This important event is growing in popularity : 30,000 spectators in 2005, 40,000 in 2006 and 50,000 in 2007. “C’est pas Classique” takes up (and wins !) the challenge of placing classical music within everyone’s reach, offering, for that very purpose, a series of about 100 free concerts. This fourth edition will take a special interest in opera by proposing a programme revolving around the theme of “The Voice and the Opera”. Soloists, quartets, chamber, symphony and philharmonic orchestras will be hard at work for a full three days in order to win over the public. Eve Ruggieri will present great operatic airs on the opening night and a conference will be chaired by Frédéric Mittérand.
From October 31th to November 2nd, Palais Acropolis (04 97 18 62 06).

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Monaco’s International Fair has invited Russia to introduce us to its gastronomy, crafts and folklore. Visitors will also find all kinds of novelties in the fields of health and beauty care, tourism, decoration, telecommunications, the home… Not to be missed : well-being dedicated to both men and women.
From October 11th to 19th, Espace Fontvieille, Monaco. www.foiredemonaco.com

Daniel Benoin has taken up the challenge of staging “Rock’N’Roll”, a remarkable play by Tom Stoppard about Europe and its contradictions. From the crushing of the spring uprising of 1968 to the Rolling Stones concert in the Trahov stadium in 1990,we follow the political and cultural path taken by the main protagonists, Max and Jan.
From September 26th to October 23th, Théâtre National de Nice (04 93 13 90 90).

Talent is not a matter of years. Katie Melua is a fine example !
This 23 year-old singer already boasts a busy artistic career and her popularity seems hardly likely to fade. Her unique voice and ballads have already made their way around the world. Her last album, “Pictures”, confirms her talent. On stage, charm casts its spell…
October 23th at Palais Acropolis, Nice (04 97 25 81 36).

ToulonTraced in this exhibition devoted to André Hambourg. Dubbed “Official Painter of the French Navy” in 1952, the artist had an unlimited passion for the sea and seascapes, ports, fishing boats, tall sail ships… In keeping with his wishes, his wife Nicole has made a large donation of his works, all of which are now presented here. Boardings and ports-of-call take turns in his canvasses, the spectator embarks on a voyage while discovering each one. For André Hambourg constantly travelled the world on board outstanding ships such as Le Richelieu, Le Colbert, the aircraft-carrier Le Foch and helicopter-carrier Le Jeanne d’Arc. He lingered on in Normandy or Venice, travelled several times around the world, always demonstrating a keen sensitivity and an ability to immortalize the finest images that the world offers us on a daily basis.
Until December 31th at Musée National de la Marine (04 94 02 02 01).

Art shares the limelight with wine for the duration of a weekend, in a fair promoting congeniality. Fans of fine vintages will be spoilt thanks to the many vintners who will come to present their wines and propose tastings. As for art, the theme of vines is naturally on the bill, interpreted in the selection of paintings and sculptures on display.
October 18th and 19th, Salle des Fêtes and Mairie de Théoule (04 93 49 28 28).

The plot focuses on the world of business and, unusually, involves a cast of ten. The play “Les Riches reprennent Confiance” by Louis-Charles Sirjacq is a real comedy of manners. In this stage production signed Etienne Bierry, it benefits from perfect rhythm while portraying social realities admirably well. We follow the changing fortunes of Bruno Sobin, a greedy businessman obsessed by all kinds of acquisitions and, above all, eagerly awaited by similar practitioners of his sort… A character played by Jacques Franz, surrounded by a pleiad of talented and energetic actors who give themselves body and soul to this performance of rare intelligence and wit. The dialogues are racy, the situations comical. A play well worth the detour !
From October 16th to 19th, Théâtre Princesse Grace (00 377 93 50 03 45).

For its sixth edition, this event proposes an artistic circuit during which the visitor will discover works by Ben, Nicolas Lavarenne, Olivier Roche, Kim Boulukos etc. Inspired by the theme of “Touching”, they take their place in the midst of nature. “No-Made” thus takes the environment into consideration, making it a place in which culture can be free.
From October 5th to June 1st 2009, Arboretum Marcel Kroenlein, Roure. www.arboretum-roure.org

From the worlds of art, fashion and interior decoration, several creators will be united in three different spaces, inspired by very different themes. On level +1 : customisation of objects and fashion silhouettes ; level +2 : baroque chic revisited and, on level -1 : a very contemporary offering entitled “Color Design”. Stéphane Cipre, Yves Hayat, Bernard Taride, Jacqueline Torres and Célia Gouveiac are among those topping the list for this fascinating event.
From October 13th to 18th, Centre Commercial Nice Etoile.

