Founded in 1970 at the instigation of Princess Grace of Monaco and presided over by H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover since 1984, the Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo is a music festival whose artistic director is the composer and conductor Bruno Mantovani since May 2021. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, the composer Marc Monnet, he proposes a programme that questions history by establishing a real dialogue between the works presented in the same evening.
From the Middle Ages to contemporary creation, from traditional music to jazz: Printemps des Arts confronts languages, aesthetics, and schools, and establishes bridges between musicians who might otherwise be far apart.
In addition, until 2024, the festival will address the question of the stylistic evolution of numerous composers by giving the opportunity to hear their first and last works. Finally, special attention is paid to the dialogue between music and other forms of artistic expression. Dance, theatre and even gastronomy will take part in this celebration of sonic hedonism.
Printemps des Arts invites its spectators to a veritable whirlwind of music, a whirlwind of the senses and the spirit, a whirlwind of discovery and sharing.
There are several venues where events take place: Auditorium Rainier III, Opéra de Monte–Carlo, One Monte-Carlo et Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Hôtel Hermitage, Théâtre Princesse Grace, Club des Résidents Etrangers de Monaco, Église Saint-Charles, Théâtre des Variétés, Tunnel Riva, Société nautique de Monaco, Musée océanographique, Centre culturel Prince Jacques, Hôtel de Monaco and Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Nice.
“The trajectory leading from the first to the last works of the same creator will continue last year's programme as the main theme of Printemps des Arts 2023, entitled "my end is my beginning"- opus 2. The question of stylistic evolution will find some answers in the works of composers little performed in the recent history of the Festival. We'll get a chance to listen to Gabriel Fauré's Complete works for cello & piano performed by Aurélien and Denis Pascal, to Alexander Scriabin's ten Sonatas for piano by Varduhi Yeritsyan, and to travel through Franz Schubert's immense piano corpus with Michel Dalberto, an artist whom we'll showcase with a carte blanche. In addition, Laurence Equilbey will conduct her two ensembles, Insula orchestra and the chamber choir accentus, in a concert with prestigious soloists such as Hélène Carpentier and Thomas Oliemans dedicated to Felix Mendelssohn's great vocal and orchestral frescoes. The other theme that will shimmer throughout the programme is American music.
Sharing and passing on will always be at the core of the Festival's programming: presentation videos, lectures, panels, publications, informal "afters" where artists and the public are able to meet and talk, masterclasses with invited soloists, a conservatories day – all of them instances of active dissemination and pedagogy. Several concerts will explore the relationship between declamation and music.
A painter of the waiting state and the frozen movement, Robert Guinan is a genuine musician with brushes. It is therefore quite natural that his works should illustrate the programmes of this year's Printemps des Arts, which will ceaselessly contrast stasis and trajectory, stillness and energy, repetition and development.
Enjoy the festival!” - Bruno Mantovani, Artistic Director
During the festival, free shuttles are available after the last concert to the cities located on the Nice-Menton line.
Car: Highway A8: From Nice, highway exit 56 – “Monaco” – or highway exit 58 from Italia
Bus: From Nice: Take line 607 or 608
Train: SNCF train station – “Monaco” stop, TER PACA
Plane: Nice Cote d’Azur Airport - Take a taxi from Nice Airport on +33 4 93 13 78 78 / Take the Nice-Monaco express bus
Monaco and Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur are very attractive regions for holidays and there is a wide variety of accommodation.
There is no specific dress code at the festival.
“An integral part of this new way of life which gives flavour to a stay in the Principality, gastronomy is greatly honoured by the great chefs who know so well how to share their passion and pass on the richness of the land.
Of course with some 170 other restaurants throughout the Principality, specialities as diverse as grilled meat or fish dishes and other exotic cuisine also appear on the menu.” – Visit Monaco
