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Excitement set to return to Monaco with Historic GP

by: Cassandra Tanti
13/04/2021

Monaco is revving up to host its first major public event since the onset of the Covid pandemic, the Historic Grand Prix. Tickets are selling out fast for the late April race amid uncertain health guidelines and ongoing travel restrictions in France.
After it was forced to cancel the 12th Historic Grand Prix of Monaco in 2020, the Automobile Club of Monaco (ACM) is in full swing for this year’s event, with 170 competitors primed to compete and stands throughout the Principality ready to welcome fans.
It marks a major milestone for both the ACM and Monaco, with thousands of spectators set to fill the Principality, injecting some much needed energy into a country that thrives on hosting events.
But with less than 10 days to go, the government is yet to provide any specific health guidelines for spectators.
Meanwhile, France’s “light lockdown”, which includes a 10-kilometre travel restriction, is not due to be lifted until the first week of May. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether Monegasque authorities will actually prohibit French citizens from entering the Principality for the event.
It hasn’t stopped tickets from going on sale though and, according to the ACM ticketing website, there are on average only 10% of seats still up for grabs. Stands at Quai Albert 1er and Piscine Plongeur are close to sold out.
While it remains uncertain what health documentation spectators will be asked to provide, the ACM, when contacted by Monaco Life, suggested that negative PCR tests would likely be required, particularly for foreign visitors.
The Historic Grand Prix of Monaco will serve as a precursor to the Principality’s most famous and highly-anticipated event, the Monaco Grand Prix, which is set to take place less than a month later.

READ ALSO: “We are preparing for every possible scenario”

The 2020 edition of the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco was meant to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the creation of the World Formula 1 Championship. This year, the club will still pay homage and commemorate the first win for Ferrari in Formula 1.
For two and a half days, competitors will share their passion for competition at the highest level of motorsport, in real races, surrounded by the sounds and smells that characterise their cars.
Fans can expect a fight between “voiturettes” in the A Series; four iconic Maserati 250F models facing a diverse range of single-seaters with front engines in the B Series; a rich C Series with sports cars; and F1s from the 1960s in the D Series.
One third of the E Series will consist of cars powered by 12-cylinder engines, Ferrari, Matra and BRM, in addition to the F Series with three former Grand Prix drivers and a multiple winner of Le Mans 24 Hours.
Last but not least, the G Series will host more recent F1s in a large variety of colours.
There will be seven races in total on a street circuit that is 80% the same as it was in 1929.
The 12th Historic Grand Prix of Monaco will take place from 23rd to 25th April. Tickets can be purchased online here.
 
 
Photo by The Development of Birmingham on Flickr
 
 

Top Marques postponed for 3rd time

by: Stephanie Horsman
13/04/2021

Organisers of the hugely popular local event Top Marques have made the decision to cancel this year’s show and return in June 2022 for what it hopes will be favourable post-Covid conditions.
In the third rejiggering of dates this year, the organisers of the Top Marques Monaco announced on Tuesday that the show will be pushed from September 2021 to 8th to 12th June 2022.
“It has obviously been a difficult decision to make, but as it stands, conditions are not in place today for the event to be held with total peace of mind,” Salim Zeghdar, CEO of Top Marques said in a statement. “The lack of visibility and international restrictions still in effect have forced us to reluctantly postpone the 17th edition of Top Marques Monaco until next year.”
The postponement is a disappointment to visitors and a blow to the Principality, as the event is a big drawcard, bringing with it large international crowds, good press and a lot of money. But organisers are looking at the setback as a positive, allowing things to settle down on the health front to allow a more “normal” post-Covid environment.
“This new date will allow us to welcome our exhibitors and our visitors, many of whom come from abroad, in the best possible conditions,” Zeghdar said.
“My team and I are already working on the organisation of what we hope will be an exceptional edition. We are looking forward to promoting the luxury transport industry and its innovations throughout the Principality and beyond. We are preparing a number of surprises, as well as working on several novelties for the event, it’s going to be an amazing celebration of the automobile.”
Top Marques has been a Monaco staple since its first edition back in 2004. Called “the most exclusive automobile show in the world” by the New York Times, it is an annual luxury and supercar event attended by many of the car industry’s heaviest hitters.
The event features not just one-of-a-kind gems, but is also a showcase for innovative vehicles that may just turn into the cars of tomorrow.
Ticket holders can seek reimbursement from the same channels that tickets were purchased through, namely FNAC Spectacles or direct from the Grimaldi Forum.
 
Photo by Alexander Migl, via Wikimedia Commons
 
 

OPMC spring schedule

by: Stephanie Horsman
13/04/2021

The Philharmonic Orchestra of Monte-Carlo (OPMC) is continuing with its busy spring schedule, although some changes have been announced due to health restrictions.

