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Day: 30 June 2021

Hot summer nights and cool music at Cap Estel

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/06/2021

Le Festival des Nuits Dime On du Cap Estel is celebrating its fourth year of exceptional concerts by jazz, hip-hop, electro and acoustic artists in a setting unparalleled on the Riviera. 

Launched in 2018, Le Festival des Nuits Dime On du Cap Estel may be one concert series that has slipped under the radar. That is almost certain to change after this year, as a line-up of international musicians join the roster, along with stars from the event’s own Dime On Music label.

Nuits Dime On du Cap Estel

The setting at the ever-elegant Hotel Cap Estel in Eze, with its emerald-green lawn, two restaurant choices and comfy lounging sofas, is the ideal place to hang out and enjoy a night or two featuring a wide variety of musical styles, from jazz to electro, hip-hop to acoustic.
The idea for the series came about in 2018 when singer-songwriter Medi, founder of the music label Dime On, joined up with Ketz Communication Agency to stage an event different from the rest. Void of huge stages and massive amounts of sound equipment, the concerts were formulated to be played in harmony with the surroundings and meant to be enjoyed in an intimate, therefore rather exclusive, locale.
Nuits Dime On du Cap Estel

This year’s line-up features international artists including Ben L’Oncle Soul, Madame Monsieur, Malo, Victor Mechanick, Theo Lawrence, Jil is Lucky, Ehla and Ma Saisara.

Additionally, Dime On’s own artists will be on the bill, including Kitchies, Jack Daniel, Jonh Wadies, Hilly Mandara, Keeka and Elise Allasia. For the opening and closing nights, these artists will perform together under the moniker of the Dime On All-Stars.

The programme runs from 2nd July to 27th August. For the complete line-up and more information, visit https://dimeonmusic.com/shows/

 
Top photo of Elissa Lauper & Medi
 
 

What changes in France from 30th June?

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/06/2021

Wednesday saw the official end of lockdown in France with the lifting of many restrictions including capacity limits in restaurants and a return to normal wedding celebrations.

Some of the last of the lockdown measures are being rescinded in France, just as summer hits its stride.

Bars, cafés and restaurants will now be able to welcome customers at 100% capacity, weddings will no longer need to restrict the number of guests they allow, and concert goers both indoors and out can stand, dance and singalong to their favourite bands so long as the total number of people remains under 1,000.

Cruises are able to resume operations again, albeit with a 1,000-person limit and on the condition each passenger is in possession of a health pass. Additionally, shops of all sizes will no longer have the limit  of 4m2 per customer. 

The much-maligned curfew was lifted 10 days earlier than the rest of the new rules.  

A few lingering rules remain, though, including the obligation to wear masks indoors, in open air markets, while circulating on terraces, and whilst standing in queues. Standing and drinking at a bar is still not allowed.

While nightclubs are to remain closed for now, they can reopen on 9th July with a specific set of rules regarding health protocols.

The easement of lockdown rules started on 19th May 2021 when the French government allowed outdoor bar and restaurant services to resume, curfews were reduced, and museums, theatres and cinemas were able to reopen their doors.  

Since 9th June, France has welcomed foreign visitors, including Americans, upon the presentation of a health pass.  

Fears from health officials over the fast-spreading Delta variant have cast a slight shadow over all the good news, with the government saying areas that show signs of rising cases and hospitalisation numbers may reverse back to certain restrictions.  

France hopes that its vaccination programme, which has hit a milestone of 50% of the population having at least one jab, will stop the need to backtrack and prevent a fourth wave this autumn.

