“Le Printemps des arts”, a dialogue between disciplines
Bruno Mantovani has been a 'Commandeur dans l'ordre des Arts et Lettres' since May 2022 - ©Alice Blangero
Le Printemps des Arts (Spring Arts festival) is celebrating its 40ᵉ anniversary this year. Monaco Tribune spoke to Bruno Mantovani, the event’s artistic director.
French composer and conductor Bruno Mantovani has been the artistic director of Le Printemps des Arts for three editions. A major date for Monegasque cultural enthusiasts, the event, which combines the different disciplines and senses, has been delighting the Principality for 40 years.
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A combination of the new and the established
A new feature this year is “an overall theme on Man’s relationship with the world around him, the Earth and the environment. It’s not a new subject; many works from the 18th century deal with the question,” says Bruno Mantovani. The concerts are evolving, “with new concepts such as musical siestas, a musical dinner with chef Yannick Alléno, a Renaissance dance workshop with live musicians…”
Since his arrival, the artistic director, with the help of his team, has endeavoured to “present early and more mature works by the same composer, to showcase the evolution of the artists’ language.” It’s also a way for the artists to express themselves, with “free rein to instrumentalists who give several concerts.” Also a constant feature, Bruno Mantovani’s latest edition promises “a mix of eras: we are providing music from the 15th century as well as contemporary music. Our aim is to have a festival that covers a broad historical period.”
Why do you want to mix genres and arts? – “Our aim is to keep opening up dialogues between complementary artistic disciplines. For this anniversary edition, it’s important to get back to the concept from the start of the Printemps des Arts adventure. It’s not a question of turning the Printemps des Arts into something other than a music festival, but of introducing disciplines that interact with music.”
Knowledge, the key to enjoyment
During the before and after sessions, the public will be able to meet the artists, with complementary objectives. “The before aims to provide the public with as much information as possible, through conferences and round tables. This means the audience is more informed about the music they are about to hear. It’s very important, you enjoy it so much more when you are aware,” says the French composer.
As for the afters, the director describes them as “much more informal, with the musicians getting out their instruments and playing, as if we were in a 19th-century salon. It’s very spontaneous.” It is a moment of dialogue, an opportunity for the public to share their impressions with the artists and meet the festival team.
Impact and accessibility
The Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo is also a way of making art accessible, in particular thanks to free access for under-25s. “That’s part of our mission. The rhetoric of Western art music is necessarily demanding. It’s a strong message we want to get across, that: ‘this festival belongs to everyone, and especially to the generations who are less likely to listen to classical music.’ There is a lot of work going on with the national education system, making it possible for classes to attend concerts, to attract these young people.”
Finally, art must have an impact on the world, Mantovani says, “artists have a political role to play. You only have to look at the last elections, where culture was completely neglected. So the idea is for the artist, with his utopian and idealistic vision, to become a stakeholder in society, public life and the Republic once more. It’s not about right or left, they [the artists] must become more and more involved in projects that raise us all up.” This is also why the Printemps des Arts “puts the score, therefore the work at the centre of the event, and not the performers. It’s almost like being in a manifesto, where the work comes before the artist,” just as a score comes down through the centuries.
Practical info:
- When: From 13 March to 7 April 2024
- Bookings and programme: Printemps des Arts
- Tickets: Atrium du Casino de Monte-Carlo, Service Billetterie, Place du Casino, 98000 Monaco
- Further information: +377 92 00 13 70