's "I Know Where I've Been", Gabrielle Leithaug's "I Believe", Steven Tyler's "Dream on", Girls of the World's "I Am Malala" and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's "Aao Parhao")

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

2015

Laureates

Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet

Hosts

Jay Leno (main program), Derek Muller (YouTube backstage host)

Artists

2016

Laureate

President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos for his peace negotiation efforts with FARC

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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

Hosts: Kåre Magnus Bergh and Silje Nordnes

Artists for alternative concert:

2023

The full lineup for this concert wasn't disclosed, but one of the notable headliners was jazz singer Angelina Jordan.

2024

This concert was combined with a talk show that featured halftime performances by the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and several well-known recording artists, but the full lineup wasn't disclosed.

2025

The lineup for this concert has yet to be revealed.

International broadcasters

CountryBroadcaster
Norway NorwayNRK
Sweden SwedenSVT
Australia AustraliaABC2
Argentina ArgentinaChannel 7
Brazil BrazilTV Bandeirantes
Denmark DenmarkDR K
Iceland IcelandSkjárEinn
India IndiaZee Café
Indonesia IndonesiaMetroTV
Italy ItalyPlayme.tv, repeat Mediaset
Turkey TurkeyTRT
United Kingdom UKSky Arts
United States USAFox Broadcasting Company

External links

59°54′46.68″N 10°45′16.74″E/59.9129667°N 10.7546500°E/ 59.9129667; 10.7546500