This photographer from the Luberon, almost 80 years old, has fallen under the charm of Biot. In the 1950’s, he produced a series of photos bearing witness to the village’s life and history. Exploring colour, constantly enriching his work with techniques such as metallic toning and engraving with gelatine, Denis Brihat also shows a compelling interest in nature.
Until November 15th, office de tourisme de Biot (04 93 65 78 00).

Preceded by her monumental assemblages in bronze, cast iron, stone and steel which survey Quai Antoine 1er, the great Beverly Pepper, a leading light in contemporary sculpture, is coming to Monaco to present her work in person. Once a pupil of Fernand Léger and André Lhote, she stands out for the pure, geometric shapes of pieces whose external surfaces, polished like mirrors, allow sculpture to melt into its surroundings thanks to a subtle play of movement. “With this polished finish,” she says, “I try to obtain not only the effect of an illusion, but also to include the person who is looking at the sculpture, in order to create an on-going exchange between the spectator and the work”. Beverly Pepper is also renowned worldwide for her Land Art installations which penetrate both time and space : giant columns, sentinels and large-scale land projects, to be discovered in Terni in Italy, the Grand Rapids in the state of Michigan, in Barcelona and Zurich.
Until November 28th to Galerie Marlborough (00 377 97 70 25 50).

His previous show entitled “Laurent Gerra flingue la Télé” has become “Laurent Gerra flingue en Musique”. The comedian has enlisted the Fred Manoukian Orchestra and imitates all the celebrities of the small screen (presenters, singers, actors, politicians...) with real talent. A vitriolic show in true music-hall tradition.
Saturday, October 18th to La Palestre, Le Cannet (0 892 683 622).

“Le monde est fou, j’adore !”… The title of this exhibition clearly announces the theme that Antonio Saint Silvestre enjoys developing in his work. An artist especially fascinated by human nature, a vast playground ! A painter then a sculptor, Silvestre creates characters with a childlike air who serve as symbols for more serious contemplation...
Until november 30th at Centre d’Art La Malmaison, Cannes (04 97 06 44 90).

It’s not without humour that Richard Deacon calls himself a “fabricator”, there where others would use the term “sculptor”. Ceramics now play an important part in his work which, even while still abstract, makes frequent allusions to organic and anatomic forms. His creations testify to a universally palpable expression of freedom and poetry.
Until november 17th at Musée National Pablo Picasso La Guerre et la Paix, Vallauris (04 93 64 71 83).

A crisis in figurative art ? A subject that hardly exists ? Inability to capture the human soul ? Art takes a fresh look at all these questions, proposing a reflection on the inexhaustible subject of the face. Here, however, the theme is limited to the “Visage qui s’efface”. World-renowned artists such as Giacometti, Klee and Dubuffet, and others less well-known (Isabelle Cornaro, Marc Perez, Denis Montfleur…) all reveal their own point of view. We thus discover notions such as multiples, haziness, transparency, sketchiness, deletion… Representation of the human face is once again turned upside down and inside out, allowing for a wealth of creativity. In all these canvases that try to efface the “mirror of the soul”, we nevertheless distinguish identities, some rather disquieting…
From september 20th to november 23th, Hôtel des Arts (04 94 91 69 18).

Throughout his life, Hans Hartung collected and preserved his own work with the aim of presenting it in its entirety rather than allowing it to be dispersed on the art market. Over 250 paintings and drawings executed from 1922 to 1989 are on display, enabling visitors to appreciate the scope of a lifework over which the artist maintained full control.
Until november 16th at Fondation Maeght, Saint-Paul de Vence (04 93 32 81 63).

Born in Fontenay-sous-Bois, Marcel Van Thienen was more closely attached to Le Lavandou. In fact, the site of its Cultural Centre is indicated by one of his large mobile sculptures, “Héliosolaire”. The town has organized a tribute to this artist who passed away ten years ago. Works inherited by the town are joined by those of his late wife Lalan and his friends Dietrich-Mohr, Denis Montfleur and José Subira-Puig.
Until September 28th at Espace culturel, Le Lavandou (04 94 05 15 70).

