Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival: Guide & Performance Schedule
Complete guide to the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival: history, venue, tickets, artists, and practical tips for attending this intimate jazz event in Monaco.
Key facts
- Founded
- 2006 by Société des Bains de Mer
- When
- Late November (approx. 2 weeks)
- Venue
- Salle Garnier, Opéra de Monte-Carlo
- Capacity
- ~524 seats (intimate setting)
- Tickets
- From approx. 30 EUR
About the Festival
The Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival was created in 2006 by the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), the company behind Monte-Carlo's legendary casinos and luxury hotels. Held every November, the festival brings world-class jazz, soul, blues and world music performers to the opulent Salle Garnier inside the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.
What sets this festival apart is its intimate scale. With only around 524 seats, the Salle Garnier offers a remarkably close experience between artists and audience, set within a lavish 19th-century opera house overlooking the Mediterranean.
Programme and Artists
The festival typically presents around ten to fifteen concerts over two weeks. The programming blends traditional jazz with contemporary jazz fusion, soul, blues and world music. Past performers include Diana Krall, Gregory Porter, Marcus Miller, Melody Gardot, Jamie Cullum, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Roberto Fonseca and Kyle Eastwood.
Each edition features a mix of headline concerts in the Salle Garnier and smaller performances in adjoining spaces within the Casino de Monte-Carlo complex.
Tickets and Prices
Tickets go on sale several months before the festival through the Monte-Carlo SBM website. Prices vary by artist and seating:
- Standard seats: approximately 30 to 80 EUR
- Premium seats: approximately 80 to 180 EUR
- VIP packages: dinner-concert combinations at higher price points
Popular headliners sell out quickly, so early booking is recommended.
Venue
All performances take place in and around the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, located within the Casino de Monte-Carlo building on Place du Casino. The main venue, the Salle Garnier, was designed by Charles Garnier (architect of the Paris Opera) and inaugurated in 1879.
The venue is in the heart of Monte-Carlo, within walking distance of major hotels and easily accessible by bus or on foot from anywhere in Monaco.
Practical Tips
- Book early for headline acts, as the small venue capacity means tickets sell out fast
- Dress code: smart-casual is appropriate; this is a refined Monaco venue
- The festival coincides with a quieter period in Monaco, making hotel rates more reasonable than in summer
- Combine your visit with Monaco's other November attractions, including the National Day celebrations on 19 November
- Restaurants around Place du Casino and the Hotel de Paris area are convenient for pre-concert dining
Frequently asked questions
The information provided is for general guidance only. For official procedures, always consult the official sources.
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