Founded in 1970 at the instigation of Princess Grace of Monaco and presided over by H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover since 1984, the Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo is a music festival whose artistic director is the composer and conductor Bruno Mantovani since May 2021.
Artistic Director Bruno Mantovani presents music repertoire extending from the 11th to the 21st centuries as well as film projections, theater, poetry, dance performances. The festival’s main axes are: Tributes to major composers by the best European orchestras as well as classical and contemporary quartets and ensembles of international renown, and world premieres by outstanding contemporary composers.
Besides concerts, the public is invited to enjoy further events such as casual meetings with the artists, conferences by musicologists, masterclasses with guest artists, explained rehearsals or backstage immersions. The festival’s pricing policy is extremely friendly, offering free entry to many events and full rate tickets from 19€.
The Printemps des Arts performances take place across a dozen of magical locations in and around Monaco : Auditorium Rainier III, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Grimaldi Forum, One Monte-Carlo, Galerie Hauser & Wirth, Théâtre Princesse Grace, Cinéma des Beaux-Arts, Cinéma de Beaulieu, Francis Bacon MB Art Foundation, Club des Résidents Étrangers de Monaco, Centre Culturel Prince Jacques, Théâtre des Variétés, Cathédrale de Monaco, Marius Monaco, Conseil National, Église du Sacré Cœur, Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Nice, Théâtre National de Nice
In 2006, Pierre Boulez was invited to the Printemps des Arts festival in Monte-Carlo. At the Sporting, he conducted the Ensemble Intercontemporain in his composition Répons, which was met with a standing ovation. This event marked a highlight in the festival’s history, but it is above all a testament to the identity and raison d’être of Printemps des Arts. For more than forty years, the festival has celebrated creators, composers, performers, and improvisers whose creativity challenges our listening and renews our perception of the world.
Pierre Boulez was a musician deeply fascinated by the works of the past, yet always curious about other art forms—his passion extended to painting, poetry, literature, and theater. This openness to all artistic expressions mirrors the spirit of Printemps des Arts. We believe that it is through self-challenge and transcendence that both the artist and the spectator can flourish, fulfill themselves, question their assumptions, find new sources of inspiration, and explore uncharted territories.
Boulez was also eager to pass on his knowledge, sharing his experiences and creating spaces and institutions where artists and audiences could come together to embark on new musical explorations.
One hundred years after the birth of this major figure, Printemps des Arts is proud to offer a tribute to Pierre Boulez across various venues in the Principality. These events invite you to explore the diverse artistic paths he traversed, allowing yourself to be swept away by their twists and turns. As Boulez himself once said, music is “a labyrinth in which one never stops entering and exiting, discovering new paths whose mysteries are never fully exhausted.”
La Princesse de Hanovre
Shuttles are available after the last concert od the day (round trip), except for events in collaboration, from Nice and Menton for 5€.
Limited seating, mandatory booking at least 48h before the concert: contact@printempsdesarts.mc or +377 93 25 54 10
Free admission for people under 25 upon reservation (except for events in collaboration).
Car: Highway A8: From Nice, highway exit 56 – “Monaco” – or highway exit 58 from Italia
Bus: From Nice or Menton, take line 600
Train: SNCF train station – “Monaco” stop, TER PACA
Plane: Nice Cote d’Azur Airport - Take a taxi from Nice Airport on +33 4 93 13 78 78 / Take the Nice-Monaco express bus
Monaco and Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur are very attractive regions for holidays and there is a wide variety of accommodation.
There is no specific dress code at the festival.
“An integral part of this new way of life which gives flavour to a stay in the Principality, gastronomy is greatly honoured by the great chefs who know so well how to share their passion and pass on the richness of the land.
Of course with some 170 other restaurants throughout the Principality, specialities as diverse as grilled meat or fish dishes and other exotic cuisine also appear on the menu.” – Visit Monaco
