Christmas ball at the Hôtel de Paris
On Thursday, December 7, the princely couple turned on the Christmas lights, first on the Quai Albert I, then on the Place de la Casino. The next day, Princess Charlene went to the traditional Christmas ball. The charity evening took place in the Empire Room at the Hôtel de Paris. The princess and her family were photographed on the red carpet with special guest Father Frost. Guests then attended a gala dinner hosted by Michelin star chef Dominique Laurie and enjoyed a gala evening of performances and an auction hosted by Sotheby’s. The auction raised 150,000 euros for the benefit of the Princess Charlene Foundation, who warmly thanked the foundation’s patrons and event partners.
10th anniversary of Le Chemin des Creches
As every year, at the Ramp Major level, the stairs leading to the princely palace and to the Rock, you can admire the Christmas crèche. It is part of the Chemin des Crèches project, opened on December 8, 2023. At the request of Prince Albert II, the Chemin des Crèches project was founded in the Principality in 2014 to “convey the spirit, values and culture of Christmas crèches from all continents,” explain the organizers of this initiative in their website. Every year, from December 8 to January 8, a Christmas crèche is held in designated chalets and government buildings on the Rock along a precisely specified route.
Premiere of “The Phantom of the Opera”
On December 16, the head of state and Princess Caroline went to the premiere showing of “The Phantom of the Opera” at the Monte Carlo Opera. The distinguished guests met with the directors and actors. The prince personally spoke with Ramin Kariml, who plays the role of the ghost. In the Principality, the popular opera is presented for the first time on the initiative of Cecilia Bartoli, the new director of the Monte Carlo Opera. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, based on the novel of the same name by the French writer Gaston Leroux, has gained popularity throughout the world and is considered one of the most significant musicals of all time.
FC Monaco beat Toulouse
The main football club of the principality beat Toulouse in the match of the 17th round of the French championship. The meeting took place at the Municipal Stadium in Toulouse, the final score was 2-1 in favor of the Monegasques. Forward from the opposing team, Frank Magri, opened the scoring in the 5th minute of the meeting. Before the break, the Monegasques were able to bounce back and took the lead thanks to a brace from Wissam ben Yedder. There were no goals scored in the second half of the meeting. In the 51st minute, midfielder Alexander Golovin received a red card.
Exhibition “The Prince in the Heart of the Circus”
From November 22, 2023 to January 28, 2024, the exhibition “A Prince in the Heart of the Circus” opened in the former building of the automobile museum. The exhibition is dedicated to two memorable dates — the centenary of the birth of Grand Duke Rainier III and the 50th anniversary of the popular Monte Carlo International Circus Festival. Among the exhibits you can find circus costumes, archival photographs and props. Guests will be able to watch a 15-minute film telling the history of the festival, focusing on outstanding circus performers such as clown Charlie Rivel, the festival’s first «Golden Clown» in 1974, and Monegasque artist Petit Gougou. The idea of the exhibition belongs to Princess Stephanie, who is the president of the festival.
Picasso in Monaco
After London, New York and Paris, a unique collection of paintings by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso arrived in Monaco. For the first time, Olga and Peter Driesmann exhibited works for sale at the Ward-Moretti gallery in London. The exhibition includes ceramics and unusual sketches: a portrait of the dancing Japanese actress Sada Yakko and opera singer Susanne Bloch. Some paintings are dedicated to women from Picasso’s life, for example, the French photographer Dora Maar. Over the years, the couple collected rare works and shared them with the public at exhibitions in Europe and the United States. Several copies were sold in London and New York. Prices for masterpieces start from several thousand euros and reach several million. The couple plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.
