Monaco prepares to celebrate classical
music with a series of prestige concerts in 2025. The programme for this year
is a blend of the traditional and the modern, featuring international soloists
and youthful talents in two illustrious settings, the Prince’s Palace and the
Grimaldi Forum. Legendary and up-and-coming conductors will take audiences on a
thrilling musical journey of discovery.
An
exceptional music event is coming to the Principality!
The Cour d’Honneur at the Prince’s Palace
will be the venue for five prestige concerts featuring the talents of acclaimed
international artists and young prodigies. Music lovers can look forward to
performances by world-renowned soloists including Daniel Lozakovich, David
Fray, and Sergey Khachatryan, alongside the talented pianist brothers Lucas and
Arthur Jussen.
The line-up celebrates diverse musical
generations with legendary conductors such as Charles Dutoit and Lawrence
Foster, along with the OPMC’s own artistic director Kazuki Yamada. Two
promising young conductors, Tianyi Lu and Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, will bring a
breath of fresh air to proceedings.
And the highlights of this 2025 festival
will be a unique concert in an alternative venue: the Grimaldi Forum. Conducted
by Kazuki Yamada, the Liverpool Oratorio, a spectacular collaborative work
created by Paul McCartney and Carl Davis, will be performed with the
participation of the prestigious CBSO Chorus.
This unmissable musical event promises to
inspire audiences with a sense of wonder and emotion!
A truly unique stage
During the summer, the Monte-Carlo
Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the Prince’s Palace in the royal courtyard,
the Cour d’Honneur.
The idea came about in 1959, in the reign
of Prince Rainier III, reviving a Grimaldi tradition for patronage of the arts
and music in particular that dates back to the 18th century. At that time, the
Princes of Monaco regularly “gave music” in the Palace courtyard for the
benefit of their people.
Several names were considered: the Musical Weeks of the Palace of Monaco,
the Festival of the Palace of Monaco, Musical Receptions at the Palace of
Monaco, Musical Evenings of the Palace of Monaco, International Music Evenings
at the Palace of Monaco....
The eventual choice was: "Les Concerts du Palais Princier de
Monaco" or "Concerts at the Prince's Palace of Monaco".
On the orders of Prince Rainier III, the
Palace services were tasked with organising all aspects of the concerts and
everything relating to the audience: admission, seating, flooring, and so
on.
Over the years, the Monte-Carlo
Philharmonic has become somewhat famous for these concerts, and critics now
consider it to be among Europe's leading symphony orchestras.
A memorable and exclusive moment to be
experienced in the legendary residence of the Princes of Monaco.
About the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic
Orchestra
Thanks to its ability to juggle both
tradition and modernity, the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra plays a leading
role by performing major symphonic works, reviving rare and contemporary
pieces, and producing lyric and choreographical creations. The Orchestra works
in collaboration with the Compagnie des Ballets de Monte-Carlo, the Opera and
the Printemps des Arts. It also organises cinema-themed concerts, with
internationally renowned cinematographic works such as Walt Disney’s Fantasia,
or Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings.
The Orchestra travels regularly to take part in
major festivals overseas or to perform in every part of the globe. Its ambition
is to establish itself as one of the world’s foremost international orchestras.
Under the presidency of H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover, the Monte-Carlo
Philharmonic Orchestra is supported and championed by H.S.H. Prince Albert II.
History
A nascent orchestra first began to take
shape in 1856. It gradually attracted more and more artists from Paris,
eventually forming the Orchestra du Nouveau Cercle des Étrangers (literally the
“New Foreigners’ Circle Orchestra”). The Orchestra then took the name
“Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo” in 1958. It adopted the name it
bears today in 1980, and has since enjoyed a prominent place on the
international musical stage.
The Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra launched
its own “OPMC Classics” label in autumn 2010. These recordings received several
awards from the musical press.
Some leading artistic and musical directors have left an indelible mark on the
history of the OPMC, including Igor
Markevitch, Gianluigi Gelmetti, and Kazuki Yamada, who has been with the
orchestra since 2016.
To
find out more about Concerts at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco
https://www.opmc.mc/