From opera and ballet, to theatre, classical music, and philosophy,
Monaco is a vibrant hub of cultural activity all year round! Here’s a brief
rundown of what’s on at the Principality’s top venues.
Opéra
de Monte-Carlo
Opera singer Cécilia Bartoli, the newly installed Director of the Opéra
de Monte-Carlo, has put together a packed programme for the period November to
April, including no fewer than twenty productions and featuring a number of
star names.
The season gets under way on 2 November with Verdi’s magnificent Requiem,
orchestrated by the celebrated conductor Daniel Barenboim. To mark Monaco’s
National Day, the Opéra will also pay tribute to the great singer Enrico
Caruso, whose global career began here in the Principality.
Other highlights of the season include four operas, among them Verdi’s Don
Carlo in November, and the The Phantom of the Opera arriving in time for the
festive season! Seen by 140 million spectators and with a triumphant 35 year
run on Broadway, the hit musical has never before been performed in the
Principality or in neighbouring France. And so the Opéra Garnier will be
staging something of a première, from 16 to 31 December!
The Opéra is also proud to collaborate with other important local institutions,
from the Printemps des Arts to the Ballets de Monte-Carlo and the Princess
Grace Academy of Dance, encouraging the emergence of talented young artists.
Orchestre
Philarmonique de Monte-Carlo
The Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra (OPMC) opened its 2023-2023
season on 17 September with a special concert as part of commemorations marking
the centenary of Prince Rainier III.
The coming year promises a diverse programme including symphonic concerts,
recitals, tribute concerts, and musical ‘happy hour’ performances. The
institution will be presenting a series of five concerts in tribute to
Rachmaninov, as well as four “Mozart in Monaco” dates.
Meanwhile, younger classical music fans and romantics will be delighted by the
series of cine-concerts, including Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid and a special
Valentine’s concert on 9 February.
Ballets
de Monte-Carlo
The Ballets de Monte-Carlo are set to go globetrotting for the 2023-2024
season, bringing their talents to stages all over the world. International
audiences from Thailand and South Korea, to the United States, Poland, and
Germany, will have the chance to experience a quartet of stunning productions
created and choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot.
While LAC, Roméo et Juliette, Coppél-I.A. and Cendrillon are set for foreign
shores, look out for news coming soon about the Monegasque ballet company’s
programme of events in the Principality!
Théâtre
Princesse Grace
Theatre lovers can look forward to a busy season with some thirty shows
between the end of September and the start of June. With plays in English and
Italian, special evenings created to introduce younger audiences to the
theatre, Molière Award-winning productions, and more, the Théâtre Princesse
Grace has once again succeeded in putting together a remarkable and diverse
programme. From the classic play Le Misanthrope to Philippe Torreton’s recital
of poems by Rimbaud and Baudelaire, from Paul Taylor and his bilingual stand-up
to Les Poupées persanes which earned two Molière Awards in 2023, the Theatre
has something for everyone this year.
There’s are more cultural delights to be found at the Grimaldi Forum, which
will be hosting the dazzling Thursday Live Sessions, the Sérénissimes de
l’Humour comedy festival, and a much anticipated exhibition of works by British
painter William Turner. For
cinema-lovers, there will be an opportunity to watch (or rewatch) the Woody
Allen classic “The Purple Rose of Cairo”, with a special screening by the
Audiovisual Institute of Monaco.
Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco
Philosophy is an increasingly popular pursuit in the Principality,
thanks in no small part to the inspiration of Charlotte Casiraghi. This year,
the association Les Rencontres Philosophiques has once again organised a
fascinating programme of events, inviting numerous French and foreign thinkers,
authors, and eminent personalities from the world of philosophy. The lectures
and workshops will all take place at the Théâtre Princesse Grace from 19
October to 4 April, covering a series of themes including disagreement, hope,
solidarity, and truth.
Photo credits:
©Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo / Alizée Palomba / Manuel Vitali / Benjamin Vergély / David Randall / DR / Alice Blangero / Les Rencontres Philosophiques