Monaco is a sovereign city-state, country, and microstate on the French Riviera, along the Mediterranean coast. The country has long been under the control of the Grimaldi family, who have encouraged musical development. Prince Rainier III introduced the Prince Rainier III Prize for Musical Composition to reward Monegasque musicians.
The Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1863 and gained a permanent home at Salle Garnier in 1879. The Orchestra is quite prominent in the classical world, and has been conducted by Igor Markevitch, Lovro von Matačić, Paul Paray, Lawrence Foster, Gianluigi Gelmetti and Louis Frémaux.
The Little Singers of Monaco are a children's choir founded in 1973, when the Palatine Chapel's Chapel Master, Philippe Debat, was ordered by the government to send a choir of children around the world. This practice carries on a tradition from the reign of Prince Antoine I, during whose rule a children's choir sang the liturgies in the Palatine Chapel.[ citation needed ]
Monaco participated in the Eurovision Song Contest between 1959 and 1979 and again between 2004 and 2006. The country's only win in the contest came in 1971, with Séverine and the song "Un banc, un arbre, une rue". None of the artists who represented Monaco in the contest was born Monegasque, but French-born Minouche Barelli, who represented Monaco in 1967, shared her time between Paris and Monaco, acquired Monegasque citizenship in 2002, and died in the principality on 20 February 2004 at the age of 56. [1]
The Franco-Monegasque singer-songwriter Léo Ferré was born in Monaco.
Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a semi-enclave bordered by France to the north, east and west. The principality is home to 38,682 residents, of whom 9,486 are Monégasque nationals; it is widely recognised as one of the wealthiest and most expensive places in the world. The official language of the principality is French. In addition, Monégasque, English and Italian are spoken and understood by many residents.
The early history of Monaco is primarily concerned with the protective and strategic value of the Rock of Monaco, the area's chief geological landmark, which served first as a shelter for ancient peoples and later as a fortress. Part of Liguria's history since the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 14th to the early 15th century the area was contested for primarily political reasons. Since that point, excepting a brief period of French occupation, it has remained steadily under the control of the House of Grimaldi.
Rainier III was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years.
Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy was a member of the princely family of Monaco. She was the elder sister of Prince Rainier III. Her parents were Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois and her former husband, Count Pierre de Polignac.
Princess Caroline Louise Marguerite of Monaco is Princess of Hanover by marriage to Prince Ernst August. As the eldest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly, she is the elder sister of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Princess Stéphanie.
The House of Grimaldi is the current reigning house of the Principality of Monaco. The house was founded in 1160 by Grimaldo Canella in Genoa and became the ruling house of Monaco when Francesco Grimaldi captured Monaco in 1297.
Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi is the elder son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband Stefano Casiraghi. He is the eldest grandchild of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and American actress Grace Kelly. Casiraghi is currently fourth in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne, following his twin cousins and his mother.
Lise Darly is a French singer and was selected to represent Monaco in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
Monaco has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 24 times since its debut in 1959. The country's only win in the contest came in 1971, when Séverine performed "Un banc, un arbre, une rue". As a result, Monaco was expected to host the contest in 1972, but it ultimately declined. Monaco is the only microstate to have won the contest to date.
Jazmin Grace Grimaldi is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Tamara Rotolo.
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the Grimaldi family who first captured it in 1297. The Grimaldi ruled the area first as feudal lords, and from the 17th century as sovereign princes, but their power was often derived from fragile agreements with their larger and stronger neighbours.
Monaco participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 with the song "Notre planète" written by Philippe Bosco and Patrick Sassier. The song was performed by Maryon, who was internally selected by the Monégasque broadcaster Télé Monte-Carlo (TMC), which returned to the Eurovision Song Contest after a twenty-five-year absence, to represent Monaco in the 2004 contest in Istanbul, Turkey. The selection of Maryon and "Notre planète" as the Monégasque entry was announced on 22 February 2004.
Football is one of the leading sports in the small Principality of Monaco, enjoying large popularity alongside motor racing, yachting, and tennis. It is governed by the Monegasque Football Federation.
Monaco–Russia relations is the bilateral relationship between the Principality of Monaco and the Russian Federation.
Olivier Toussaint is a French composer, pop singer, orchestra arranger, company manager, and record producer.
Minouche Barelli, born Mary-Pierre Barelli, was a French singer, best known internationally for her participation in the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest.
France was represented by five-member group Profil, with the song "Hé, hé M'sieurs dames", at the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 19 April in The Hague.
The Monégasque Football Federation is the governing body of football in the nation of Monaco. The association is not a member of FIFA or UEFA, but it does have membership to the NF-Board and its successor CONIFA.
The funeral of Princess Grace of Monaco took place at the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate in Monaco-Ville on 18 September 1982. Princess Grace had succumbed to injuries resulting from a car crash on 14 September, at the age of 52. An estimated 26,000 people paid their respects as she lay in state at the Palatine Chapel at the Prince's Palace of Monaco before the ceremony, a requiem Mass.
Holy See–Monaco relations are bilateral relations between the Principality of Monaco and the Holy See. The principal Monégasque official is Ambassador Claude Giordan, who officially started at his position in November 2015. The Holy See is represented by its Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Arcari, who assumed office on May 25, 2019. The Embassy of Monaco to the Holy See is located in Rome, on Largo Spinelli. The Apostolic Nunciature to Monaco is non-residing as the nuncio currently resides in Rome.
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