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Bob Dylan providing Nobel speech, Patti Smith to sing at ceremony

by Jay Gabler

December 05, 2016

Bob Dylan still isn't going to Sweden to accept his Nobel Prize in Literature on Saturday, but the Swedish Academy says he's providing a speech to be read on his behalf at the Nobel Banquet. they've also announced that Patti Smith will attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony to perform Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."

The Nobel Banquet follows the Nobel Prize Ceremony. According to the Nobel Prize website:

The Ceremony is followed by a banquet at the Stockholm City Hall (Stockholms Stadshus) for about 1,300 people, including 250 students. With a few exceptions, the Nobel Banquet has taken place at the City Hall since 1930. The Nobel Festivities in Stockholm are arranged by the Nobel Foundation and are primarily an academic celebration focusing on science and literature. In addition to the Nobel Laureates and their families, Their Majesties the King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family of Sweden are guests of honour at both the Prize Award Ceremony and the Banquet.

Presumably this statement still won't count as Dylan's required Nobel Lecture, which the Swedish Academy previously announced he'll be delivering within six months of Dec. 10. Though the Nobel Prize Ceremony will be live-streamed, the Academy has not announced any plans to broadcast the banquet proceedings. The ceremony takes place at 4:30 p.m. Stockholm time (9:30 a.m. CST), followed by the banquet at 7:00 p.m. (noon CST).

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