It has taken two-and-a-half years to renovate the Picasso Museum in Antibes which is finally re-opening its doors to the public. While the castle’s façades and roofs have been restored, the undertaking mostly involved plans for interior restructuring. The aim of providing improved conditions for the reception of visitors (access for the handicapped, cloakrooms, washrooms, book shop…) and conservation of artworks (creation of showcases, temperature control…) has been achieved. On entering the ground-floor, one discovers the admirable Hartung-Bergman donation. The first floor is devoted to temporary exhibitions and presentation of the Nicolas de Staël collection. Quite logically, the top floor is reserved for the Picasso collection, in and around the studio area where the artist worked in 1946 at the invitation of curator Romuald Dor de la Souchère.
Musée Picasso, Château d’Antibes (04 92 90 54 26).

Those proposed by Serge Mendjisky are extremely original. The artist starts with photographs that he cuts then glues onto canvas. In his photomontages, he reorganizes both time and space in cities such as New York. As well as offering real esthetic appeal, the result is truly captivating.
Until october 10th at Contemporary Fine Art Gallery, Saint-Tropez (06 76 87 41 52).

The antique-dealers’ neighbourhood on the Port of Nice is home to a new art-gallery. Named quite simply “Galerie de Nice”, benefitting from elegant decor in exhibition space of 90 m2, it is the result of an initiative undertaken by fervent art-fans Annabelle and David Rebuffet. They decided to open a gallery to show the work of contemporary artists, young and not-so-young, whom they select intuitively. In fact, the couple base their choices on works that strike a chord and intend to present techniques, reflections, but also diverse and fascintating personalities to the public. The work of Pierre Fonferrier, for example, will certainly draw visitors’ attention. Three years ago, this realist, even naturalist, painter decided he would never touch a brush again. Among the canvases, drawings and studies that he has produced, there are still a few pieces that you can admire and maybe even acquire...
From september 15th to october 15th, Galerie de Nice (04 92 12 97 07).

Incredible ! An exhibition that transports us to the year 4008, inviting us to see what will be left of our world… “FuturAntérieur” makes us smile but also provides food for thought. By displaying everyday objects stripped of their familiarity and reduced to the state of remains, this exhibition proves above all that, whether dedicated to past or future, archeology is always an imperfect discipline.
Until october 5th au musée d’archéologie, Antibes (04 92 90 54 37).

“The purpose of painting is painting itself,” stated Claude Viallat in the ’seventies. A statement that sparked off a controversy, marked a separation from the too well-behaved abstraction of the School of Paris and led to the formation of “Supports-Surfaces”, a group of Mediterranean artists drawn by American Abstract Expressionism. The two concurrent exhibitions referred to here are more than a simple tribute to the master of colour and form. Fascinated by the freedom and “frankness” of Matisse, Viallat initiated a dazzling dialogue between the master’s vision and his own approach. Form is abolished : there simply remains a flow of colours, of breathtaking inventiveness. Nevertheless, while the “flesh” of the canvas conveys a certain eroticism with exotic accents in Indian rose, aniseed greens and electric blues, their spirituality is often palpable. For Claude Viallat, painting is a field of investigation but, above all, plainsong.
Until october 18th, Galerie Catherine Issert, Saint-Paul et Atelier Soardi, Nice.

Man, time and mobility are the themes represented in Nathalie Decoster’s sculptures. About twenty artworks (including life-size trees and tiny figures), half of them specially created for the event, are dotted around the gardens, terraces and surrounding areas of the Hôtel du Castellet. Thanks to the association “L’Art Prend l’Air”, which has partnered the event.
Until Septembre 30th, Le Castellet (04 94 98 37 77).

Ah ! The “Front Populaire” and paid holidays… Celebrating this historic legislation passed in the ’fifties, Fernand Léger painted a series of canvases, all on the theme of holidays, leisure and gaiety in general. It gave us “La Partie de Campagne”, “Les Cyclistes”, “Le Campeur”, “La Joie de Vivre sur Fond Ocre”, “Pique-nique au Bord de la Marne”, “Les Deux Amoureux”, “Baigneuses”… works which all convey, as soon as one hears their titles, the overall good mood that reigned at the time. To this exhibit, and on the same theme, are added photographs by Willy Ronis, Robert Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson and André Kertész, in which we rediscover more happy campers and fishermen, and the same symbols of freedom (cars, bicycles…). “La Partie de Campagne, Fernand Léger et ses Amis Photographes” is undoubtedly the most heart-warming exhibition of the summer.
Until September 29th at Musée National Fernand Léger (04 92 91 50 30).

