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The art of Christmas Nativity in Monaco

by: Jessica Tatam
16/12/2022

A grand tradition in the Principality, the Chemin des Crèches de Monaco displays nativity scenes from around the world on the ramparts leading up to the Rocher.

It is one of the most-loved events of the Monaco Christmas season and was opened to the public earlier this month with a blessing by the archbishop of Monaco, Dominique-Marie David.

The artistic offering, which was launched in 2014, aims to add to the joy and festivities celebrated during Christmas time, as well as providing an educational and cultural element to visitors by sharing various scenes that have been brought to the Principality from all countries and continents around the world.

One of the most special installations is the nativity scene from the Committee of Monegasque Traditions, which can be found at the Place de la Statue de la Mer. This classic and traditional exhibition was commissioned in the early 19th century, and includes 25 different subjects to discover and admire. This treasured heritage item has been painstakingly restored and is an incredible piece of history as well as a beautiful nativity scene to enjoy with family.

Conclude your journey through the genres and interpretations of the Nativity with a visit to the Grand Chalet in the Place du Palais. It is a nod to the “Explorer Prince of Monaco”, Prince Albert I, and his many maritime voyages, with decorations reminiscent of a ship’s interior. This is complemented by various smaller nativities that represent scenes from countries the Prince visited on his countless expeditions.

The display, which is entirely free to access, can be found on the Rampe Major that leads pedestrians from the Condamine to the so-called Rock. It is open every day until 8th January. For the route, please click here.

 

Photo source: Gaetan Luci of the Palais Princier de Monaco

 

What’s on in Monaco this December?

by: Elsa Carpenter
13/12/2022

Monaco Life rounds up the December highlights of the Principality’s event calendar. 

Family Pick – The Drama Group of Monaco, the only English-speaking amateur theatre company in the Principality, is putting on a Christmas pantomime of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and after selling out of all tickets on 15th December, the troupe has decided to add another date to the calendar: 16th December. Families can expect great laughs and sing-along moments, but it’s crucial to book in advance for this super popular performance! Please visit www.dramagroup.com for more information.  

Sports Pick – The Golden Foot Awards are taking place on 21st December at the Grimaldi Forum, just days after the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Stars such as current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema, Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale, Harry Kane, and Neymar are all in line to pick up the prize and make quite a literal mark in footballing history, with the winner having their foot printed onto the Promenade des Champions. A former legend of the game, Juan Sebastien Veron, as well as current Turkey manager Fatih Térim will also be present at the ceremony. For more information, visit the website by clicking here. 

Theatre Pick – Two theatre picks for this month! The Audiovidual Institute of Monaco is presenting a true cinematic classic, Robert Wise’s West Side Story, at the Grimaldi Forum on 18th December then the magnificent retelling of Faust will awe the audience between 27th and 31st December as the dancers of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, guided by the ever-talented Jean-Christophe Maillot, bring to life this emotional tale. For more information on both events, please click here.

Classical Pick – The ethereal voices of the Monaco Boys Choir will be complemented by the talented musicians of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra on 28th December as Peter Szüts and Pierre Debat direct a classical concert at the Monaco Cathedral. The evening promises to deliver nine stunning performances of classical scores composed by masters such as Mozart, Handel, and Bach and performed by some of the most talented artists in the Principality. Entry is free and the full list of artists can be found here. 

Party Pick – Bring in the New Year at the Grimaldi Forum’s showstopping Cloud9 event from 10.30pm to 6am on 31st December. Deep house DJ &ME will electrify the stage and food stalls will contribute to this festival-like occasion. Click here for more information. 

And we can’t forget the beautiful Christmas in Spitsbergen village down on Port Hercule or the dazzling Société des Bains de Mer display in Place du Casino that will be buzzing with activity right through the festive season.

There’s simply no place like Monaco at Christmas!

   

 

Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

UNESCO reveals latest list of protected traditions

by: Jessica Tatam
13/12/2022

In a triumph for biodiversity and environmental protection, more than two thirds of new entries to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list relate to these very serious issues.  

Hosted by Morocco from 28th November to 3rd December in Rabat, the 17th intergovernmental meeting of the Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was attended by 2,000 participants from more than 110 countries including the Principality of Monaco, which was represented by Anne-Marie Boisbouvier, an ambassador and permanent delegate to UNESCO, and Agatha Korczak, First Secretary for the Monegasque government at the organisation. 

In total, the committee voted to add 47 new items to its lists for protection and good practices regarding non-tangible heritage worldwide. Most notably, a significant one-third of the approved inscriptions are related to nature and a further third concern practices linked to protection of the environment such as agricultural techniques that promote sustainable use of resources. 

Examples on the latest list include beekeeping in Slovenia, the traditions and practices related to the date palm in the Arab region, the knowledge and skills pertaining to harissa in Tunisia, the cultivation of Khawlani coffee beans in Saudi Arabia, and the traditions of timber rafting in Austria, Czechia, Germany, Latvia, Poland and Spain.  

