Come one and all to the Market Ball

05/09/2022

The Monaco Mairie has organised an end of summer event the Place des Armes, filled with music, dance and of course, culinary delights from the Condamine Market.

The Principality is putting on a bash to end the season in style. Called The Market Ball (Le Bal du Marché), the organisers are touting it as an event “In the rural style with a guinguette atmosphere”, welcoming the public to come and join in the festivities.

A guinguette was a popular 18^th century term for drinking establishments in the suburbs of Paris and of other cities in France. Guinguettes would also serve as restaurants and often as dance venues. The origin of the term comes from guinguet, indicating a local sour, light white wine.

In Monaco, it will be more like a celebration, with large open seating tables made available to the public, giving them a chance to meet, eat, dance and have a glass or two.

The traders of the Condamine Market will be open for business serving up delicious fare, and additional stands outside will help keep lines to a minimum.

Benty Brothers Music will perform live, so dancing will also be on the menu.

The Market Ball takes place on Friday 9^th September. Food and drinks will be served from 7pm and the music starts at 7:30pm. Entry is free of charge but guests are encouraged to come early as there are no reservations and seating will fill up fast.

Photo source: Mairie de Monaco

Princely family join Monegasques for annual picnic

by: Cassandra Tanti

04/09/2022

Prince Albert, Princess Charlene and their children celebrated the much-loved U Cavagnëtu annual picnic on Saturday, the first time the event has been held in two years.

The annual open-air “picnic” U Cavagnëtu draws in around 1,000 Monegasque citizens each year at the Princess Antoinette Park to celebrate the last big event of the summer.

It has not been held the previous two years due to Covid, so there was an extra air of excitement at this, the 2022 edition, not least because the Princely family were present.

Prince Albert, Princess Charlene, Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella all joined in the celebration. The couple delighted crowds by mingling among the guests, Prince Albert learning more about his people’s summer vacations, Princess Charlene taking pictures with young Monegasques alongside her own seven-year-old children.

*Princess Charlene poses for a photo with guests at the annual Monaco Picnic alongside her daughter Gabriella. Photo credit: Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace*

The Mairie started U Cavagnëtu, or Monaco Picnic, in 1931 and it was embraced by Prince Rainier III, who at one point held it at the local football stadium. It has since become a popular and well-loved family event held in the Princess Antoinette Park.

The event is opened with a mass before Monegasque tradition is celebrated with folk dancing, traditional dress, music and local food.

See more photos of the annual Monaco Picnic below. All photos credit: Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace…

‘Son of Monaco’ celebrates 50 years on the stage

by: Stephanie Horsman

30/08/2022

Monaco-born Richard Lord is marking 50 years of music-making, as well as his 75^th birthday, with a live concert at the Opéra Garnier in September.

Richard Cavassuto, born in Monaco in 1947, was destined to become a musician. At the age of 12, for the children’s Christmas gift-giving at the Palace in 1959, the young Cavassuto was given a guitar by Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace, a present that would shape his future.

He was a fixture in several rock bands in the early 1960s, including as drummer for The Vampires, Bassist for The Yankees and The Ombres, as well as leader vocalist and bass player for The Outlaws.

In 1971, after recording sessions at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios in London, Richard Cavassuto became Richard Lord and made his debut as a solo artist, releasing the single ‘Everybody Loves a First Time’.

Abbey Road, the studios made famous by the Beatles, was clearly an inspiration for Lord, who returned to Monaco in 1983 to perform a show comprised of 15 Beatles songs, called Abbey Road Sixties, which he performed in front of Prince Rainier III. The music of the sixties has been the backbone of his career, with tribute concerts being regular occurrences.

Over the years, he has played several times in Monaco, and organised events such as the 1999 concert bringing together six bands from the 1960s who performed at the Sporting, and a 2005 concert where newly coronated Prince Albert II joined the band playing the drums. Additionally, he sang a ballad called Jacques and Gabriella at the baptism of the twins in 2015 in front of 400 assembled guests.

Now he is back on stage in the Principality for a concert celebrating his 75^th birthday on 10^th September at the Opéra Garnier with a new album called Best of 75. For more info on how to get tickets and on the event, email livre75@abbeyroadmc.com

“Hysterically funny” cabaret show Delirious

by: Luke Entwistle

29/08/2022

The Grimaldi Forum is playing host to a raucous circus cabaret that promises to be a “thrilling night” and is getting rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.

Monaco is getting Delirious!

The hit circus cabaret team has returned to Monaco from 26^th August to 4^th September with nine new performances, and two special nights dedicated to the sexually-charged comedy show Never Sleep Alone.

