Soprano Leontyne Price.

The National Endowment for the Arts has a new award, the NEA Opera Honors, which it calls "the highest award our nation bestows in opera." The award goes to "luminaries who have made extraordinary contributions to opera in the United States," and the first honorees are soprano Leontyne Price, composer Carlisle Floyd, administrator Richard Gaddes (general director of the Santa Fe Opera and co-founder of Opera Theater of Saint Louis), and conductor James Levine (music director of the Metropolitan Opera).

The Washington National Opera is partnering with the NEA in this inaugural year, which is why its general director and super tenor Placido Domingo is participating in the event. They should just give a lifetime achievment award to him right now.

Does classical music need another award? I say yes. The more recognition the better, and the more we can get the gov to show official appreciation for the arts, the better, too.