This recognition of the environment and the urgent need to safeguard the biodiversity of the Earth comes shortly after the recent release of the No Paris without Montreal declaration. The urgent call to action, tabled at the recent COP15 convention, urged the world’s leaders to step up and act in the face of the climate crisis and, more specifically, to focus future efforts and actions on the protection and safeguarding of biodiversity. 

As a contributor to the funding of the committee, UNESCO acknowledged and thanked the work of the Principality of Monaco during the meeting.  

 

Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

Monaco schoolchildren given innovative access to Auschwitz

by: Jessica Tatam
12/12/2022

Monaco has lent its support to a virtual Auschwitz tour project via a three-year deal that will give access to this important and immersive experience to thousands of schoolchildren across Europe.

The Principality’s ambassador in Germany, Lorenzo Ravano, has signed a commitment deal with Wojciech Soczewica, the director general of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation. Described as an “innovative educational partnership”, the deal will see the roll-out of the remote tour to nearly one hundred classes of students throughout Europe and Monaco.

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference,” says Eli Wiesel, an Auschwitz survivor and one of the leading figureheads behind the development of the virtual Auschwitz Memorial site tour, as he summed up the driving motivation behind the development the experience, which was created in response to the forced closure of the museum and subsequent reduction in visitor numbers owing to the recent Covid-19 pandemic.

The pandemic forced the Auschwitz Memorial Museum to close its doors for the first time in 75 years. This unprecedented event prompted the institution and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation to search for ideas to avoid a repeat of the situation, and fight back against the ever-looming problem of “indifference” to this significant historical event.

The virtual tour experience, which will be entirely free to access, is the culmination of work by marketing analytics firm AppsFlyer and creative agency Diskin who, in partnership with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, began development on the project in 2021.

While further information on a wider roll-out is yet to be released, this latest commitment to learning, signed between Monaco and the Auschwitz Foundation, is a key step to ensuring that Auschwitz, and the memories of those who perished within its walls, will forever be remembered and accessible to everyone across the world.

Belle of the Ball: Princess Charlene dazzles at Bal de Noël

by: Jessica Tatam
12/12/2022

Princess Charlene was guest of honour at Monaco’s annual Bal de Noël on Friday, the glitzy ‘Italia Chic’- themed party raising €120,000 for the Princess Charlene Foundation.  

One of the highlights of Monaco’s Christmas season is the annual Christmas Ball or the Bal de Noël. As always, this year’s event – the 17th in its history – boasted an impressive and star-studded guest list that suited the setting of the Belle Epoque Hall in the iconic Hôtel Hermitage. 

As part of this year’s ‘Italia Chic’ theme, the 216 invited guests were encouraged to bring La Dolce Vita to the party and to “relaunch the festivities and forget the two previous years marked by the pandemic”.  

Founded by Sandrine Knoell-Garbagnati, the formal dinner and show concept featured Italian singers Davide Carbone and Sophia GK, and was followed by a highly-anticipated auction to raise funds for the Princess Charlene Foundation.  

Despite the glamour and fun had by all, the auction is the most important part of the evening. The Sotheby’s-run event offered a variety of generously donated items for sale and the final amount raised at the 2022 edition was €120,000. Over the history of the annual ball, over €700,000 have been collected in support of charities and associations. 

 

Photo above: Sandrine Knoell, Princess Charlene of Monaco et H.E.M Alaimo Giulio Ambassador of Italy. All photo credits: Eric Mathon/ Palais Princier de Monaco

A Classic Christmas: free choral concerts in Monaco

by: Jessica Tatam
12/12/2022

For a more traditional Christmas experience, why not attend one of Monaco’s classical concerts? Monaco Life presents free choral events taking place in the Principality this December.

The magic of Christmas is taking over Monaco and the countdown is on for the Big Day. In the lead-up, take a journey across three different locations and celebrate the birth of Christ at four different classical performances, where beautiful choral voices pair with tradition.

This Wednesday 14th December, join the students of the Rainier III Academy at their free Christmas concert held at the Rainier III Auditorium from 8 pm. The concert is free to attend, however guests must register their attendance online via the Monaco Town Hall. To register and for more information, visit the website located here.

For the next performance, we move to the impressive stage set at the Monaco Cathedral. Since 2011, the Department of Cultural Affairs has been organising annual Baroque performances in collaboration with the Diocese of Monaco. Directed by Jean-Sébastien Beauvais and with the promise to take the audience on a “musical journey close to the wonders of Christmas where the figure of the Virgin Mary and the woman intersect”, the Surge Propera! concert by the La Chambre ensemble this Friday 16th December at 8pm will include key musical works by some of the great masters of the Renaissance including Roland de Lassus, Thomas Tallis, William Byrd and Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestine. No prior registration is necessary.

Also taking place at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée de Monaco, but this time on Sunday 28th December at 6pm, our third performance sees the ethereal voices of the Monaco Boys Choir complemented by the talented musicians of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. Directed by Peter Szüts and Pierre Debat, the concert promises to deliver nine stunning performances of classical scores composed by masters such as Mozart, Handel, and Bach and performed by some of the most talented artists in Monaco. The Monaco Boys Choir will also be performing at the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve at the Cathedral. Further details can be found here.

 

 

Photo source: Les Petits Chanteurs de Monaco/Facebook