Prince Albert stops by to see Jean-Christophe Maillot, Choreographer-Director of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Photo: Facebook Monaco Info
Jean-Christophe Maillot, the long-serving director of choreography at the Ballets of Monte-Carlo, has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Prix de Lausanne. He will receive the prize in person on February 3.
Jean-Christophe Maillot has a long common history with the prestigious competition, having won the prize as a young dancer in 1977 and serving on the jury in 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1992. He was president of the jury in 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2012.
In an interview with the organisation, Maillot commented that in today’s world of dance, the Prix de Lausanne is “unique”. “This is the only ballet competition I agree to participate in as a jury member because, more importantly than the dancer’s performance, it is the attention paid to their future career which makes this competition so exceptional.
“This competition continues to reflect the extraordinary artistic and human qualities of its founders Elvire and Philippe Braunschweig, and Rosella Hightower: three very important figures in my career, Maillot said.
Other dancers from the Ballets of Monte-Carlo who have won the prize, now in its 46th year, are Bernice Coppieters, Asier Uriagereka, Jeroen Verbruggen, Le Wang and Michael Grunecker. The Lausanne Prize is awarded to dancers aged between 14 and 19.
The Prize is supported by a total of 70 academies of dance, including the Ballets of Monte-Carlo and the Princess Grace Academy.
Monaco’s Urban Planning Department is undertaking the complete renovation of the popular children’s play area at Place des Moulins, in the Trocadero gardens.
The redevelopment of the garden, which also bears the name Jardin Marcel Pagnol as a tribute to the writer who lived in the Principality, concerns the complete replacement of existing structures by two modern structures and individual installations on the theme of mills, suitable for all age groups.
It will also include the installation of new fences and gates, the replacement of the shock-absorbing floor and the renovation of green spaces near the playground.
Work will begin on Monday, January 15, and end mid-March. The playground will be closed during this period. The closest play area is at Pont La Rousse, Annonciade Square (pictured below).
The Monaco Yacht Club will be hosting the Monaco Optimist Team Race for young sailors, starting January 11, with prizes for the top three teams and the winners receiving the Monaco Optimist Team Race trophy.
The event, which runs until January 14, is open to 16 teams of four sailors who have not yet reached the age of 14, and will take the form of a regatta with races of four Optimists. This year a total of 11 nations are presented from the four corners of Europe, including Croatia and Russia, Spain, Italy and France. There will also be a team representing Tunisia.
The first race will be at noon on Thursday, and the event will culminate with prize-giving on Sunday at 5 pm at the Yacht Club.
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron in China. Photo: Facebook Emmanuel Macron
French president Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron has been enjoying a successful official visit to China, where until now he has been not well known.
While the Chinese public seems fascinated by the president’s marriage to Brigitte, 24 years his senior, the Chinese leadership has indicated that it views France as an increasingly important strategic partner in Europe, especially in the context of Brexit and the waning of British influence on the continent.
Macron is not only one making himself available for the role, he has brought with him a number of leading French companies to put their signatures to strategic sales and future partnerships. He arrived in China with the offer of an industrial partnership with Airbus, if the Chinese place orders for the A380, the world’s biggest passenger jet that faces trouble if more orders fail to materialise.
However, the French leader is also keen to impress on the Chinese that initiatives, such as the giant Belt and Road project, should not end up in a cul-de-sac and that bilateral relations depend on a two-way street. He said in Xia’an on Monday, January 8, at the start of his visit: “New roads cannot go in one direction.”
Meanwhile, Macron has praised China’s commitment to the Paris climate change accord, and in doing so has underscored the common values of the two nations in the fight against global warming, in sharp contrast with the stance of US President Donald Trump.
Specially-trained undercover members of France’s elite Republican Guard have been travelling on certain TGV trains in an experimental deployment. The scheme lasted one and a half months and came to an end at the close of 2017.
Called “Train Marshalls”, the armed soldiers travelled on certain routes that had been identified as more likely targets for terrorists. However, only three teams of two officers were deployed, meaning that at any given time only a small fraction of TGV routes were covered.
The scheme will now be evaluated for its usefulness. Any further use of the special teams is likely to be influenced by manpower considerations and the fact that anti-terror officers are thinly spread.
It’s no secret that these days we’re willing to spend a lot of time and a whole lot of money on how we look and feel. Yet since we spend a considerably large percentage of our life at home, it’s also essential for our wellbeing to invest in our personal space, which can make you more productive and give you energy. With the New Year around the corner, why not start 2018 in a happy place?
2-minute Home-Satisfaction test On a scale of 1-10, how true are the following:
I feel relaxed and in harmony with my home
I feel inspired and content when I look around my home
I have no desire to add or change anything to my home
I have the home I’ve always dreamed of
My home reflects perfectly who I am
I am proud of my home when I entertain guests
If you scored a perfect 60, congratulations, your personal home space is a temple.
If you scored less then 48, then maybe you should consider changing your home style to a more balanced yet functional beauty.
Happy home vision When I walk into a room, I can instantly see what needs to be done to create a space that matches the homeowner’s vision.
I sense the energy of the room, taking in the colours and shapes, and start designing on my notepad a desired version of the room. After a chat with the owner, and a little brainstorming, I offer a few suggestions.
One of my most common recommendations is to objectively look at your furnishings and home accessories, which should give an interior a personal touch. When done well – grouping them in interesting patterns and displaying them where they can shine – they tell the story you want to be told. When cluttered or mismatched, they are noise and distracting.
Decluttering Sometimes all a home needs is a few minor changes, a reshuffling or a decluttering. A home has to be functional and its objects should play a practical role.
It’s not always a question of acquiring more things to restore the room’s balance. In fact, objects that no longer serve a purpose should be thanked for good service and retired. “Less is more” is still valid in interior design.
Home accessories shopping Other times, a home needs a few additions. Pillows, blankets, candleholders and mirrors are the most functional items and create the most warmth in a room.
I have a long list of home accessories and furniture contacts for different home styles and know where to take clients shopping and/or do the shopping for them.
Down to a fine art One of the biggest and most universal mistakes people make when hanging art – however expensive or magnificent the piece – is to either cover an existing hole or spot on a wall, or to use the last available space in between furniture or other artworks. Symmetry, esthetics and the visual lifting up of a room, all need to be taken into account. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but hung properly a work of art can be appreciated by everyone in your happy home.
With access to contemporary artists worldwide, Galerie OSCAR “Brings Art to Real Living Spaces” to Monaco and the French Riviera. This year, Galerie OSCAR launched an interior decoration and styling service, which includes personal shopping. Article first published December 28, 2017.