 
Photo of Four Kicks band playing at a wedding by photographer Clara Rice
 
 

eToro replaces Fedcom as main ASM sponsor

by: Cassandra Tanti
30/06/2021

After 25 years of partnership and almost the same time on the jerseys of AS Monaco football players, Fedcom will give way to the eToro brand from this July.
EToro is an online trading platform that joined the Red and Whites in 2020 and was visible on the back of the players’ shirts. According to a statement from the club on Wednesday, come 1st July, eToro will be elevated to main sponsor of AS Monaco for the next two seasons, replacing Fedcom’s prime position.
“We are delighted to take this new step with AS Monaco and bring another dimension to our collaboration,” said Valérie Kalifa, Marketing Director France of eToro.  “We are proud that our first presence on the front of a jersey is on that of AS Monaco, which we will support more than ever in the coming season. Our vision is to open financial markets to everyone and we see this partnership as an opportunity to reach the fans of the team and to interest more people in investing.”
Etoro will also benefit from greater visibility at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco and all the club’s communication media.
“One year after the start of our collaboration, we are very happy that eToro has become the official main partner of AS Monaco,” said Oleg Petrov, Vice-President and Director General of AS Monaco. “This is the opportunity to strengthen our ties with a company that, like us, places development, competitiveness and innovation at the heart of its concerns. The evolution of the partnership also shows the attractiveness of AS Monaco. Together, we hope to have a season full of emotions.”
The partnership marks a new era for AS Monaco, which has had Fedcom as its main sponsor for a quarter of a century. Fedcom has now been given ‘Legacy Partner’ status and will still be displayed on the jerseys during European Cup matches.
“Fedcom is a long-standing and loyal supporter of AS Monaco. This longevity has enabled us to create a strong and special relationship over the years. We are therefore delighted to be able to continue, through this partnership, to experience strong emotions and look forward to the future together,” said Petrov.
 
 
 
 

Tickets go on sale for summer Palace concerts

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/06/2021

Each summer, the Orchestra of Monte-Carlo puts on six performances in the courtyard of the Prince’s Palace, blending warm evenings and a regal setting with excellent music to make for unforgettable experiences.

The annual concert series put on by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Monte-Carlo in the courtyard of the Prince’s Palace is special for many reasons.

They celebrate a tradition that has been in effect since 1959 and are held in a place rarely open to the public. The courtyard enjoys incredible acoustics due to its shape, making the event not only pleasurable from a location standpoint, but from an auditory one as well, and the open-air setting takes full advantage of the balmy Monaco summer evenings, creating evenings of magic for all who are lucky enough to attend.

The summer concerts were brought to modern Monaco by Prince Rainier III in 1959, who was a great lover and patron of the arts. He had the courtyard completely renovated and restored to welcome his guests and put the palace completely in charge of running the event. This has continued to this day, and every year, people look forward to this wonderful series of nights.

The first concert will be held on 15th July for an evening of works by Claude Debussy and Hector Berlioz conducted by Velery Gergiev.

This is followed on the 18th with a night of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed by the Choeur de L’Orcherstre de Paris accompanied by Soprano Chen Reiss, Mezzo-Soprano Marianna Pizzolato, Tenor Paolo Fanale, and BassNahuel Di Pierro under the conducting skills of Václav Luks.

Piano lovers will have a treat on 22nd July when Katia and Marielle Labèque perform pieces by Francis Poulenc and Bedrich Smetana, conducted by Tomáš Netopil.

Conductor Thomas Hengelbrock will lead the soloists of the OPMC featuring music by Mozart and Félix Mendelssohn. The players on this evening will be Matthieu Petitjean on oboe, Marie-B. Barrière Bilote on clarinet, Franck Lavogez on bassoon and Andrea Cesari on the horn.

August opens on the 1st with a concert led by Kazuki Yamada with violinist Sergey Khachatryan playing works by Toru Takemitsu, Jean Sibelius and Franz Schubert.  

The final concert of the series will be held on 5th August with pianist Alexandre Kantorow being conducted by Kazuki Yamada. Pieces by Camille Saint-Saëns and Georges Bizet are on the bill.

All concerts begin at 9:30pm and end promptly at midnight, with doors opening at 8:45pm. Jacket and tie are required for gentlemen and appropriate comparable attire for ladies.

In the case of bad weather, the concert will be cancelled, and tickets refunded. Additionally, social distancing and other health protocols will be in effect.

Tickets can be purchased from the opmc.mc website.
 
Photo by G. Luci, Prince’s Palace