Martha Argerich

This year’s summer festival sees the return of an established artistic duo – Martha Argerich and Charles Dutoit – who have worked together frequently in the past. One of the world’s most prominent pianists, Argentinian-born Argerich is esteemed both for her extraordinary talent and for her vast repertoire, which ranges from early music to twentieth-century compositions. Widely acclaimed as one of the most distinguished conductors of his generation, Maestro Charles Dutoit is a tireless and dynamic presence on the global stage. He has collaborated with more than 150 orchestras across all continents and boasts a discography of over 200 recordings, earning numerous prestigious prizes including Grammy Awards. He will conduct the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, which has enjoyed a prestigious reputation ever since its founding in 1856, thanks to its ability to combine tradition and modernity. The concert will be a blend of two styles with which the performers are particularly associated: Impressionism and Romanticism. Maurice Ravel composed his Pavane pour une infante défunte – a nostalgic evocation of a slow courtly dance – when still a student, while with his Valses nobles et sentimentales he wished to follow the example of Schubert, who composed a series of miniatures with the same title. Beethoven’s first piano concerto reflects both his assimilation of the styles of Haydn and Mozart and his own bold musical personality, that was already beginning to emerge. The evening will end with a performance of what is usually considered Debussy’s most substantial symphonic work. More than tonepaintings evoking the sound of waves, the »three symphonic sketches« that make up La mer are intended as musical representations of the feelings inspired by observing the sea, which is a typically Impressionist approach.