Expansion of cultural programme for SBM
The Artistic Director of SBM plans to change the summer festival and expand its cultural programme by showcasing more concerts from May to October.
Bringing back Gainsbourg
She is a faithful friend to the Principality and the Garnier gold, but also a presenter of special concerts in the Principality. In 2013, she combined the sounds of Gainsbourg with Japanese music. On 11th of May, Jane Birkin will return to Monaco for a unique concert, accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra on stage at the Salle Garnier. Together, they will play the great Serge classics as part of the tour “Symphonic Gainsbourg,” started by Jane, which has spurred collaborations with famous orchestras for this project. The tickets for this original musical event will go on sale on 7th of February. It is a prelude to a musical season at the Société des Bains de Mer which promises to test new waters in 2017.
Bringing entertainment to the Place du Casino
This summer, the Summer Sporting Festival is going to evolve, according to Jean-René Palacio, Artistic Director of the SBM. Announced from 8 July to 20 August, the festival will alternate for two months, “between classical dinners-concerts, standing concerts, and concerts seated but without dinner in the Salle des Étoiles or the Salle Garnier”.
The goal is to “refocus the programme around casino performances and bring the entertainment back around the Place du Casino” explained the head of music at SBM, who plans to innovate in order to draw in more audience members.
The festival opens on 8 July with the gala evening of “Fight Aids Monaco” at Sporting, and will close at the end of August with a musical act (still a secret) in the Salle Garnier, as it did last year with Sister Act. It is time to “seize the opportunities” for a very varied programme which is to be unveiled officially on the 4th of April. For starters: on 19 May, the Salle Garnier is preparing a tribute to Frank Sinatra orchestrated by the young singer Ben l’Oncle Soul who will take on the songs of the legendary crooner from his final album, Under my skin. A little later, rock fans will rejoice in a triple billing in June, Hall of the Stars, with Deep Purple in full farewell tour, the Pretenders and Johnny Gallagher. Ushering in the start of autumn, Diana Krall will delight jazz fans on 11 October. In the meantime, we impatiently await the announcements of further musical evenings.
A pop spring in the Principality
The Artistic Director of the SBM not only enjoys directing the artistic programme, but also likes to “participate in the entertainment of the Principality”. This is why Jean-René Palacio has agreed to collaborate with the Espace Léo-Ferré in Fontvieille to develop the aperitif-concerts of the Space, notably on the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day. The show will also feature a pop programme with three concerts in April: the elegant Faada Freddy on 1 April, a combination of soul and electro. This will be followed on 14 April by the 2016 winner of The Voice, Slimane, who has known how to seduce an audience from his very first album.
Dirty Dancing on stage
Then on 29 April, we will have another ex-contestant from The Voice, Claudio Capéo, who will carry the audience away with his hit “A man standing”, and with his intense stage presence. At the other end of the Principality too, the Grimaldi Forum will focus on pop culture this spring by unrolling its monthly live sessions with promising artists: The Liminanas (9 February). Theo Lawrence & the Hearts (30 March), The Bongo Hop (11 May), Oh Tiger Moutain (22 June) Less rock, but legendary nonetheless, the summer musical at the Salle des Princes, scheduled for 11-15 July, will be Dirty Dancing. On stage, the love story between Baby and Johnny has not lost its intensity. Finally, the autumn promises to be virtuoso with the Chinese pianist Lang Lang on 20October, a musician who is adored across the world, just like a pop star.
It’s clear that the SBM summer festival plans to expand its cultural programme will dazzle audiences with these featured concerts.
