Created by André Böröcz, directed by Paul-Emmanuel Thomas, the Mentone Music Festival is one of the oldest and most prestigious in Europe.
The festival has been welcoming the greatest classical artists in the world for seventy years. For a fortnight between July and August, outdoor concerts take place in front of the harbor on the parvis of the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel.
In August 1949, André Böröcz, a Hungarian artist who reached Paris after the war, made a stop in Menton. Wandering around the old town, he stands open-mouthed in front of the parvis of the basilica of St. Michael, stupefied by the panoramic view of the Mediterranean. Overcome with emotion, the notes of the melody of Bach’s second violin partita played by Jasha Heifetz, coming from a radio set, reach his attention. Time stops then. André Böröcz then makes a dream: to relive this magical moment and share it. This is how the Menton Music Festival was born.
It is an event that, over the years, has managed to establish itself as one of the most important events in the region both for the quality of the programming on offer and for its exceptional setting.
For a fortnight between July and August, open-air concerts take place in front of the harbor on the parvis of the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel. An impressive scene for exceptional musical programming featuring great performers and extraordinary operatic talents.
For several years, the festival has also been distinguished by the presence of lesser-known but nonetheless promising artists at musical gatherings at the Jean Cocteau Museum.
A must-see event for music lovers!