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Day: 19 February 2021

Interview: Princess Grace Award winner Lucien Postlewaite

by: Brisa Trinchero
19/02/2021

Monaco Life, in partnership with the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, is proud to present a monthly series highlighting the lives and artistic work of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA’s illustrious Award winners. In this month’s exclusive interview, Princess Grace Foundation-USA’s CEO Brisa Trinchero catches up with acclaimed Princess Grace Award winner Lucien Postlewaite about his career at Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and Pacific Northwest Ballet, as well as his new creative projects during the time of Covid, and what he misses about Monaco.
 
Lucien Postlewaite is a highly acclaimed Principal Dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Starting with his training at the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York City, his pursuit of artistic excellence has taken him all over the world, including Monaco where, from 2012 to 2017, he was a member of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo.
Monaco lovers of ballet may have seen Lucien perform principal roles in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Altro Canto, La Belle, Cendrillon, Faust, LAC, Scheherazade, and Vers un Pays Sage during his time in the Principality. In 2017, Lucien returned to Pacific Northwest Ballet but Monaco remains close to his heart.
You’ve trained at some of the most prestigious programs in the country. Tell us how you discovered your love of ballet?
Ballet has always been in me. I dance wherever I can.  I’ve always been full of energy, so my parents put my energy into activities like soccer, ballet, violin and gymnastics and the one that stuck with me was ballet. It was a great outlet physically and artistically for me. So, following my training in California, I moved to New York to go to the American School of Ballet, which changed my life. I’m from a small town in Santa Cruz, which is like a surfing town. I’ve always dreamed of travel and meeting people who live all over the world but I didn’t really know how I would ever access that. And yet now, through ballet, I realise I’ve created that life for myself.
You ‘ve performed all over the world. Where does Monaco fit in to your journey?
Jean Christophe Maillot, the director of the Monte-Carlo Ballet, was here [at Pacific Northwest Ballet] when we performed his version of Romeo and Juliet. I met his whole team and they all had an attractive magnetic energy. I loved working in the studio with them – there’s an intensity level there and I’m an intense person myself, so I really vibed with that and then it just opened the door to a different realm. At that point, I had been a principal in the company for four years and was looking for the next thing.
What was it like living and dancing in Monaco?
I loved living in Monaco as an artist because we were so focused on what we were creating. I felt my life had a pretty singular focus and that for me was a great way to create art or to be invested. I found it was a bit of a struggle coming back to the US because there’s so much noise and it’s harder to maintain that singular focus.

Photo: Lucien performing at the 2015 Princess Grace Awards, by Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace

Were you able to interact with the Monaco community while you were there?
Yes! I think Europeans have a nice way of balancing their lives. We were very focused when we were working, but I did have a lot of connections outside the ballet.  Monaco is a really special place – people there are functioning at a very high level. They’ve been successful at what they do. I felt lucky that I could “rub elbows” with all these people who are leaders in their fields.
You won your Princess Grace Award in 2008. Where were you in your career and what did winning the award mean to you?
Winning a Princess Grace Award is such a prestigious honour. It was something that I always looked at from afar and wanted to be a part of. It’s had such an impact to be part of this network and family. I’ve also loved being able to help out or be involved in events in Monaco because it felt like returning something to this network that I’m part of now, and this organisation that is supporting me. I feel lucky because I think artists need that kind of support. I feel very honoured to be a part of the family.
The Princess Grace Award winner family is truly remarkable…
I have to pick my jaw up off the floor sometimes. I also love how the Foundation has grant programs that help support artists who are looking to try different things and projects, because I’m finding myself a bit at that point now. I think Covid has forced us all to look inside ourselves and figure out what else is out there. Knowing that there is an organisation that can support us is very helpful.
What has been your favourite role or performance experience?
In Monaco, we travelled and toured a lot. One of my most memorable performances was dancing in Versailles in the Orange Gardens. They built an outdoor stage and while we were dancing Romeo and Juliet, the sun was setting. The timing of everything was perfect. We were starting the balcony scene and I’m standing in the wings looking at my partner who’s on the balcony with the Versailles Palace in the background and the sun going down. It’s such a beautiful memory. I had a lot of my network in Monaco that came up to Paris and saw the show. I felt like I was surrounded by my friends, my family in this gorgeous place with so much history. I felt so fortunate to travel so much while in Monaco. We had some amazing experiences, and because we are a company that is also a kind of a cultural exchange we were always treated really well. We were under the patronage of HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover and she made our experience incredibly special.
The global pandemic has been so challenging for the arts community. How have you been spending your time?
This period helped me realise that I’m a creative person and ballet has been my vehicle. Without ballet, I’ve just continued to create. I launched a Kombucha business in June called Drink the Batch. When I was living in Monaco, I started making it for myself because it was something I loved to drink in the US, but it wasn’t very easy to find in Monaco. I started making it seven years ago and when the pandemic hit, I really pursued it. For me, food is another performative aspect. So, with my kombucha brand, I really want to create an experience for the drinkers. My branding slogan is “kombucha elevated”, which means using the highest quality ingredients and creating an experience for people who drink my kombucha.
Batch – Lucien’s Kombucha

When things open up again, do you have plans to go back to Monaco?
Monaco does feel like a home for me. I was there for five years and would love to find a way to bridge both Seattle and Monaco. I miss going to Riccardo Giraudi’s Beefbar. I have so many dear friends and dear memories from Monaco.
My time in the US was formative for me but being in Monaco transformative. It really helped me tune into to myself and a beautiful way of living. I carry that with me every day. I’m looking forward to being there, but until that time, it’s always here in my heart.
In April 2021, Lucien will perform two world premieres by Christopher Wheeldon and Alejandro Cerrudo as part of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s digital Spring Season available at pnb.org.
 
