Kazuki Yamada Bids Farewell to the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra with a Special Concert Dedicated to Liszt and Ravel

A highly symbolic evening awaits classical music lovers: on Thursday, August 6 at 9:30 p.m., the Prince’s Palace of Monaco will host the closing concert of the season by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra (OPMC), marking the final appearance of Kazuki Yamada in his role as Artistic and Musical Director of the orchestra.

For this memorable occasion, the Japanese conductor has chosen a prestigious programme combining the virtuosity of the Romantic repertoire with the elegance of French musical tradition. A concert designed as a tribute to his artistic journey with the OPMC and to the special bond developed over the years with audiences in Monaco.

Alexandre Kantorow performs Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2

Among the evening’s most anticipated guests is French pianist Alexandre Kantorow, an internationally renowned artist and a familiar presence in the concert seasons of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Kantorow will perform Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, one of the most original works in the nineteenth-century piano repertoire. Written as a single large-scale movement divided into several contrasting sections, the concerto is characterised by a constant dialogue between piano and orchestra, moving from moments of profound lyricism to passages of remarkable technical brilliance.

The collaboration between Kazuki Yamada, the OPMC and Alexandre Kantorow promises an interpretation filled with energy and sensitivity, highlighting the expressive power of Liszt’s masterpiece.

A tribute to Maurice Ravel between elegance and innovation

The evening’s programme will also pay tribute to French music through two celebrated works by Maurice Ravel.

The concert will open with a special version of Ravel’s String Quartet, arranged and orchestrated by Italian composer and arranger Giancarlo Chiaramello, winner of the Rainier III Composition Prize in 1962. This adaptation offers a new perspective on one of the finest masterpieces of twentieth-century chamber music, revealing its richness through expanded orchestral colours.

The evening will conclude with La Valse, Ravel’s iconic orchestral masterpiece, which Kazuki Yamada will conduct for the first time with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. A choice full of symbolic meaning: a final artistic “first” that will accompany the Maestro’s farewell at the end of his term as Artistic and Musical Director.

The final chapter of Kazuki Yamada’s journey with the OPMC

This concert represents not only a prestigious musical event, but also an important milestone in the recent history of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. Under Kazuki Yamada’s leadership, the ensemble has developed a distinctive artistic identity, presenting programmes that celebrate both the great symphonic repertoire and new interpretative perspectives.

The concert on August 6 at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco will therefore be a unique opportunity to celebrate music, international excellence, and the remarkable relationship between a great conductor and one of the Principality’s most important cultural institutions.