The English musicologist and entrepreneur Paul Atkin has been named the winner of the 17th Traetta Prize 2025 “in recognition of his extraordinary passion and dedication in bringing to life a visionary project that unites history, culture, and music.”

The Traetta Prize is awarded by the Traetta Society in recognition of achievements in rediscovering the roots of European music. It is named after the composer Tommaso Traetta (1727–1779) and is awarded annually during Traetta Week, a week of commemorative celebrations dedicated to the composer, taking place over the eight days between his birth and death anniversaries (March 30 – April 6).

The goal of the Traetta Prize is to honor individuals committed to expanding knowledge of 18th-century musical production. The award borrows Traetta’s name as a symbol of a long list of unjustly forgotten composers such as Leonardo Vinci, Pasquale Anfossi, Antonio Sacchini, Nicola Vaccaj, Leonardo Leo, Domenico Cimarosa, or Vicente Martín y Soler, among others.

Paul Atkin is the founder and driving force behind the project to rebuild the Teatro San Cassiano in Venice, the first public opera house in history. It was inaugurated in 1637 and later demolished. With a rigorous historical and philological approach, Atkin initiated an in-depth research project in 2015 to reconstruct the theater in its original form, relying on archival documents, architectural studies, and musicological research.

Since 2017, with the foundation of the Teatro San Cassiano Group, the project has gained the support of internationally renowned experts, including musicologists, conductors, and architects specializing in the reconstruction of historic theaters. Furthermore, it has received official support from the Municipality of Venice and the interest of major cultural and academic institutions, thus laying the foundation for the realization of a truly unique theater.

The reconstruction of the Teatro San Cassiano holds special significance for the Traetta Society, as Tommaso Traetta himself premiered two of his operas on that very stage: La Francese a Malghera in 1764 and Semiramide in 1765, the latter celebrating its 260th anniversary this year.

This project is not only an architectural endeavor but a far-reaching cultural initiative aimed at reviving the sound, stagecraft, and experience of 18th-century opera following historically informed criteria. Through his tireless dedication, Atkin demonstrates a deep conviction in the value of music as a shared heritage, capable of uniting past and future.

Further information:

• Traetta Prize: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premio_Traetta
• Traetta Week: http://www.traetta.com