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Day: 23 June 2022

Family affair: Twins join Princely couple for official tour in Norway

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/06/2022

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene have taken their children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, to Norway for a commemorative tour dedicated to his ancestor, ocean explorer Albert I.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene were joined by their children Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, as well as Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, on Wednesday 22nd June at the Fram Museum for the inauguration of ‘Sailing the Sea of Science, Scientist and explorer. Prince Albert I and the early Norwegian exploration of Svalbard’.

The exhibition has been created by the Fram Museum in cooperation with the Albert I Committee, and with contributions by the Archives of the Prince’s Palace, the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco, and the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. It tracks the scientific fields of Prince Albert I at Spitzberg, the main island of Svalbard, in 1898, 1899, 1906 and 1907.

Photo by Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace, and Sven Gj Gjeruldsen, The Royal Court of Norway

Prince Jacques helped his father in cutting the ribbon to officially open the exhibition, which includes the polar exploration ship Gjoa.

Earlier in the day, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene were the guests of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway for lunch at their private residence Bygdø Kongsgaard.

Photo by Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace, and Sven Gj Gjeruldsen, The Royal Court of Norway

The commemorative tour will take them to Longyearbyen, the capital of Spitsbergen, on Thursday where Prince Albert II will unveil a bronze bust of Prince Albert I offered to the Norwegian Polar Institute of Longyearbyen in memory of his many Arctic expeditions and exchanges with Norwegian explorers.

This will be followed by a private cruise aboard Commander Charcot, which will sail from Longyearbyen and follow the route taken by Prince Albert I during his campaigns.

Photos: Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace, and Sven Gj Gjeruldsen, The Royal Court of Norway

 

 

 

Johnny Depp to join Jeff Beck on stage in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
23/06/2022

Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck has just been added to the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival line-up for one night only in July and will be playing alongside another well-known name: Johnny Depp.

Inducted twice into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his work in the 1960’s band The Yardbirds in 1992 and again for his solo career in 2009, Jeff Beck is considered one of the best rock guitarists of all-time.

Known for his fast, complex playing style, he is a godfather of heavy metal and jazz-rock, and this summer he is coming to the Principality for one night as part of his European tour.

As if this isn’t a treat enough, the superstar will be on stage alongside another superstar, though from a different medium, actor Johnny Depp. The two have collaborated before and enjoy making music together. Depp is even making an appearance on Beck’s upcoming album, entitled 18, as the composer of two songs. They also worked together in 2020, releasing a cover of John Lennon’s Isolation.

Of the unexpecting pairing, Beck says, “Someone came knocking on my dressing room door in Japan five years ago, and we haven’t stopped laughing since!” Depp adds, “It’s a tremendous honour to be able to play and write music with Jeff, one of the greats, who I now have the privilege of calling my brother.”

As for the title of the new album, Beck explains, “When Johnny and I started playing together, it really ignited our youthful and creative spirit. We were joking about feeling like we were 18 again, so that became the title of the album as well.”

Depp’s name has been front and centre in the media recently because of the defamation trial he brought, and won, against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

But when on stage with Beck, it’s all about the music.

The newly-added event will feature Beck and Depp along with Rhonda Smith on bass, Anika Nilles on drums, and Robert Stevenson on keyboards. Tickets for the show, which is set for 9th July at Opera Garnier Monte-Carlo, are on sale now from €250 and can be purchased on the SBM website at https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/shows/monte-carlo-summer-festival/jeff-beck

 

 

 

A&K Travel Group acquires Crystal Cruises

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/06/2022

The Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony cruise vessels have been acquired by A&K Travel Group, the company owned by Abercrombie and Kent CEO Geoffrey Kent, and Heritage, the holding company chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio.

The two ships will resume service in 2023 after undergoing extensive refurbishment and will operate under the award-winning Crystal Cruises brand that has also been acquired by A&K Travel Group Ltd.

“I am thrilled to start this new chapter and to be back in an industry that has always had, and always will have, a special place in my heart,” said Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Co-Chairman of A&K Travel Group, Crystal Cruises and Abercrombie & Kent. “Thirty-five years ago, my family acquired control of Sitmar Cruises, building three of the first purpose-built cruise ships, and 30 years ago my family pioneered a new way of cruising. Our goal was to deliver the best experience, pampering guests from all over the world with around-the-clock butler service and extraordinary culinary experiences.

“Selling the cruise business that belonged to my family for a quarter of a century was a difficult decision, as I knew I would miss this industry immensely. Therefore, when the opportunity arose to acquire Crystal Cruises, I did not think about it twice. Having next to me my incredible friend and inspiring leader Geoffrey Kent makes this venture even more enjoyable.”

The two ships were on the market after Crystal, operated by Genting Hong Kong, suspended operations in January and shut down in February, ending a world cruise on Crystal Serenity after just two weeks in January. Both ships were seized by authorities in The Bahamas in early February for unpaid fuel bills of more than $4 million.

“Even though it seems like yesterday, 30 years have passed since the Lefebvre family and I had our first ship together…Manfredi and I have been best friends and business associates ever since,” added Geoffrey Kent, Co-Chairman of A&K Travel Group Ltd. and Crystal Cruises, and Founder, Co-Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Kent. “The idea of combining the unparalleled onboard service that Crystal Cruises is known for, with the extraordinary tailor-made experiences Abercrombie & Kent has been successfully providing for our guests for the past 60 years, fills me with excitement, enthusiasm and pride.”

Crystal Cruises and Abercrombie & Kent will report to Cristina Levis, CEO of A&K Travel Group, who commented: “The acquisition of Crystal has been extremely challenging but the satisfaction of having this jewel in our family is the best payoff for all the hard work and efforts of the A&K team. Manfredi, Geoffrey and I look forward to welcoming past Crystal and Abercrombie & Kent guests onboard, as well as those seeking rewarding luxury experiences.”

