Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo Festival

An anniversary and a portrait

The 2025 Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo will pay tribute to the composer and conductor Pierre Boulez in his centenary year. One of the leading figures in contemporary music, Boulez was acclaimed for his pioneering spirit, global influence, and his overall mastery of his art. The festival will showcase some of the great man’s many facets, through a series of concerts, screenings, and performances celebrating his works, his inspirations, and his indelible legacy.

Francis Bacon and Pierre Boulez: a meeting of artistic minds at the Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo

For this year’s Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo, six major works by Francis Bacon have been selected to illustrate the unique bonds between the famed British painter and Pierre Boulez. Created during a period when Bacon and Boulez were both in Paris, the artworks highlight the themes of human fragility, the passing of time, and the mutual influences between music and painting, and offer a unique insight into the artistic dialogue between two of the 20th century’s great geniuses

Contemporary music at the Festival

In keeping with its commitment to artistic creation, this year’s Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo will feature great contemporary composers, many of whom were close to Pierre Boulez. The programme will begin with a brand new composition by Bruno Mantovani, created specially for the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, followed by works by Yan Maresz, Philippe Manoury, Raphaël Cendo, Marc-André Dalbavie, Philippe Hurel, and the late Peter Eötvös. The pieces will be performed in a variety of formats, ranging from a full symphonic orchestra to a choral production, or a piano recital with electronic music. There will be performances by several world famous ensembles, including the Neue Vocalsolisten, Ensemble Linea, Ensemble Court-circuit, and Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain.

A little history

Founded in 1970 on the wishes of Princess Grace of Monaco and organised under the presidency of H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover since 1984, the Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo is a classical music festival directed since May 2021 by the composer and conductor Bruno Mantovani. Taking up the baton from his predecessor, the composer Marc Monnet, every year he puts together a wonderful programme that casts an inquisitive eye back through musical history, forging a genuine dialogue between each of the pieces performed on any given night.
From early music to contemporary creations, traditional music and jazz, the Printemps des Arts is a thrilling melting pot of languages, aesthetic styles, and schools, building bridges between musicians from very different backgrounds.

Musical dinner in 2024

For the 40th edition, a musical dinner was served in the exclusive setting of the Belle Epoque room at the iconic Hôtel Hermitage.

The Michelin-starred gastronomical maestro Yannick Alléno created a menu in several moments, matched perfectly with the violin of David Haroutunian, giving guests a quite extraordinary multisensory experience.

For the full programme, visit the official website of the Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo Festival.