On beautiful summer evenings, elegant audiences will find their way to the Princely Palace. In the main courtyard, there will be concerts that express the splendor of the Principality and the beauty of music. One can only attend in formal attire: a tie is mandatory for gentlemen. Good manners are expected. The six concerts, which will take place from Sunday evening until August 6th, are the only symphonic music festival in the region. These concerts will be given by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Monte-Carlo, which remains one of the great European symphony orchestras.
Big names
The soloists are international. Soprano Véronique Gens, who performed the opening concert last Sunday by interpreting ‘Summer Nights’ (Nuits d’été) by Berlioz, is one of the great French singers. Julian Rachlin, who will play Beethoven’s concerto on 23 July, is one of the best violinists in the world. Japanese composer Daishin Kashimoto, who will perform the 3rd concerto by Saint-Saënson on 30 July, is none other than the solo violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic. At the age of 11, he was the youngest student in the history of the Julliard School in New York and, at 17, the youngest winner of the international Jacques Thibaud contest. Swedish soprano Maria Bengtsson, who will perform Strauss’s last four Liederon 3 August, performs at the Vienna Opera, the Aix and Salzburg festivals. David Guerrier, who will play a concerto by Hummel on 6 August, is our French prodigy on the trumpet.
The concert series will be opened by Monte-Carlo Philharmonic conductor Kazuki Yamada, but will also include conductors Juraj Valcuha, Tomas Netopil, Bertrand de Billy and Marc Albrecht. The splendor of the Principality’s summer nights will be highlighted by the music of Berlioz, during Sunday’s concert, and during all the evenings at the Palace’s courtyard.
Concerts take place on 16, 20 and 30 July, as well as the 3 and 5 August at 9.30pm at the Prince’s Palace. Price: between 10 and 100 euros. Information and reservations: 98062828.
THE PROGRAM
-Thursday, 20 July, 9:30 pm: Strauss concert, Prokofiev, Ravel, Juraj Valcuha
-Sunday, 23 July, 9:30 pm: Fibich concert, Beethoven, Dvorak, with Julian Rachlin, violinist, conducted by Tomas Netopil.
-Sunday 30 July, 9:30 pm: Saint-Saëns concert, Rousset, with Daishin Kashimoto, violinist, conducted by Kazuki Yamada.
-Thursday 3 August, 9:30 pm: Strauss concert, Brahms, with Maria Bengtsson, soprano, conducted by Bertrand de Billy.
-Dimanche 6 August, 9:30 pm: Hummel concert, Beethoven, with David Guerrier, trumpeter, conducted by Marc Albrecht.
