"Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?" True enough to the first line of the song, Bob Dylan wouldn't be attending the Nobel Prize Ceremonies on December 10 in Stockholm, but musician and artist, Patti Smith would perform one of his hits, 'A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall.'
Smith will also discuss the importance of role models and share Nobel laureates who have inspired her on the 2016 Nobel Week Dialogue on Friday. She considers herself a longtime fan of Dylan's.
According to the Swedish Academy, they "received a personal letter from Dylan, in which he explained that due to pre-existing commitments, he is unable to travel to Stockholm in December and therefore will not attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony." They also issued a release on November 18 saying, there is a chance that Dylan will be performing in Stockholm next year, possibly in the spring, in which case he will have a perfect opportunity to deliver his lecture. "
On December 5, the Nobel Prize Foundation tweeted that Dylan has provided a speech which will be read at the Nobel banquet. Neither groups disclosed as to who will read on behalf of Dylan's.
On October 13, it was announced that the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2016 is awarded to Dylan "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."
The news was received with mixed views from the public, with the half citing praises for Dylan's work, and the other questioning if musicians are allowed to win awards for literature. Dylan's poetry-music, however, has been taught as literary pieces in various colleges in America.
The Swedish Academy further stated that though, Nobel laureates not coming to the awards ceremony is unusual; there have been winners in the past who weren't able to go as well. Among them are British novelist Doris Lessing, English playwright Harold Pinter, and Austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
