The 40th edition of the Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo festival ran from March 13 to April 7, 2024.

This is the final opus of a three-year cycle “ma fin est mon commencement” (my end is my beginning), which explored the stylistic evolution of composers such as Franz Schubert, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach or Benjamin Britten.

This year’s theme, “Chants de la terre” (The song of the earth), paid tribute to the work of Gustav Mahler, while reflecting on the cycles of life and the relationship between the individual and nature, illustrated by the photographs of Sebastião Salgado.

This was also reflected in the world premieres presented to the public: Sophie Lacaze‘s chamber opera L’étoffe inépuisable du rêve, Laurent Cuniot‘s Chant de la terre and pieces by Lara Morciano, Samir Amarouch and Eric Montalbetti.

Henri Demarquette, the Modigliani Quartet and the conductor Laurence Equilbey were given “cartes blanches”.

This year’s event also provided an opportunity for different forms of expression through photography, cinema (The Salt of the Earth), the visual arts (concert-promenades through the Pier Paolo Calzolari exhibition at Monaco’s Nouveau Musée National) and performing arts (Renaissance dance workshop).

All the senses were awakened during the various shows, including taste, with a concert-dinner designed in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, and smell, with the “Chants de la terre” home fragrance created for the occasion by Clémence Besse and diffused during Fabrice Jünger’s musical siestas.