The Swedish Academy’s Annual Grand Ceremony

 

The Swedish Academy concludes every working year with its Annual Grand Ceremony, a public meeting held in the Stock Exchange Hall on 20 December at 5 p.m. Gustav III, who was known for his sense of theatre, originally drew up detailed stage directions for the ceremony, which are essentially still observed.

 

The Annual Grand Ceremony in the Stock Exchange Hall. Photo: Rickard L. Eriksson.

Along the north side of the hall, a gallery has been erected for the Royal Family and its entourage. On a podium in the middle of the hall stands the Academy’s conference table, along with eighteen numbered, gilded chairs dressed in blue silk. Around the podium, a barrier has been erected covered in dark cloth with gold crowns. Behind the director’s chair at the far end there is an opening in the barrier, through which a passage leads to the Academy’s session room.

From the crowded benches all around the hall, there is a hum of expectation among the spectators, all of whom are dressed in formal attire. Tickets to the event are highly prized. There are only around 500 seats in the hall, some which are reserved for official dignitaries and prominent representatives of the nation’s cultural life.

Shortly before the commencement of the ceremony, the Royal Family and its entourage make their entrance. On the stroke of five o’clock, the doors to the session room open, and everyone, including the Royal Family, rises as the Academy members enter the hall, two by two. These then bow in turn to the Royal Family, before taking their designated seats. The director strikes his or her gavel on the table and declares: ‘The Academy is in session.’

The programme is largely the same from year to year, with slight variations. It is only when any newly elected members give their inaugural speeches that there is any major deviation from this, or when the Academy’s Grand Prize is awarded.

The ceremony begins with the director’s opening speech. While almost any topic may be raised, director’s speeches often focus on events taking place within the Academy’s sphere of interest, and have not infrequently made contributions to the ongoing cultural debate.

In the event of a new member having been elected, he or she waits in the session room prior to being admitted. When the director’s speech is over, the secretary goes out to the session room and returns with the new appointee, who stands by the secretary’s chair and gives an inaugural address on the subject of his or her predecessor.

The director responds with a short speech, typically offering a few personal words of remembrance for the previous incumbent, and welcomes the new Academician. The newly elected member then signs the Academy’s statutes and is shown to his or her chair by the secretary.

If the Academy has decided to award its Grand Prize, the prize winner is normally present, having already been notified of the decision. The director announces the winner, who is called to the table and briefly addressed by the director, after which the Academy’s award of a large gold medal is presented by the permanent secretary.

Usually next on the programme is the announcement by the director of the recipient of the annual commemorative medal, after which the author of the memoir reads an extract from that work. One or a couple of members typically then give a reading from one of their poems or essays. The programme ends with the permanent secretary’s annual report, which lists the recipients of the year’s prizes and scholarships.

Finally, the director strikes his or her gavel on the table and declares the meeting closed. Everyone rises, the Academicians return to the session room, the Royal Family and entourage leave the gallery, and the audience files out of the hall.

Thus concludes another year in the work of the Swedish Academy.