On 15th April, the popular Musical Happy Hour event, this time featuring chamber music, has been pushed forward to 4pm rather than 8:30pm. The concert features musical interludes by Debussy, Takemitsu, Bax and Mereaux and will be held at Maison de France.

On the 18th April, a free concert featuring works by Bach will be held at the Saint-Charles Church at 4pm. Peter Szüts will conduct the orchestra and violinist Sibylle Duchesne Cornaton will be showcased.

Pianist Arcadi Volodos will be performing on Sunday 2nd May, but instead of the concert starting at 6pm, it will now have a 4pm start. Volodos will be playing a selection from Brahms, Clementi, and Schubert at the Auditorium Rainier III.

Another Musical Happy Hour will be performed on 4th May at 4pm rather than 6:30pm at the Auditorium Rainier III featuring chamber music by Chostakovitch and Mendelsohn and performed by well-known violinists, cellists and violists in the Principality.

An evening of piano with Jorge Gonzalez Buajasan will now be an afternoon on Sunday 3rd May. The concert, conducted by Stanislav Kochanovsky and featuring works by Chopin and Tchaikovsky, will take place at 3pm at the Auditorium Rainier III. 

Also at the Auditorium Rainier III, pianist and artist in residence Alexandre Kantorow will perform pieces by Russian composers Glinka, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky under conductor Jérémie Rhorer on 16th May at 3pm.

On 29th of May, renowned Monte Carlo Philharmonic conductor Kazuki Yamada will lead Elisabeth Leonskaja on piano and contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux performing a concert featuring Berlioz and Brahms highlighting the dawn and summit of Romanticism. The show starts a 8pm at the Grimaldi Forum.

Rounding out the month of May, on the 30th at 6pm, Kazuki Yamada again conducts soprano Mari Eriksmoen, countertenor Matthias Rexroth, Baritone Adrian Eröd and the City of Birmingham Symphony Choir perform works by Bartok and Orff. This unmissable event will be held at the Grimaldi Forum.

For more information and tickets, visit the Philharmonic’s website at www.opmc.mc

 
Photo of Kazuki Yamada – OPMC
 
 

Monaco to host world’s first international streaming film festival

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/04/2021

The Principality will roll out the red carpet for the pioneering new Monaco Streaming Film Festival this summer, drawing industry heavyweights for a dynamic “festival-meets-summit” experience and an awards ceremony to celebrate the best in the streaming industry.
It was announced on Monday that the inaugural edition of the Monaco Streaming Film Festival (MCSFF) will take place from 3rd to 6th July at the Grimaldi Forum, just ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, allowing organisers to capitalise on the world’s most famous film festival while drawing attention to the future of the industry.
The event was co-founded by Netflix Founding VP Mitch Lowe and, with over 200 streaming platforms available to viewers globally, it will play an important role in bringing together content creators and talent, media and technology innovators in an industry that has hit overdrive with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We believe the industry has blossomed during the pandemic and offers the public access to exciting international content at a time when they need the world of entertainment and choice to come to them through their streaming platforms,” Tony Davis, CEO and Founder of MCSFF, told Monaco Life. “We aim to create an accessible and inclusive event that will support all content creators wishing to produce and showcase their work.”
The four-day hybrid festival includes premiers, an awards night, VIP receptions, a marketplace and a conference featuring talks by key personalities including Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak.
Organisers will leverage streaming technology to power the event, opening it to a global audience with a significant portion of virtual-only content and remote panels. The Grimaldi Forum’s new LED TV “wall” and broadcast studio will play a key part in helping to deliver the technology-driven festival.
The MCSFF is being organised in conjunction with major Hollywood streaming studios, the Princess Grace Foundation USA and the Global Environment Movement Association (GEMA) Foundation.
“It is important to show and bring to light the elements of our environment which are of great concern as well as all the solutions and efforts around solving them,” GEMA Co-Founder and Managing Partner Christian Moore told Monaco Life. “The MCSFF will play an important role in highlighting film makers and documentarians who bring these subjects to light.”
The festival will also present the first ever Princess Grace Award of Monaco, celebrating Princess Grace’s legacy in the film industry.
 
READ ALSO: New video wall for hybrid events
 
Photo of the Grimaldi Forum by Monaco Life
 
 
 

