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Day: 18 March 2022

Jean-Christophe Maillot suspends Bolshoi Ballet rights

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/03/2022

Artistic Director and Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot has rescinded performance rights for his ballet The Taming of the Shrew by the Bolshoi Theatre, saying he refuses to support the war by having his work presented in the “artistic and political institution that is the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow”.

The list of supporters of the Ukrainian people grows every day as they face their homes, hospitals and venues being bombed, their people being killed and their lives being torn apart.

The Ballets de Monte-Carlo is the latest backer of the victims and has implemented a series of actions both condemning the Russian government’s attacks and offering concrete aid to the people who need it.

Artistic Director and Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot has officially informed Vladimir Urin, Director of the Bolshoi Theatre, that he is suspending the performance rights for his ballet The Taming of the Shrew, created in 2014 for that Russian theatre, given “his refusal to support this war by presenting his work within this artistic and political institution that is the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.”

Maillot goes on to say, “Irrespective of this decision, I would like to express my deep attachment to all the personnel and particularly to the choreographic artists of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow with whom I have had the pleasure of working over the course of these seven years, as well as my deep respect to those who took a stand against the war in Ukraine. I salute their courage all the more because their freedom of speech is far from that which we enjoy.”

The artistic team of the ballet, made up of Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Jean Rouaud, Dominique Drillot and Augustin Maillot, also asked to be associated with this position.

Additionally, the troupe has offered aid in the form of items much-needed by the refugees and donated by the members and dancers, which include baby products, children’s beds, hygiene products and medicine, which were transported in collaboration with the Humanitarian Aid of the Fire Departments of Grasse-Menton.

They also have given shelter, welcoming a 15-year-old Ukrainian dancer who was in great distress after being forced to flee. The Princess Grace Academy has also welcomed three young students aged 13 to 17 to take shelter in the Principality.

Finally, the Ballets de Monte-Carlo is putting its money where its mouth is and has said that all proceeds from the show An Eye for an Eye, being presented on 27th April at the Grimaldi Forum, will go directly to the Red Cross’s Ukrainian fund.

 

 

Photo source: Ballets de Monte-Carlo

 

 

 

 

Prince asks for “full solidarity” in welcoming Ukrainian refugees

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/03/2022

Prince Albert II announced in a video message Thursday evening that Monaco is engaged in welcoming refugees from the conflict in Ukraine, and has created a special unit dedicated to supporting and receiving victims. 

In a broadcast from the Palace, shared on social media platforms and government outlet Monaco Info, Prince Albert gave an impassioned speech highlighting the plight of refugees fleeing the atrocities in Ukraine and asking the people of Monaco to join him in his “full solidarity with the Ukrainian population, victims of these military operations.”

He spoke of the plight of three million Ukrainians, mostly women and children, who are trying desperately to escape the violence of their nation, and added that the Principality joins the world community in respect of humanitarian rights and the need for legitimate safe corridors to allow innocent civilians a way out.

“I hope that the Principality of Monaco will take full part in the extraordinary effort of international solidarity,” the Prince went on to say. “We will therefore participate in this momentum, to our extent and with the means that are ours. Our schools, our volunteers and our available resources will be mobilised to welcome, accompany and support these displaced and vulnerable people.”

In his usual “can-do” way, the Prince has asked his government to set up a coordination unit for refugees to make their entry and transition as easy as possible. He also reminded the people that other avenues are open to those who want to offer “hope to those who are suffering.”

“The Monegasque Red Cross will also bring all its expertise in the management of the humanitarian crises,” he said. “And I know that many other Monegasque civil society entities are also hard at work to support the efforts deployed at the local and international levels.”

 

 

Photo: Screenshot of Prince Albert’s video message

 

 

 

Alicia Keys headlining Red Cross summer concert

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/03/2022

After last year’s spectacular venue change, the Red Cross Gala will do a reprise this year, holding the glittering event in the open air of the Place du Casino with American singing idol Alicia Keys and 2,000 spectator spots up for grabs.  

For her third visit to Monaco, Alicia Keys will be singing in a setting unlike any other. With the legendary Monaco Casino in the backdrop and white linen covered tables waiting to be filled with the great and the good of the Principality, her performance at the Red Cross Gala coming up on 18th July will be a unique and special one indeed.

“The configuration will be the one we had imagined for the Celine Dion concert in 2020, which we were unable to do because of the pandemic,” said Gilles Marsan, artistic director of the Société des Bains de Mer, who announced the news on Thursday. “This is the first big concert on the Place du Casino.”

