In an era often defined by global discord, the Principality of Monaco is asserting a different kind of force: the power of the written and spoken word. On March 26 and 27, 2026, the inaugural edition of "Monaco poésie nuit et jour" will take place at the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, signaling a new cultural commitment to the literary arts.
Created under the high patronage and in the presence of H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover, the event is an initiative of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer and the Hôtel Hermitage, the self-styled "Hôtel des Connaisseurs." The organizers frame the gathering as a necessary response to the "tumult of the world," positioning Monaco as a sanctuary of peace, culture, and beauty where poetry has a vital role to play.
The program begins on the evening of Thursday, March 26, with a performance by the acclaimed actor Lambert Wilson. Accompanied by pianist Karol Beffa, Wilson will recite and sing poems in French, English, Italian, and Spanish. To ensure accessibility, translations will be projected within the historic Salle Belle Époque.
The evening continues with a "Signature Dinner" by Chef Yannick Alléno, beginning at 8:00 p.m. The dinner will be punctuated by an "exceptional declamation" kept secret by organizers, followed by readings from poets Louis-Philippe Dalembert and Pascal Bacqué. Beffa will return to the piano to provide "musical translations" of the verses through live improvisation. The night concludes with a "Poetic Jam Session" (Bœuf poétique), where guests are invited to read poems of their choice in any language, aided by instantaneous translation technology - an intentional embrace of what the organizers call the "delight of imagination" over rigid order.
The second day, Friday, March 27, moves into the Salon Excelsior for a series of intellectual encounters. Thierry Consigny, the event's curator and author of works such as Léopoldine and La Mort de Lara, will open the morning with a discussion titled "Misery and Splendor of Poetry," exploring why the medium remains indispensable despite its complexities.
The afternoon sessions will spotlight the featured poets. Pascal Bacqué, whose work has been compared to that of Mallarmé, will discuss his epic and metaphysical approach to verse. For Bacqué, "saving the language is saving man," a philosophy that treats the word as a protected treasure. He will be followed by Louis-Philippe Dalembert, the Port-au-Prince-born winner of the 2024 Prix Goncourt de la Poésie and the 2025 Prix Littéraire de la Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco. Dalembert, a former resident of the Villa Medici and a prolific novelist, will reflect on a career that spans continents and languages.
While this first edition is described by its founders as a modest start, it represents a clear ambition to weave the poetic voice into the fabric of Monégasque life. As the organizers noted, "one night, one day - perhaps the future will be written in the plural."
Photo Credits: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer