Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo in December: “Bronia” and “Altro Canto” Take the Stage at the Grimaldi Forum

Dance returns to the spotlight in Monaco as Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo take to the stage of the Salle des Princes at the Grimaldi Forum from 19 to 21 December 2026 with two works of great artistic intensity: Bronia and Altro Canto. Three performances will offer audiences the opportunity to discover two different choreographic languages, bringing together contemporary research, musical tradition and the legacy of major figures in European culture.

The programme features two creations: Bronia, by Antonio de Rosa and Mattia Russo, founders of the Kor’sia collective, and Altro Canto, created by Jean-Christophe Maillot, choreographer and director of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Through movement and music, the two works explore different artistic worlds while paying tribute to influential figures in the history of dance and fashion.

“Bronia”: Kor’sia Pays Tribute to Bronislava Nijinska

Running for 43 minutes, Bronia is dedicated to Bronislava Nijinska, a key figure in twentieth-century dance, affectionately known within her family as Bronia. A choreographer, dancer, teacher and author of writings on dance, Nijinska left a lasting mark on the history of the performing arts, contributing to the development of choreographic avant-garde movements.

The sister of the celebrated Vaslav Nijinsky, she forged an independent artistic career in an environment largely dominated by male figures. Through an artistic approach that combined abstraction and emotion, she challenged the artistic and social conventions of her time, transforming movement into a means of expression and freedom.

Despite the importance of her innovations, her artistic legacy remained in the shadows for many years before being rediscovered and reassessed by new generations of choreographers and performers.

It is this story that inspires Antonio de Rosa and Mattia Russo. With Bronia, the two artists bring renewed attention to a woman who helped transform the language of dance, celebrating her courage, creativity and ability to overcome the limitations imposed by her era.

The dramaturgy is by Agnès López-Río, while the set design is by Amber Vandenhoeck in collaboration with the choreographers. Original music is composed by Alejandro Da Rocha and other artists, costumes are designed by Luca Guarini, and lighting is by Samuel Thery.

Founded in 2015 and based in Madrid, the Kor’sia collective pursues a choreographic approach that places the body at the centre of its storytelling. Its productions explore the relationship between the individual and society, tradition and contemporary culture, through a physical and visual language. Over the years, the company has collaborated with major international dance institutions, including the Compañía Nacional de Danza, Nederlands Dans Theater and GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, gaining increasing recognition on the European stage.

“Altro Canto” by Jean-Christophe Maillot: Where Dance Meets Baroque Music

Alongside Bronia, audiences will have the opportunity to experience Altro Canto, a choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot that premiered on 19 April 2006 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

Running for 38 minutes, the work is set to music by Claudio Monteverdi, Biagio Marini and Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger, in recordings performed by the Ensemble Akademia under the direction of Françoise Lasserre.

In this ballet, music becomes the driving force behind the movement, guiding the dancers through a succession of images in which spirituality and sensuality meet. The choreography creates a dialogue between the sacred and the earthly, revealing the expressive power of the body and human emotion.

The stage design evokes the atmosphere of cathedrals and the striking contrasts between light and shadow found in the paintings of Georges de La Tour. Beneath a canopy of candles, the dancers intertwine, rise and move apart, creating compositions that evoke sacred imagery while retaining the physicality and emotional intensity of dance.

Altro Canto is also a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, who designed the costumes for the production in 2006. The set design is by artist and designer Rolf Sachs, while the lighting is by Dominique Drillot, a long-standing collaborator of Jean-Christophe Maillot.

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo at the Grimaldi Forum: Dates, Times and Tickets

December’s programme offers audiences the opportunity to experience two very different works, united by their ability to tell stories through the body and movement. On the one hand, Bronia revisits the life and artistic legacy of Bronislava Nijinska; on the other, Altro Canto brings Baroque music into dialogue with a contemporary choreographic vision, blending spiritual inspiration with aesthetic exploration.

The three performances will take place at the Salle des Princes of the Grimaldi Forum Monaco according to the following schedule:

• Saturday 19 December 2026, at 7.30 pm.

• Sunday 20 December 2026, at 3 pm.
• Monday 21 December 2026, at 7.30 pm.

Tickets start at €25 for Category 3, €34 for Category 2 and €39 for Category 1. A special rate of €15 in all categories is available for audience members under the age of 25. Special rates for groups are also available.

Bookings can be made through the Grimaldi Forum box office by calling +377 99 99 30 00, or at the Salle Garnier of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo by calling +377 92 00 13 70.

Tickets can also be purchased online through the official websites www.balletsdemontecarlo.com and www.montecarloticket.com.

A round-trip transport service from Nice, called Voiture Ballet, will also be available for the performance on Monday 21 December.

With Bronia and Altro Canto, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo present a programme bringing together heritage, innovation and choreographic exploration, reaffirming Monaco’s position as an international centre for dance.