The famous 1697 “Molitor” Stradivarius, once owned by Portuguese-American virtuoso Elmar Oliveira, debuted this week at the Long Center, in Austin, Texas. Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers paid $3.6 million for the “Molitor” Stradivarius which previous owners include Napoleon Bonaparte.
The son of Portuguese immigrants, Elmar Oliveira is considered one of the best violinists in the world. He remains the only American violinist to win the Gold Medal at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1978. He is also the first violinist to receive the coveted Avery Fisher Prize in 1983, in addition to capturing First Prizes at the Naumburg International Competition and the G.B. Dealey Competition, among many other honors.