Updated on August 14, 2026
On the occasion of the 20th edition of the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival, Alfonso Ciulla, Artistic Director of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, reflects on the history and distinctiveness of this autumn event, now firmly recognised among Europe’s leading festivals. Surrounded by legendary figures, emerging talents, an exceptional heritage setting, and a spirit of discovery, he advocates for an inclusive vision of jazz—faithful to its legacy yet firmly focused on its future.
Twenty years is a significant milestone. What does this anniversary mean to you as Artistic Director, and also for Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer ?
Alfonso Ciulla : This is a significant milestone. It is naturally a moment to reflect on the journey so far and to look ahead. As Artistic Director, I feel immense pride: having watched the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival grow, evolve, and establish itself as an unmissable event, all while staying true to its identity and reinventing itself with each edition. For twenty years, the festival has had the privilege of hosting exceptional artists, uncovering new voices, and sharing unique moments with the audience. Its distinctive character lies precisely in this meeting between jazz legends, emerging talent, and a loyal, curious, and discerning audience.
For Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, this anniversary embodies a persistent dedication to artistic creation and excellence. Music is a fundamental part of the experience we aim to provide: one where emotion, elegance, and sharing take centre stage. Celebrating this 20th edition is therefore a way of expressing gratitude to everyone who has contributed to this story. It also reaffirms our ambition: to continue establishing the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival as an international benchmark, always true to the spirit of jazz — demanding, free, and profoundly alive.
How did the festival establish its legitimacy within the landscape of major jazz events in France and across Europe ?
Alfonso Ciulla : Legitimacy is not bestowed; it is earned over time through consistency. For twenty years, the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival has gained the trust of artists, audiences, and industry professionals by maintaining an artistic approach that is demanding, coherent, and true to the spirit of jazz. With Reno Di Matteo, we have consistently prioritised quality over quantity. We invite renowned musicians who are significant in jazz history, as well as artists who challenge its boundaries and explore new perspectives. This artistic rigour, combined with the stunning setting of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and the distinguished standards upheld by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, has naturally allowed the festival to distinguish itself on the European stage.
Our identity also relies on a certain freedom. Jazz is a lively music that dialogues with soul, blues, world music, and contemporary sounds. This openness enables us to present an ambitious programme without ever deviating from the festival’s essence.
The recognition it currently enjoys stems from sustained, long-term effort. Perhaps the most evident sign of its legitimacy is the loyalty of the renowned artists who return to perform in Monte Carlo, along with an audience from Monaco, the surrounding region, and across Europe who share our high standards and passion for discovery.
Jazz has a distinctive identity, but its boundaries with world music, pop, and electronic music are becoming increasingly blurred. Which artistic line do you uphold ?
Alfonso Ciulla : Jazz is a music that has never ceased to evolve. Its history is one of encounter, cross-fertilisation, improvisation and freedom. It therefore naturally engages with soul, funk, world music, pop and electronic sounds.
My artistic approach is primarily to remain true to that spirit. I am not attempting to confine jazz within a fixed definition, but to highlight artists who embody its values: musical rigour, creativity, a taste for risk, and emotion. Whether they come from traditional jazz or explore new realms, they must all possess a genuine artistic personality. That singularity is what truly matters.
The Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival is a place for encounters and discovery. We bring iconic figures who have shaped jazz history into dialogue with a new generation of musicians who are reinventing the rules and opening new perspectives. This diversity is a strength, provided it is underpinned by authentic artistic coherence. We aim to present a programme that surprises, that unites styles and generations, while remaining true to the very essence of jazz: freedom, sharing, and musical excellence. It is this balance between heritage and innovation that defines the festival’s identity and, I believe, explains its success over the past twenty years.
Having a jazz festival in an opera house remains quite unusual. Are the artists sensitive to this setting?
Alfonso Ciulla : Absolutely. It is one of the defining features of the Monte‑Carlo Jazz Festival. The Opéra de Monte‑Carlo is a venue rich in history and extraordinary beauty, fostering an intimate connection between artists and audiences. This ambience transforms each concert into a unique and privileged experience. We should also acknowledge the foresight of Jean‑René Palacio, who envisioned this festival in such a magnificent setting twenty years ago.
Musicians are often immediately captivated upon first encountering the Salle Garnier. Its architecture, acoustics, and elegance render it a truly unique venue, markedly different from large arenas or open-air festivals.
Many tell us they immediately sense the hall's soul, and that it influences how they perform. It creates a particular kind of listening—an intensity, almost intimacy—that fosters improvisation and emotion. This is also what makes the festival unique. We offer an experience where heritage meets creation, with an iconic venue hosting music that is profoundly alive and in constant evolution. This dialogue between the history of the Opera and the freedom of jazz produces a very special alchemy, greatly appreciated by both artists and audiences.
Over the past twenty years, which artists have played the greatest role in shaping the festival’s identity?
Alfonso Ciulla : It would be difficult to name just a few without doing an injustice to all the artists who have played a part in shaping its history. Each, in their own way, has contributed to building the identity of the Monte‑Carlo Jazz Festival. That said, certain major figures have left a particularly notable mark. Artists such as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Marcus Miller, Diana Krall, George Benson, and Dee Dee Bridgewater have exemplified this artistic rigour and the ability to connect with a broad audience whilst remaining deeply faithful to the spirit of jazz.
However, the festival’s identity has never been built solely around the great legends. It also depends on unexpected encounters, original creations, discoveries, and artists who have helped push the genre’s boundaries further. That diversity is what makes us unique.
Essentially, what has given the festival its character over the past twenty years is, above all, the shared emotions within the Salle Garnier. Those evenings when an artist, a venue, and an audience come together in an almost magical way. These are the moments that stay in people’s memories. They are what inspire artists to return and what encourage audiences to remain loyal to us year after year.
How do you imagine the Monte‑Carlo Jazz Festival in twenty years?
Alfonso Ciulla : I hope, above all, that it will have remained true to its identity. A festival does not last for twenty, forty, or fifty years because it follows trends, but because it knows how to evolve without abandoning what gives it soul. In twenty years, I envisage a Monte‑Carlo Jazz Festival that remains artistically demanding and capable of welcoming the biggest names alongside the talents who will shape the jazz of tomorrow.
Jazz will continue to evolve, engaging with other aesthetics and reinventing itself. The festival must remain a space of freedom, curiosity, and discovery.
I also hope it will continue to offer that unique experience found nowhere else: a concert in the Salle Garnier, where the prestige of heritage combines with the energy of creation. This alchemy between an exceptional venue, inspired artists, and a passionate audience is our greatest asset.
If, in twenty years, the Monte‑Carlo Jazz Festival is still recognised as an unmissable event—where people attend as much for the programme's excellence as for the emotion of the moments experienced—then we will have achieved our aim. The best way to prepare for the future is to keep making jazz live with the same passion, rigour, and desire to surprise.
You might also like…
Margherita Dallaiti, the paper in bloom
For the establishments of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, Italian artist and designer Margherita Dallaiti has created floral arrangements designed to complement the iconic interiors of these luxury hotels.
Céline Pagès: “Paper has been a constant thread throughout my career.”
Since early June, several facades of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer have been adorned with giant figures created by Christine Marchal, founder of the Madame Ernest agency, and Céline Pagès, an artist who holds a degree in Arts & Scenography from the Pavillon Bosio in Monaco.
My Monaco : The Principality as seen by Francis Mercier
Meeting Francis Mercier: The Elegance of Afro House in Monaco
