On 7th March, 70 musicians from the Orchestre des Carabiniers du Prince will take to the stage of the Grimaldi Forum for a very special one-off concert that will mark the release of a brand-new double album and raise funds for the important work being done by the Princess Charlene Foundation.
Led by French TV personality Stéphane Bern, a man renowned for his specialist coverage of European nobility and royalty, the evening will be a celebration of the enduring talents of the Orchestre des Carabiniers du Prince, a group that was created back in 1966 under the auspices of Monaco’s music-loving Prince Rainier III.
Made up of mostly brass and woodwind instruments, with trumpets, saxophones and trombones at its heart, the ensemble has established itself as a source of an “eclectic and rich repertoire combining tradition and modernity” that has delighted audiences for nearly six decades.
The esteemed band typically plays at official ceremonies, sporting events and public occasions in Monaco, but also travels the world for unique performances, such as the incredible event in New York City’s Times Square last June.
A double album of works by the Orchestre des Carabiniers du Prince will be launched at the upcoming gala evening, allowing guests and fans of the orchestra to take a piece of this cultural heritage home with them to enjoy at leisure.
Tickets to the events had, per Prince Albert II’s wishes, been offered free of charge in lieu of donations made on the night to the Princess Charlene Foundation. A victim of their own success, all seats have now been taken.
A special Women of Monaco luncheon held in honour of International Women’s Rights Day next month is to champion the thriving and supportive community of women of all ages and backgrounds that exists in the Principality.
International Women’s Rights Day, a United Nations-backed event that both promotes and raises awareness on the status of women around the world, will be celebrated around the world, including here in Monaco, on 8th March.
Originally conceived by Sandrine Knoell, CEO of Five Stars Events, the Women of Monaco Lunch concept has grown over the years to encompass the now popular Women of Monaco Club.
The club, which will mark its first official anniversary this year, is a way for like-minded women with a connection to Monaco to meet up and form lasting friendships.
“I think it is important for the women of Monaco not to feel alone, and to feel part of a community where we learn, share and grow,” says Knoell. “Many have been here for only a few years, and often don’t speak French, so this is a way for them to connect with other women, to make friends, to enjoy social events together, and to get support if they have problems.”
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT
Alongside the dining element, the upcoming lunch will feature works by Monaco-based designer and artist Camilla Ghione. A graduate of the Art Institute of New York, Ghione has built a career that combines her passion for art with a love of fashion through her sustainability-focused brand Art to Wear. The presentation of her creations will tie the two aspects together with a fashion show.
The lunch also serves a three-pronged purpose: to support the club’s chosen charity, the Princess Grace Foundation; to unite the international women of Monaco; and to give credit to women going the extra mile via the Women of Monaco Awards.
The prizes will be given to stand-out personalities who excel in one of nine categories, namely culture, art, education, music, charity, image, career, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
In a week of mixed fortunes for Monaco’s mainstream sports teams, the Roca Team clinched a notable victory against ASVEL but stumbled against Paris, while the AS Monaco football team suffered a defeat to Toulouse FC in the Stade Louis II.
The week began for AS Monaco Basket on Tuesday 13th February with a match-up against ASVEL in the Coupe de France. Played at the Salle Gaston Médecin, it was a strong game at each end of the court, but Monaco ultimately came out victorious with a 92-82 win.
This victory, the team’s ninth consecutive win against ASVEL, advances the Roca Team into the competition’s Top 8. Coach Sasa Obradovic remarked on the Monegasque side’s success, saying, “We played one of our best games.”
The momentum carried on into the Leaders Cup quarter-finals against Le Mans on Friday 16th February at the Stade Marie-Marvingt, where the Rouges et Blancs clinched an 81-94 victory.
Mam Jaiteh, who made a significant return to the team during the game, reflected on AS Monaco Basket’s powerful collective mindset: “Right from the start, everyone was all in… We knew we had to show a different face.”
The Roca Team’s winning streak came to a sorrowful end, however, the next night in Paris at the LNB Pro A Leaders Cup semi-final where the Monegasques succumbed 98-93.
After a well-earned break, the side will next play an away Leaders Cup game against Nanterre on Wednesday 28th February.
Despite the home turf advantage, AS Monaco failed to get a second goal passed the Toulouse FC keeper and lost 1-2. Photo credit: AS Monaco
AS Monaco also ended the week on a low, after a Ligue 1 match against Toulouse FC on Sunday 18th February ended with defeat. Despite their home advantage in the Stade Louis II and with a recent win against local rivals OGC Nice under their belts, the Rouges et Blancs were caught off guard by Toulouse: 1-2.
Still, AS Monaco coach Adi Hütter seemed optimistic about the team’s potential for a strong comeback post-game as he emphasised the need for focused training and resilience.
“Our defence against set pieces will be a key focus in training this week. We have the talent and the spirit to turn things around,” he told the gathered press.
Looking ahead, AS Monaco’s resolve will be tested again as they aim to recover from this setback and prepare for the next challenge against RC Lens on Sunday 25th February in Northern France.
For three-quarters of a century, the Monegasque Red Cross has followed the precepts of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to promote the seven principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, volunteerism, unity and universality.
The Monegasque branch was founded in 1948 under Prince Louis II and has grown in strength and numbers over the years, but has never wavered from these core, original values.
Now under the direction of Prince Albert II, who took over after the death of his mother, Princess Grace, in 1982, the charity has continued its work well into the 21st century and its leadership met in mid-February to review a very successful 2023.
KEY FACTS AND FIGURES
At their 2023 ‘Year in Review’ meeting on 14th February, the extent of the branch’s inner workings was revealed.
The Monegasque Red Cross is made up of 77 employees and operates a network of over 700 volunteers, who represent an astounding 52 nationalities. In total, these helpers donated over 56,000 hours of time to the association and impacted the lives of an estimated 66,300 people around the world.
Of its €8 million budget last year, €2.5 million was earmarked for international use, with €1.2 million used for humanitarian efforts and €1.3 million for relief funding. The rest of the budget went toward a variety of local activities that include youth programmes, social services, first aid missions and the like.
Some 5,000 people received first aid training through the Monaco Red Cross in 2023. Indeed, the charity facilitates the first aid training of all children aged 12 and up in the Principality.
The charity’s environmentally-minded efforts were also noted at the meeting, such as the support provided to the running of Monacollecte, European Waste Reduction Week and the second-hand clothing collections held in collaboration with the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace.
THE FUTURE
Never resting on their laurels, the board at the Monegasque Red Cross used the annual review session to lay out some plans for the future, including the goals of improving access to the volunteer process and expanding its network of volunteers further.
The association is set to be very visible in 2024, with first aiders expected to be on hand at the Monaco Grand Prix in May and the Paris Olympic Games and Tour de France later in the summer.
The 75th edition of the Red Cross Gala is also set to be held this year, an event that is one of the Principality’s most beloved and well-attended of the summer social season.
It’s been five months of design work, and years of creative development in the mind of Marcel Ravin, but finally, the two-Michelin starred Chef is happily welcoming patrons “home” to his new dining space at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort.
On 10th February, the Martinique chef symbolically took ownership of his flagship restaurant, renamed Blue Bay Marcel Ravin, during an inauguration honoured by the presence of Prince Albert II of Monaco. The new dining space marks the realisation of a dream for Chef Ravin, whose main aim is to evoke an emotion in his guests.
The award-winning chef is renowned for sharing his Caribbean history on the plate, but it appears as though Monte-Carlo SBM has given him carte blanche to take guests on a sensory and emotional journey into the entire universe of Marcel Ravin.
“When people come to my restaurant, they can expect to feel at home,” Chef Marcel Ravin told Monaco Life during a recent press dinner. “It is important that everyone feels at ease here, and that they understand what is inside me.”
Travel with the chef across the five continents
Drawing inspiration from the natural world, and in harmony with his cuisine, the Blue Bay Marcel Ravin is anchored in the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood.
This is expressed in the intricate wave patterns on the tabletops, the textiles adorned with botanical motifs, the coral dividers, an interplay of lights, and the weathered metal marked by the passage of time.
The tableware alone is an elaborate artistic display – each plate carefully handmade to reflect an element, accompanied by bespoke glassware.
It all creates an overwhelming sense of calm, harmony and connection with the planet.
Photo by Monaco Life
An open kitchen
At its core is the beating heart of the restaurant, an open kitchen that affords guests an intimate union with the chef and his brigade, seamlessly extending the culinary narrative from the kitchen to the dining space.
“It is important for clients to be able to see all of these people who are so important to the restaurant, and the work that it takes in order to create this menu,” says Chef Ravin.
New experiences on the plate
Complementing the set menu, and in addition to the chef’s signature dishes like the Monte-Carlo egg with cassava truffle and Creole passionfruit, is a new series of dishes for an even richer experience. They include a chicken madras with Caribbean dumplings and prawns; lobster dumpling with coconut curry and trout roe; and lamb colombo with citrus and polenta.
The cuisine continues Chef Ravin’s unique fusion of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, two lands that he clearly has a lot of love and respect for. The menu changes every four weeks in accordance with the garden.
New ‘Food and Wine’ combinations have also been created by the chef and his sommelier, as well as a ‘Food and Aromas’ pairing that is alcohol-free and plays on fermentation and infusions with herbs, plants and fruit.
The result is a culinary journey that begins with subtle, earthy flavours, and quickly explodes into the exciting, punchy tones of the Caribbean.
“This menu is built on my memories, it is a souvenir of my childhood,” says Chef Ravin, who grew up on the island of Martinique. “It was my grandmother who was in the kitchen, this is the cuisine of my family, it is the history of my life.”
La Table de Marcel Ravin is an exclusive experience that brings guests even closer to Chef Ravin. Photo source: Monte-Carlo SBM
La Table de Marcel Ravin
A monumental table carved from solid oak and following the spirit of the five elements allows an intimate group of eight guests to be carried away during a personalised dinner with Chef Ravin and his team. The experience features 20 meticulously curated courses, orchestrated by the Chef, for an “unforgettable dining experience suspended in time”.
“The new Blue Bay Marcel Ravin is an ode to life, nature and the richness of the Caribbean,” concludes Chef Marcel Ravin.
Menus start at €175. For reservations, call +377 98 06 03 60, or click here
See more of our experience in the Instagram reel below…
In a first for the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, the institution is teaming up with the Rencontres Philosophiques Monaco to offer children aged six to 10 the opportunity to delve into the worlds of art and philosophy during the upcoming school holidays. Here are all the details.
The two cultural entities have come together to design three different workshops and courses specifically for young minds.
Featuring works from the museum’s Pier Paolo Calzolari: Casa Ideale exhibition, the art and philosophy sessions are set to combine both thought-provoking and creative aspects for an all-round engaging and enlightening experience.
From 2pm to 4pm on 26th and 27th February, then again on 28th and 29th February, children aged eight to 10 will be invited to explore a world that combines artistic expression and philosophical reflection.
Students will have a chance to discover the Pier Paolo Calzolariexhibition alongside the museum’s cultural coordinator, Coline Matarazzo, after which they will be given the opportunity to raise questions on the themes of dreams and time with Alicia Polzella Gauduel, a philosopher who regularly hosts seminars here in Monaco.
The third course is targeted at six to nine-year-olds, and will run from 4th to 7th March from 2pm to 4pm.
Using Arte Povera-like methods, a genre made famous by Calzolari, the young students will get to know the artist’s work and blendi paint and salt together for artistic effect before creating their own night-time landscape scene. This hands-on experience will be led by cultural coordinator Sharon Jones.
To reserve a space on any of the courses, or for more information, email public@nmnm.mc.
