The Festival de Musique de Menton returns for its 77th edition from July 25 to August 7, bringing around 150 artists to the Parvis of the Basilique Saint-Michel Archange and the Palais de l'Europe for fifteen nights of classical, baroque and jazz performances overlooking the Mediterranean.
The Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice opens the festival under conductor Lionel Bringuier, joined by cellist Gautier Capuçon for Saint-Saëns' Cello Concerto No. 1 alongside a programme of Beethoven. Turkish pianist Fazıl Say returns on August 1 for a solo recital, having previously appeared at the festival in 2022 and 2024.
Violinist Leonidas Kavakos and pianist Enrico Pace perform a chamber recital on August 4. Pianist Alexandre Kantorow, another festival regular, closes the run with a programme spanning Bach, Medtner, Chopin and Beethoven's Sonata No. 32.
The festival was founded in 1949, after the artist André Böröcz fell for the old town of Menton, and has hosted performers including Sviatoslav Richter, Mstislav Rostropovich and Isaac Stern over its history. It has been under the artistic direction of Paul-Emmanuel Thomas since 2012.