Delirious is the brainchild of the 8 Stars team, who in the midst of the pandemic brought a little light to the Principality in January 2021 with its cabaret, circus and artistic show Bohemia. It was a huge success and it spurred the creation of their latest endeavour, Delirious.

The new show combines dance, music, humour, acrobatics and special acts by an eclectic mix of performers such as the wonderfully monikered Kitty Bang Bang, a burlesque queen from England, Jarrod Bates, an American clown who worked for Cirque du Soleil, Maria Moncheva, a former Bulgarian classical dancer who excels in aerial disciplines, Daniel Sullivan, Irish dance expert, Soen Geirnaert, Belgian gymnast, the Venezuelan singer and dancer Michie Aranguren, and Sebastian Plester, a Colombian circus artist.

*Delirious, the show, by 8 Stars is currently on show at the Grimaldi Forum. Photo source: 8 Stars*

The show, designed by Artistic Director of 8 Stars Nicolas Jelmoni, has seen the artists preparing in Sainte-Maxime over the past several weeks to ensure flawless execution and if what audiences are saying is true, it was worth every second spent.

The last two nights of Delirious will have an additional performance by straight-talking sexual evangelist and best-selling author Dr Alex Schiller. His show, Never Sleep Alone, has been touted as “sexy live entertainmentwhere the audience experience laughs, learns and literally hooks up with each other!”

With that kind of a build-up, the night is bound to be something out of this world.

Click on the images below. Photos credits: 8 Stars Monaco

New expo celebrates the tastes and talents of the Med

by: Cassandra Tanti

25/08/2022

The first ever Monaco Mediterranée Salon is being held in September, bringing together the best of Monaco, France, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Greece and Turkey.

The Monaco Mediterranée Salon is a unique event during which various specialties from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are brought together under one convenient roof. These countries include Monaco, France, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Greece and Turkey.

The aim is to form a direct relationship between the public and the many craftsmen, producers, manufacturers and local distributors present and to discover the diversity of their separate cultures.

The exhibition features artisans from various sectors within Fashion and Lifestyle, Art and Gastronomy.

The Big Top in Fontvielle will be filled with exhibitors, each showcasing their unique knowledge and experience, quality products and varied flavours.

Everything from olive oil and clothing to beer and precious gems will be on offer, as well as information on the countries and cultures themselves.

It will be the first celebration of the Mediterranean of its kind held in the Principality.

The Monaco Mediterranée Salon will be held from the 2nd to 4th September at the Chapiteau de Fontvielle. Tickets are priced at 5€ for one day, with special two and three day passes available. Children under 12 years enter for free.

For more details, visit: https://monacomediterranee.com/en/

Photo by Stephanie Horsman, Monaco Life

‘Munegu Family’ return en masse

by: Luke Entwistle

19/08/2022

Following two years of absence, the ‘Munegu Family’ has made its long-awaited return, filling their allocation during the first two home games of the season.

First during last week’s premier leg against PSV Eindhoven, and then during last weekend’s draw against Rennes, nearly 1,000 fans packed the Seconde B to support Philippe Clement’s men.

What is the ‘Munegu Family?’

The ‘Munegu Family’ allows an adult and a child to attend all of AS Monaco’s Ligue 1 home matches for just €450.

In a specially dedicated stand, the Seconde B, fans of the Principality club are treated to a range of activities, supplementing the on-pitch excitement. From a magic show to make-up stands and the chance to meet the club mascot, Bouba, there is something for everyone.

For Monaco’s previous two encounters, the stand has been full, welcoming almost 1,000 fans and places for this Saturday’s encounter against RC Lens are still available.

The return of the ‘Munegu Family’ after two years of absence due to the Coronavirus pandemic is welcome, and is now supplemented by a range of other campaigns made to encourage matchday attendance.

As well as providing a family-friendly way in which to watch the matches, other campaigns such as the ‘MuneGo’ car-sharing app also facilitate travel to both home and away games. Combined, the campaigns allow fans to get closer to the team that they love.

For Olga Dementeva, assistant Director General, the aim of the scheme is clear. “The will of the President is to reinforce the links between the club and its local supporters, by allowing children access to the stadium. The objective of the ‘Munegu Family’ is to offer a privileged environment to families, in order to give them the desire to come as often as possible to encourage the team at the stadium.”

The success of the scheme thus far is undeniable, and the hope is that fans continue to benefit from this memorable, unique experience throughout the entire Ligue 1 season.

Photo source: AS Monaco