The stage will be set up in front of the Jardin des Boulingrins, the same location as the grandstand during the Grand Prix, and will be able to accommodate 2,000 guests.

The musical performance will be followed by an exclusive cocktail-dinner on the terraces of the Casino, as the Café de Paris is under construction.

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys is not the only big name this summer for the Monte Carlo Summer Festival line-up. Pink Martini will play 13th July, followed by Imany on the 15th. Queen tribute band Queen Machine Symphonic will then play 23rd July as part of an evening benefitting Fight AIDS Monaco. Three days later, the Black-Eyed Peas, sans Fergie, will hit the stage. On the 28th, James Blunt returns to Monaco, then next up is singer Rita Ora on the 31st.

August holds more star-gazing as Simple Minds come to town on the 3rd, followed by Italian rocker Gianni Nannini on the 17h and rounding out the events with a night in the Orient on the 11th.

“After the cancellation in 2020 and the small recovery last year, 2022 will signal the return of Anglo-Saxon artists to the festival’s program, which is a good thing,” said Gilles Marsan before.

 

 

Photo © MONTE-CARLO Société des Bains de Mer

 

 

 

Monaco’s European adventure ends in a whimper

by: Luke Entwistle
18/03/2022

A lacklustre draw against Braga (1-1) on Thursday consigned the Principality side to a 3-1 aggregate defeat in the Europa League as the walls came crashing down on a season that promised so much.

The fans at the Stade Louis II left no room for mis-interpretation as they unfurled their pre-game banner, which read, “Qualification or holidays: it’s up to you to decide”. Crashing out of the Coupe de France and losing ground in the fight for the Champions League spots, it was clear that this was a do-or-die moment in AS Monaco’s season.

In losing, many now believe their season has met a premature end and, with no prospect of silverware, fans must now console themselves with a scrap for the Europa League/Conference places for the remainder of the season – not exactly blockbuster.

It was not simply the defeat, but the manner of it that grated with many of those in attendance. Post-match, Phillipe Clement defended the desire of his players, saying, “The motivation was there, but the belief seeped away after the first goal. There was the possibility to do more. To come back, you need to score first, and score quickly. After the goal, the intensity dropped.”

It was once again Abel Ruiz who scored in the opening minutes during the first-leg, who haunted Monaco once again. His deflected shot mid-way through the first-half wrong-footed Alexander Nubel to give Braga what felt like an unassailable three goal advantage on aggregate.

During an expletive-ridden post-match press conference, Nubel was clearly disappointed with the goal, as well as the way the game panned-out, but didn’t believe he could have done more to keep the shot out. “At the end of the day, I couldn’t do any more. I tried everything,” he said.

Following that setback, Monaco seemed unwilling to change their approach. Given the wealth of attacking talent on the field, one can’t help but think that, offensively at least, they aren’t the sum of their parts. Whether they are building slowly through the phases or playing direct long-ball football, the outcome was the same. This has been a recurring theme in recent weeks as Monaco have failed to break low-blocking sides.

The long-ball football in particular was met with strong disapproval from the home fans. The insistence of the Monegasque centre-backs to repeatedly launch easily-repellent long passes was met with jeers in the second half – the definition of madness is doing the same thing time and time again and expecting a different result. While the tactic worked wonders against Lyon’s high-line a few weeks ago, it never looked like causing any issues for Braga’s low defensive block.

The second-half was played at a fairly pedestrian pace that more closely resembled a pre-season friendly than arguably Monaco’s most important match of the season. A triple substitution, which saw the introduction of Aleksandr Golovin, Myron Boadu and Guillermo Maripan failed to spark a revival.

With Monaco’s fate sealed, fans began heading for the exits with 25 minutes to spare, though those who stayed made their disapproval known when Axel Disasi thundered in an equaliser in the final moments.

Those boos were amplified in volume at the full-time whistle, whilst a modified version of the pre-game banner now just read “holidays”, providing a visual representation of their anger. When the stands had emptied completely, the banner took on a symbolic resonance of a season that ended prematurely.

Having tasted European football, Clement told Monaco Life that there is much work to be done if they are to travel the continent next season. “Everything is still possible, but you have to react, that is clear. We can’t have our heads down. We have to respond in the 10 matches, not only against PSG, but in the nine matches after.”

With the visit of champions-elect PSG on Sunday, those signs of revival will have to appear under the toughest, most pressurised of circumstances.