Monaco Celebrates Mozart with the Requiem in the Cathedral and a Sculpture Destined for Salzburg

The Principality of Monaco is preparing to celebrate Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart through an event that brings together classical music and contemporary art. On Thursday, 29 October 2026, at 7 pm, Monaco Cathedral will host a performance of the celebrated Requiem in D minor, K. 626, one of the most emblematic works in the sacred music repertoire, as part of a programme dedicated to the Austrian composer.

Held under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, the evening promises to be a significant event in the Principality’s cultural calendar. Alongside the musical tribute, the programme will include the unveiling of a sculpture dedicated to Mozart, created by Brazilian artist Marcos Marín and intended for Salzburg, the composer’s birthplace.

Mozart’s Requiem in Monaco Cathedral

Monaco Cathedral will provide the setting for a major performance of Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, K. 626, the masterpiece left unfinished at the composer’s death in 1791. Distinguished by its dramatic intensity and spiritual depth, the work remains one of the most significant compositions in Western sacred music.

A total of 170 performers will take part in the event, bringing together orchestra, choir and soloists. The Melos Filarmonica Orchestra of Turin, comprising 60 musicians, will perform alongside the 106 members of the Filharmonia Choir of Sanremo, creating a large ensemble designed to showcase the richness and expressive power of the score.

The solo parts will be performed by soprano Corinne Parenti, contralto Claudia Cesarano, tenor Massimo La Guardia and bass Matthew Thistleton. Frédéric Deloche will conduct the performance.

The combination of voices, orchestra and the Cathedral’s acoustics promises to bring out the evocative power of a composition that continues to move audiences more than two centuries after its creation.

Marcos Marín Creates a Sculpture Dedicated to Mozart

The evening will extend beyond the musical performance. At the end of the concert, a sculpture dedicated to Mozart will be unveiled. Standing 117 centimetres tall, the work has been created specifically for the occasion by Marcos Marín, the Brazilian artist internationally known for his work in optical art.

The project draws inspiration from a portrait of the composer painted in Dresden in 1789 and preserved by the International Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg. This historical image serves as the starting point for a new artistic interpretation, bringing the memory of Mozart into dialogue with contemporary artistic expression.

The sculpture will be donated to the Mozarteum Foundation, an internationally recognised institution dedicated to preserving, researching and promoting Mozart’s legacy. The donation to Salzburg gives the initiative a significance that extends beyond the Principality, turning the tribute into a tangible gesture of cultural cooperation.

Riccardo De Caria Supports the Project Through Patronage

The initiative is made possible by patron Riccardo De Caria, who has been committed to supporting Monaco’s musical life for many years. His financial contribution covers both the concert dedicated to the Requiem and the creation of Marcos Marín’s sculpture.

The project highlights the role of cultural patronage in promoting the arts, supporting events that bring together performers, artists and international institutions. In this case, private support enables a programme that combines European musical tradition with contemporary artistic research, while also celebrating the cultural heritage associated with Mozart.

The Monaco Baltic States Association and the Austrian Consulate in Monaco are also involved in the initiative, contributing to the event’s international dimension.

Monaco and Salzburg United by Mozart’s Legacy

The event on 29 October offers an opportunity to strengthen cultural ties between the Principality of Monaco and Salzburg, the Austrian city where Mozart was born in 1756. The concert in the Cathedral and the donation of the sculpture to the Mozarteum Foundation form two complementary parts of the same project: music brings renewed attention to one of the composer’s most powerful works, while contemporary art reinterprets his image through a new visual language.

In 2026, Mozart’s legacy continues to inspire encounters between cultures, artistic disciplines and institutions. Monaco’s tribute reflects this enduring influence, entrusting music and art with the task of keeping alive the dialogue with one of the greatest figures in European musical history.

The performance of the Requiem in the Cathedral and the sculpture destined for Salzburg together form a tribute that looks to the past while embracing the present, reaffirming the enduring power of Mozart’s work to transcend centuries and speak to contemporary audiences.