 
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is dedicated to upholding the legacy of Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco (neé Grace Kelly), and elevating extraordinary emerging artists in theatre, dance and film through career-advancing grants.
 
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Committee unveils 2nd women's rights report

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/02/2021

The latest report on women’s rights in Monaco has just been released, detailing advances made in the Principality last year including the tabling of a new bill to strengthen legislation for crimes of sexual violence.
The Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights has just published its second annual activity report, retracing the work carried out in 2020 by various Monegasque institutions, state services and associations working for women’s rights.
In her analysis, Chairman of the Committee Laurent Anselmi emphasised that “promoting and protecting the rights of women has never had such an echo as in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Prince’s Government has always had a heart to strengthen their rights.”
Despite a difficult year due to coronavirus, the reported noted that 2020 was marked by many actions and new advances including an increase in training for professionals on how to receive victims of violence, as well as a wider understanding of the situation in Monaco thanks to the publication of the first IMSEE study on violence against women.
Importantly, from a legislation perspective, 2020 saw the tabling of bill n°1027 by the National Council, reforming the provisions relating to sex crimes. It aims to redefine certain offences such as public indecency and indecent assault to be punishable as sexual exhibition and sexual assault. It also redefines rape and sexual assault to acknowledge lack of consent, and introduces sexual blackmail outside of the workplace as a criminal offence. This bill was put forward on 24th November 2020.
Monaco’s prevention strategy was also acknowledged, including the dissemination of information relating to aid and emergency programmes, as well as awareness-raising with communication campaigns on 8th March (International Women’s Day) and 25th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women).
It is progress that will be followed up by Monaco’s Inter-ministerial Delegate for Women’s Rights, Céline Cottalorda, who assured that “The work of the committee will continue in 2021 in this same state of mind requiring adaptation but also conviction and perseverance.”
Priorities for 2021 were identified as a new communication campaign on equality to raise awareness of stereotypes and to help change mentalities; equality in education in partnership with the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports; and the creation of a “network of women opinion leaders”.
 
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Monaco anticipates Covid surge after school break

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/02/2021

As the half-term holiday begins, the government is reminding people to remain vigilant in their health precautions, saying “Only reasonable behaviour will prevent the circulation of the virus from increasing in the Principality of Monaco” again.
The end of Friday 19th February marks the two-week vacation period in Monaco, and authorities are clearly worried about a surge in Covid cases once the holiday is over.
“In recent months, each vacation period has been followed by an epidemic rebound. Indeed, the holidays are synonymous with mixing of the population, moments of conviviality between friends and family which can promote contamination. This was the case after the summer, after All Saints’ Day and even more so after the end of year holidays,” said the government in a statement.
Health authorities are therefore encouraging extreme caution this holiday period if Monaco is to relax containment measures in the months ahead.
“People who plan to travel are reminded that it is important to maintain social distancing and hygiene, particularly if you are going to an area where circulation of the virus is highly active,” said the government.
The neighbouring French department of the Alpes-Maritimes has the highest incidence rate in the country, while on the other side of the Monegasque border, in Liguria Italy, the alert level has been raised to orange.
Health authorities are also encouraging residents to be extra careful during private gatherings, where more than half of all contaminations occur. Social distancing, hand hygiene, ventilated rooms, and not sharing cutlery or glasses are basic rules that people can apply to prevent the spread of the potentially deadly virus.
To counteract the anticipated surge in coronavirus cases, the government said it will conduct an analysis of the health situation in the week following the end of the holiday.
This is likely to include another large-scale testing campaign for residents, students and workers.
Any potential lifting of the current health restrictions will be determined by what happens over the next two weeks.
“Our behaviour during the holidays will be essential,” concluded the government.
 
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Photo by Scott Warman on Unsplash
 
 

F1 winner Pastor Maldonado to race Historic GP

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/02/2021

The Historic Grand Prix of Monaco is drawing some big names and generating plenty of excitement ahead of its April kickoff.

The 12th edition of the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco is set to take place from 23rd to the 25th April, when legendary cars from bygone eras take to the streets of the Principality in a lead up to the Formula One Grand Prix.

But the cars won’t be the only draws. Piloting these mean machines will be celebrated drivers such as Jean Alesi, Rene Arnoux and Pastor Maldonado, who will celebrate their returns to this famous course.

Alesi and Arnoux will compete in the Serie F event, highlighting three-litre F1 cars from 1973 to 1976. The duo will be teammates behind the wheel of two 1974 Ferrari 312B3 racing cars. Both drivers have ties to Monaco, as well as Ferrari. Arnoux won a third place finish in the Principality in 1984, and Alesi had two third place finishes on the course, in 1991 and 1993.

Maldonado will be taking part in a different event, the Serie A race for pre-war cars. He will be driving a 1937 Maserati 4CM. The 2012 Spanish Grand Prix winner formerly drove for Williams and Lotus before retiring in 2017.

The Historic Grand Prix has been around since 1997 and usually takes place two weeks before the F1 Grand Prix, on the same circuit. It is scheduled every two years and has become a huge draw in its own right. The 2020 race was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic but will take place in 2021 by popular demand.

For this year’s event, 170 have registered to compete and, for the first time, amateurs are allowed to participate.