A&K Travel Group Ltd. has partnered with cruise ship manager V.Ships Leisure, based in Monaco.

 

Photo source: Crystal Cruises

 

 

 

Monaco Modern Art gallery contributes to local art scene

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/06/2022

A new gallery on Avenue Princess Grace has opened its doors, showcasing international artists alongside the work of Monaco’s own Phillipe Pastor.

The Monaco Modern Art gallery is the former artist studio of Monegasque personality Phillipe Pastor. Today, his large art works still dominate the space with their texture, imagery and symbolism, but they are now placed alongside other works by international artists like Banksy, René Gruau, Raymond Hains and Valério Adami.

“The idea was to create an exhibition space here in Monaco in partnership with Monaco Modern Art and Artist Agency,” explains curator Rani Vanouska T. Modely. “So, we have beautiful paintings from Phillipe as well as artwork from great international artists, as you see here today, and others will come throughout the summer.”

Pastor’s current exhibition, La Fin du Monde, features a selection of his recent monumental paintings exploring the theme of climate change. The material, worked in multiple layers and subjected to the natural elements, evokes the forces of an unbridled nature, which transcribes the violence and destructive energy of man towards his environment.

The exhibition includes paintings from his series Bleu Monochrome, in tribute to the sea and particularly to the Mediterranean, a territory of inspiration for his works. Integrating pigments and natural elements, these luminous pieces evoke the pollution of the seabed.

“Pastor always has huge canvases on which he plays with fire, water, wind… he leaves it outside for days, so there is a real interaction,” says Modely. “And since we opened the gallery at the end of May, these pieces have received the most attention, passing people are really drawn to them.”

Other works in the gallery include The Clown by Bernard Lorjou (1908-1986), Vintage American Flag by Alec Monopoly, Interno Pubblico by Valério Adami (b1935), Streetopoly by Dean Zeus Colman (b1968), and GDP Rat by Banksy.

The Monaco Modern Art gallery is open to the general public.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Historic NFT auction of Cannes sites raises over €300k

by: Stephanie Horsman
23/06/2022

An NFT of the Palais des Festivals has sold for over €65,000, one of 10 iconic sites in Cannes to go under the hammer in an Artcurial-led auction.

For those who ever thought it would be cool to “own” a piece of property that is technically already owned in the “real” world, Artcurial offered a chance to do just that at their latest auction held on 21st June in Cannes’ Port Canto.

The Palais des Festivals, the Croisette, Ile Sainte-Marguerite and other iconic places in Cannes went under the gavel in an auction of non-fungible tokens (NFT), where buyers were able to purchase these places in the metaverse.

Artcurial, in association with the city of Cannes and Pertrimm, sold 100% of the lots on offer, with sales totalling €331,936. The NFT from the Palais des Festivals was the biggest drawcard, with the winning bid coming in at €65,600.

The Croisette, unsurprisingly, came in a close second with a winning bid of €59,040. The NFT of the Vieux-Port reached €22,304, then those of the Suquet and the Ecomusée Sous-Marin were sold for €27,552 respectively. The Ile Sainte-Marguerite and its Fort Royal, the 10th and last NFT of the auction, closed the sale at €45,920.

“This sale event is a success,” said Arnaud Oliveux, lead auctioneer. “I am proud to have led this sale, which is a world first, but also a first for our House. The 10 emblematic buildings and locations found takers tonight with great bidding battles in the room, on the phone and on the live stream.”

The buyers can now implement these NFTs into the metaverse platform of their choosing. As part of the sale, they received a 3D model of the location to combine the digital with the physical.

French law has allowed auction houses to sell “intangible goods” since 1st March, but it was Artcurial who took it on, making history.

The amount collected will be donated to the Cannes Endowment Fund, for the realisation of local environmental projects.

 

 

Photo source: Artcurial

 

 

 

Roca Team series goes to the death

by: Luke Entwistle
23/06/2022

AS Monaco have slumped to a comprehensive defeat at home against Lyon-Villeurbanne (68-85) to take the Betclic Elite final to a fifth and deciding match. 

Following victory in the third match of the series, which put the Roca Team within one win of a maiden Betclic Elite title, Dwayne Bacon told Monaco Life, “We’ve got to keep coming out and landing the first punch, because if they get the lead, it can be a really bad game for us.”

Bacon’s hypothetical, nightmare scenario came true on Wednesday night, as Monaco were blown away in the opening quarter (9-22). Thereafter the home side were left chasing the tie, but Asvel, who beat Sasa Obradovic’s Roca Team in the 2019 final, kept their opposition at arm’s length.

Only the formidable Mike James, comfortably the highest points scorer on the night with 34, prevented a more emphatic score line.

“I don’t really understand. We have shown two completely different sides in the space of two matches. We have a plan and we speak together. We can make errors, but tonight we lacked cohesion. Our game plan was clear, but it wasn’t followed by the players,” said Obradovic post-match.

Few positives can be taken from the encounter, but their fourth quarter performance (29-22) was one of them. Struggling for creative fluency throughout the night, Monaco, led by James, redounded their touch in the final 10 minutes.

Although it was too late to rescue the match, it does however provide a blueprint of how to approach the final match at the Astroballe on Saturday, which will decide the tie and the title.

“We have to prepare for this final tie by asking ourselves what we can all bring collectively. We have to put this match behind us and move forward,” concluded Obradovic.

Monaco lost the 2019 title to the same opponent in the fifth match. To avoid the same fate, they will have to show the same spirit that they showed in matches one and three of this series to upset the French giants on their home court. Everything is still to play for going into this all-or-nothing tie.

 

Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball