On Sunday, October 16, the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra (OPMC) entertained some 100 children and their parents as part of the “Jeune Public” series – concerts for young audiences – at Auditorium Rainier III.
The mid-afternoon show “Adventures through the Magical Kingdom” was directed by Geoffrey Styles and narrated by Alasdair Malloy, as the orchestra played familiar music from children’s films including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Robin Hood and, to the delight of the little listeners, the recent box office hit, Frozen.
Narrator and conceptualist Alasdair Malloy appeared on stage in a King’s costume to captivate the spectators young and old, and led the children on a magical adventure to a Royal Ball. Throughout each song, Mr Malloy’s choreography allowed children to follow the sequence of movements and participate in the festivities. Other members of the symphony also dressed in costume to further enchant the audience.
Tickets for the concert, which ran 75 minutes, an age-appropriate length for the Sunday afternoon crowd, were only €4 per person.
While the OPMC is acclaimed for its high-quality concerts for adults, performing for HSH Prince Albert and during important events in the Principality, the concerts for young audiences are less known to the local community and provide an opportunity to expose young minds to the music and culture that Monaco has to offer.
Across the season, OPMC hosts four “JP” shows on Wednesday at 4 pm for children and their parents at Auditorium Rainier III, as well as two “Family Concerts” (CF), the first of which, “Halloween”, is on October 30, also at Auditorium Rainier III. For more see the OPMC website.
This year, the OPMC celebrates their 160 year anniversary and celebrated with a special concert on September 23 titled “Nés à Monte-Carlo”, featuring a piece composed by the Monegasque composer Louis Abbiate.