Georgian poet awarded top Swedish prize for live performances

A Georgian performing artist was awarded a top Swedish poetry prize in an annual celebration of art in the country's capital Stockholm last week.

Zurab Rtveliashvili received the Performing Poet of the Year award in an event at the Stockholm Museum of Ethnography on November 25, where local artists gathered to summarise their activities of the year.

Praised by local poetry critics, Rtveliashvili was among a number of acclaimed local artists who presented their pieces in comedy, music and poetry.

Afterwards Rtveliashvili spoke to reporters of www.kvira.ge about his performance and revealed details of his involvement in the event.

I was partnered [in the performance] with my friend and well-known Iranian Sufi musician Kave Sharifi, [who] is a remarkable performer and known for modernising old and traditional instruments. His musical performance accompanied my appearance during the evening which proved very successful," Rtveliashvili told the website.

During the year the Georgian poet featured widely in many cultural events in Sweden's capital. Reviews by Swedish magazine Popular Poetry called his live performances "charismatic and powerful".