ORCHESTRE PHILHARMONIQUE
DE MONTE-CARLO

Founded in 1856 as the “Orchestre du Nouveau Cercle des Étrangers,” then the “Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo” in 1958, and renamed the “Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo” in 1980, the ensemble is now recognized as one of the leading figures on the international music scene. Since 2016, Kazuki Yamada has held the position of Artistic and Musical Director.

Rooted in a tradition of excellence, the ensemble navigates between the great symphonic repertoire, rediscovering rare works, creating new lyrical pieces, and engaging in choreographic collaborations. Since the end of the 19th century, the orchestra has performed many world premieres of works by Massenet, Puccini, Ravel, Mascagni, Fauré, Franck, Honegger, Ibert, Lalo, Milhaud, Poulenc, and Satie. The Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo also defends contemporary creation by collaborating with major composers of our time, including Henze, Dutilleux, Pärt, Lutosławski, Penderecki, Holliger, Ligeti, Takemitsu, Eötvös, Amy, Mainz, and Hurel. Frequently engaging in artistic crossovers, the orchestra embraces other musical genres. It has notably worked with Marcus Miller, Raul Midon, Roy Hargrove, Leila Hathaway, Avishai Cohen, Jamie Cullum, Dame Shirley Bassey, IAM, Melody Gardot, André Ceccarelli, and many others.

Its history has been written alongside prestigious conductors, including A. Hermann, E. Lucas, L. Jehin, L. Ganne, M.-C. Scotto, V. de Sabata, P. Paray, H. Tomasi, L. Frémaux, É. van Remoortel, I. Markevitch, L. von Matacic, L. Foster, J. DePreist, M. Janowski, Y. Kreizberg, G. Gelmetti, as well as A. Toscanini, W. Furtwängler, R. Strauss, B. Walter, D. Mitropoulos, E. Kleiber, A. Cluytens, G. Marinuzzi, Sir T. Beecham, C. Schuricht, K. Ančerl, C. Münch, E. Jochum, L. Stokowski, Sir J. Barbirolli, P. Klecki, G. Szell, L. Bernstein, C.-M. Giulini, R. Kubelík, Sir G. Solti, W. Sawallisch, K. Sanderling, G. Prêtre, L. Maazel, K. Kondrachine, Ch. von Dohnányi, Z. Mehta, G. Rojdestvenski, Y. Temirkanov…

A regular guest at Europe’s major venues and festivals (Aix-en-Provence, Paris, Prague, Strasbourg, Montreux, Vienna, Orange, Dresden, Bonn, Leipzig, Lisbon, La Roque d’Anthéron…), the orchestra also tours abroad (Austria, Germany, China, South Korea, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom). It has presented unforgettable projects, including the Bartók concertos with Zoltán Kocsis, Berlioz’s Requiem at the Berlin Dome, and Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder in Monaco, later at the Berlin Philharmonie, alongside the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and German choirs.

The “OPMC Classics” label, launched in 2010, marked a new discographic milestone. Five albums conducted by Yakov Kreizberg were followed by three recordings under Gianluigi Gelmetti’s direction (one of which was produced for the 30th anniversary of the Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo). With Kazuki Yamada, this dynamic continues with four new recordings: Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and Rêverie et Caprice (2017), Fauré’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 1 and 3, and Strauss’s Alpensymphonie (2021). The orchestra also participates in numerous recordings for major labels.

Under the presidency of H.S.H. Princess of Hanover, supported by H.S.H. Prince Albert II, the Société des Bains de Mer, the Government of the Principality, and the Association of Friends of the Orchestra, the ensemble continues its mission with enthusiasm: to shine a light on the Principality through musical excellence, artistic openness, and a resolutely forward-looking perspective.

PRESS QUOTES

“Kazuki Yamada’s gestures develop a vocabulary of extraordinary richness — the punch of a karateka and the lightness of a ballerina — reminiscent of Chailly’s elegance or Kleiber’s exuberance.”
Le Temps