100% vaccinations for cruise crew and guests

by: Cassandra Tanti
08/04/2021

Luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises, headquartered in Monaco, has announced that it will return to service in June with a fully vaccinated crew and guests. The health measure is increasingly being adopted by cruise lines across the globe as the industry battles for its recovery.
America’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued long-awaited technical guidance for cruise lines on Friday, bringing them one step closer to sailing again, particularly in U.S. waters.
It said that vaccination is critical in the safe resumption of cruising and it recommended all eligible port personnel, crew and passengers get a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as one becomes available to them.
But like many of its European counterparts, Silversea Cruises has gone one step further, making vaccination mandatory for both crew and passengers.
The company will set sail from 18th June with Silver Moon, the cruise line’s new flagship, for 10-day itineraries to the Eastern Mediterranean from Greece.
“Our guests share our excitement for our eagerly-anticipated healthy return to service. In recent months, we have seen the cruise industry resume responsibly in destinations around the world and we are delighted to announce these new inaugural sailings for our flagship,” says Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silversea Cruises. “Vaccinations will play a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit, which we prioritise above all else.”
Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the industry’s biggest operators, said Monday that it will resume sailing in Greece, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic in July with mandatory vaccinations for all crew and guests. During a press conference this week, President and CEO Harry Sommer said vaccines paired with multi-layered health and safety protocols meant the chances of an outbreak on a ship was “astronomically low”.
Silversea Cruises also says the vaccinations will form part of a comprehensive, multi-layered set of science-backed protocol approved by the Royal Caribbean Group’s Healthy Sail Panel, and that it will continue to work closely with relevant governing bodies and health authorities to evolve its health and safety procedures, as new health recommendations are issued and as the fluid situation advances.
The protocol includes enhanced sanitation procedures, increased air filtration, high-quality onboard medical care with state-of-the-art medical equipment, and enhanced medical teams on each ship.
Cruise ships across the globe have been docked for over a year because of the pandemic and many can only restart operations by following the CDC’s Framework for Conditional Sailing Order.
Other lines to announce mandatory vaccinations include Saga Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Crystal Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and P&O Cruises.
 
READ ALSO: Completing a cruise ship during Covid
 
Photo by Fiippo Vinardi
 
 

Rosberg X Racing makes history as first Extreme E winner 

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/04/2021

Nico Rosberg’s team has won the first ever Extreme E electric off-road racing series in Saudi Arabia, with Johan Kristoffersson and Molly Taylor at the wheel.
Rosberg X Racing (RXR) took out the win in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, ahead of Andretti United with drivers Timmy Hansen and Catie Munnings, and Lewis Hamilton’s team X44 with Sébastien Loeb and Cristina Gutiérrez behind the wheel.
“What an amazing start to the season. It feels a bit surreal, with so much anticipation and preparation leading into the weekend and we all came here not really knowing what to expect,” said Taylor after the win. “It was definitely extreme. It was the first time we had experienced terrain like that, and on every lap, the course was changing – there were so many different variables to deal with. We just wanted to make the most of the little time we had in the car – every single kilometre.”
Dubbed ‘Star Wars pod racing meets Dakar Rally’, the five-round championship is racing in five locations impacted by climate change during its 2021 inaugural season.
“It’s pretty cool to be part of this journey at the start of something that I think has an amazing future,” added the record-breaking Australian Rally Championship winner. “This series is really throwing the traditional rulebook out of the window and starting afresh, and I think everyone will agree it was spectacular to watch.”


The pioneering electric off-road series sees teams of legendary male and female drivers pair up to compete in two-lap races across the rugged terrain.
The dramatic desert dust-up in Saudi was divided into a qualifying day that set the order of race day, then on Sunday the drivers went wheel to wheel in an action-packed race that has drawn plenty of praise from racing fans the world over.
“If I had written a script for the perfect weekend, I could not have come up with anything better than what we have witnessed these past two days — I’ve never seen such extreme racing in my life,” said Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Extreme E. “This first race weekend will have a huge influence on how Extreme E evolves, and one of the reasons I feel so proud is that we have built this platform where female drivers can shine like they deserve. What we have seen from them here is extraordinary — some incredible talent and courage — and overall, I think it’s fair to say we have really made our mark. I’m over the moon.”

Molly Taylor (AUS), Johan Kristoffersson (SWE), and Nico Rosberg celebrate the win

RXR’s Kristoffersson and Taylor stormed to victory despite a 60-second penalty and less than favourable grid slots in both the semi-final and final. It was an incredible display of skill and car control on a surface with natural obstacles that included sand pits, sand dunes, grass, bushes, and blind crests, making overtaking a much more difficult tactic to manoeuvre.
“This is insane. I’m so thankful to the whole team for the effort put in this weekend, which has been intense and really on-the-edge,” said Nico Rosberg, Rosberg X Racing founder and CEO. “Molly and Johan produced some phenomenal driving. Neither of them put a foot wrong in really tough conditions, and they both showed unbelievable speed out there — their performance was really inspiring and I felt really proud watching them.”
Extreme E selected AlUla to highlight the importance of deserts as biologically important ecosystems while the misuse of natural resources is the main cause of desertification and loss of biological diversity.
Up next in the schedule is the Ocean XPrix at Lac Rose in Dakar, Senegal on 29th and 30th May. That is followed by the Arctic XPrix in Greenland, the Amazon XPrix in Brazil, and the Glacier EPrix in Argentina.
 
Photos source: Extreme E