This just in from the Associate Press:

NEW YORK - Soprano Leontyne Price (see below right), conductor James Levine (see him with the Met orchestra in the photo at left), composer Carlisle Floyd (see below left) and administrator Richard Gaddes will be the initial recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors.

The awards, patterned after the NEA Jazz Masters honors that were established in 1982, will be handed out during a ceremony Oct. 31 at the Harman Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C.

Speaking at a news conference to announce the prizes, tenor Placido Domingo said he hopes it's a step toward establishing "the Oscars of the opera."

What would they be called?

"The Mozarts," he suggested. "The Verdis?"

NEA Chairman Dana Gioia said only living Americans will be eligible for the NEA honors. While Domingo was born in Spain, he helped launch the awards because he is general director of the Washington National Opera and the Los Angeles Opera.

Price was among the top American sopranos and a breakthrough African-American singer, starring at the Metropolitan Opera from 1961 to '85. (She has sung in Madison. Did you see and hear her?)

Levine has been the leading force at the Met as chief conductor and then music director since 1973, and in 2004 he became music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Floyd is best known for composing "Susannah," "Of Mice and Men" and "Cold Sassy Tree." Gaddes is general director of the Santa Fe Opera and in 1976 founded the Opera Theater of St. Louis.

Gioia said authorization for the honors was given by Congress in legislation that was signed by President Bush. Gioia said the United States had always been shy about national honors for living artists, and that the country should be more active in celebrating its artistic heritage.

He also wanted the honors to be specific to opera, not to classical music in general.

"You don't want to lose focus," he said.

Who do you think should receive an NEA Opera Honors next year?

Sopranos Renee Fleming or Dawn Upshaw?

Famed Metropolitan Opera bass Paul Plishka? Or Met general director Peter Gelb for starting the increasingly popular live digital broadcasts of Met productions?

Composers William Bolcom or Dominick Argento?

How about Madison's own John Harbison for his "The Great Gatsby"?

Let Art talk know what you think of the new awards?

And what you think of this year's recipients?

And whom you would nominate in the future?

Finally, what should the opera awards be nicknamed? The Verdis? The Mozarts? Maybe the Puccinis?

And despite the warning by the NEA's Gioia's about losing focus, should there be NEA awards for American classical music in general?

Art Talk wants to know, and so do its worldwide readers.