Professor Tod Machover, head of the Opera of the Future group, has been awarded the rank of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the Cultural Ministry of France. In the commendation letter, France’s Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, writes that this award is “one of the primary distinctions from among the four ministerial orders of the French Republic, intended to reward those who have distinguished themselves by their creativity in the cultural spheres.” 

The Order of Arts and Letters (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) was established in 1957 to celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts, both in France and globally. Bestowed under the authority of the French Minister of Culture and Communication, this honor has been awarded to prominent figures such as Paul Auster, Ornette Coleman, Agnes Gund, Marilyn Horne, Jim Jarmusch, Richard Meier, Elton John, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, and Uma Thurman. World-renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce Di Donato—a collaborator with Prof. Machover on his recent Overstory Overture—was also a recipient of the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters award this year.