Awards & Honors

2000—PRESENT

Hein Heckroth Prize: Lifetime Achievement for Scenic Design
Hein Heckroth Gesellschaft
April 19, 2009, Giessen, Germany

Rosa d'Oro (presented by David Hockney)
October 27, 2007, Palermo, Italy

Louise T. Blouin Foundation Award
Louise T. Blouin Foundation
May 2, 2005, New York City

Pratt Legends Honoree
Pratt Institute
April 19, 2005, Brooklyn, New York

IMAJINE: American Innovator Award
The Japan Society
April 6, 2005, New York City

Texas Medal of Arts
Texas Cultural Trust Council
April 5, 2005, Austin, Texas

Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
December 9, 2003, Paris

Backstage West Garland Award: Best Lighting Design
Woyzeck
February 10, 2003, Los Angeles

"Politika" Grand Prix Award
Belgrade International Theater Festival (BITEF)
Woyzeck
October 17, 2002, Belgrade, Serbia, and Montenegro

Thomas Jefferson Award
American Institute of Architects
April 20, 2002, Houston, Texas

National Design Award, Smithsonian Institution
National Design Museum
November 14, 2001, New York City

Grand Prix de la Critique 1999/2000: Meilleur Spectacle Étranger [Best Foreign Production]
Syndicat de la Critique Dramatique et Musicale
Dream Play
June 26, 2001, Paris

American Academy of Arts and Letters
Elected American Honorary Member
Inducted May 17, 2000

1995—1999

Wilhelm Hansen Honorable Prize
October 25, 1999, Copenhagen

Médaille d'Argent de la Foundation de l'Académie d'Architecture
June 15, 1999, Paris

Pushkin Prize
Taganka Theater
April 23, 1999, Moscow

Harvard Excellence in Design Award
Harvard University
October 8, 1998, Cambridge

Tadeusz Kantor Prize
December 7, 1997, Cracow, Poland

Robert Wilson Day (April 18)
Declared by Texas State Legislature
April 18, 1997

Premio Europa per il Teatro
January 6, 1997, Taormina, Italy

Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize
New York City

Best Director, International Widescreen Festival
The Death of Moliere
Amsterdam

Premio Abbiati, Italian Theater Critics Award
Hanjo/Hagoromo
Milan

Texas Artist of the Year
Art League of Houston
Houston, Texas

Guest of Honor, American Friends of the Paris Opera and Ballet
Gala Dinner, St. Regis Hotel
New York City

1990—1994

Premio Ubu, Best Foreign Performance
Alice
Milan

Honorary Doctorate
California College of Arts and Crafts
Oakland, California

Golden Lion Award in Sculpture
Memory/Loss
Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy

Premio Ubu, Best Foreign Performance
Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights
Milan

Honorary Doctorate
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York

Theatertreffen, Festspiele Berlin
The Black Rider: the casting of the magic bullets
Berlin

German Theater Critics Award, Best Production of the Year
The Black Rider: the casting of the magic bullets
Berlin

Special Mention by the Jury, "Festival du Film d'Art"
La Femme à la Cafetière
Paris

1985—1989

Grand Prize, Biennale Festival of Cinema Art
La Femme à la Cafetière
Barcelona

Premio Abbiati, Best Production of the Year, Italian Theater Critics Award
Doktor Faustus
Milan

Grand Prize for Best Event
Parzival and Hamletmachine: furniture and drawings
Biennial of São Paulo

Lion of the Performing Arts, New York Public Library
New York City

Institute Honor, The American Institute of Architects
New York City

Premio Mondello, Award for Theater
Palermo, Italy

American Theatre Wing Design Award, Noteworthy Unusual Effects
the CIVIL warS, Rome Section
Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York

Bessie Award
the CIVIL warS, Knee Plays

French Critics Award for Best Foreign Play, Le Sydicat de la Critique Musicale
Alcestis
Paris

Theatertreffen, Berliner Festspiele
Hamletmachine
Berlin

Skowhegan Medal for Drawing
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture
New York City and Maine

Sole nominee, Pulitzer Prize for Drama
the CIVIL warS
[no prize awarded that year]

Picasso Award
Overture to the Fourth Act of Deafman Glance
Malaga Theater Festival, Malaga, Spain

Obie Award for Direction
Hamletmachine
New York City

Franklin Furnace Award
Einstein on the Beach
New York City

1980—1984

Theatertreffen, Berliner Festspiele
the CIVIL warS, Cologne Section
Berlin

First Prize, San Sebastian Film and Video Festival
Stations
San Sebastian, Spain

Der Rosenstrauss
The Golden Windows
Munich

1975—1979

Best Production of the Year, German Critics Award
Death, Destruction & Detroit
Berlin

First Prize, German Press Award
Death, Destruction & Detroit
Berlin

Critics Award for Best Musical Theater, Le Sydicat de la Critique Musicale
Einstein on the Beach
Paris

Grand Prize, BITEF
Einstein on the Beach
Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Lumen Award for Design
Einstein on the Beach
New York City

Maharam Award for Best Set Design for a Broadway Show
A Letter for Queen Victoria
New York City

Tony Nomination for Best Score and Lyrics
A Letter for Queen Victoria
New York City

1970—1974

OBIE Special Award Citation for Direction
The Life and Times of Joseph Stalin
New York City

Drama Desk Award for Direction
Deafman Glance
New York City

Critics Award for Best Foreign Play 1970-71
Deafman Glance