These “Bijoux d’été” can be admired in a superb 18th-century mansion which also offers inviting guest-rooms. The collection consists of many unique items, authentic works of art, designed by various contemporary artists. Including Christian Astuguevieille, who proposes match-ing jewellery in outsize dimensions.
Until October 5th at Maison du Village, Saint-Rémy de Provence (04 32 60 68 20).

Like Seurat, Cross and Signac, Maximilien Luce was a fully-fledged member of the Divisionist movement. In some fifty paintings and drawings from Paris, New York, London, Geneva and Brussels, we discover a painter of a confidential nature, whose talent was overshadowed by his life as a militant. He even contributed to anarchist magazines. At the end of his life, nature pervaded his works, his canvases became airier, his touch became smoother, more gentle. The exhibition “Les Travaux et les Jours” is an excellent introduction to Maximilien Luce.
From July 5th to October 13th, Musée de L’Annonciade, Saint-Tropez (04 94 17 84 10).

As art has its place everywhere, the Château Sainte-Roseline is exhibiting nine works by César this summer, in its wine-cellars and the alleys amidst the vines. Strolling around the estate, the visitor discovers “La Tête au Pain”, “L’homme de Villetaneuse”, “Grosse Ginette”, “Grande Rambaus” and many more sculptures by this well-known artist.
From June 28th to September 27th, Les Arcs (04 94 99 50 30).

For its main annual exhibition, the Château de Villeneuve is showing the work of François Morellet, a figurative painter until 1949 who turned abstract in 1950. Entitled “45 Light Years”, the exhibit, in retrospective style, traces the artist’s career chronologically from 1963 to 2008, the materials that have inspired him - light bulbs, neon, blue and red gas -, and his geometric shapes, undulating movements and interactive procedures… As emphasized by Zia Mirabdolbaghi : “The artist does not impose his vision of a given subjective content. On the contrary : the visitor is totally free to give his own vision of the work in an interpretation produced by his own field of perception”.
Until November 2nd, at the Château de Villeneuve, Fondation Emile Hugues (04 93 58 15 78).

Antibes, his town by adoption, is paying tribute to Peynet. For a whole six months, the museum which bears his name is devoting its entire premises to his work. All of Raymond Peynet can thus be seen, his “Loving Couples”, of course (born in 1943), but also his drawings for advertising, the cinema, decoration, his sketches for the press, manufactured products and illustrations. A highly prolific artist, Peynet described how his little couple first came into being : “Seated on a bench, I drew the bandstand just in front of me, with a little violonist playing all alone on the stage, and a little woman listening and waiting for him”. In parallel to the exhibition, the Peynet Year will feature workshops for children and adults on certain Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Until November 16th, Musée Peynet (04 92 90 54 30).

“The aim is to exalt all the quintessential substance of the flavour.” Thus spake Bernard Loiseau, the chef to whom the region’s most culinary museum has decided to pay tribute. We thus plunge into the world of the chef via the tale of his life, anecdotes and testimonials contributed by his wife and his team. And we come face to face with an inventive cook and an instinctive, sensitive, charismatic, tender and jovial human being… Quite simply, Bernard Loiseau.
Until October 31th, at Musée Escoffier de l’Art Culinaire, Villeneuve-Loubet (04 93 20 80 51).

Saint-Paul-de-Vence Michel Degav’s paintings convey sincere emotion, rare spontaneity and an evident desire to share all the beauty he sees around him. Landscapes of Provence and Italy, fishing harbours, luxuriant gardens, hang alongside portraits of young girls and magnificent horses. Brilliant colours, shimmering light and vibrating heat, executed, or almost sculpted, with a palette-knife to give texture, depth and relief. Michel Degav and his wife Anna, his muse but also an active partner, welcome to the gallery they opened a few years ago, people who appreciate beauty and authenticity and who regularly return to rediscover their captivating world.
82 rue Grande (04 93 32 09 86).
www.degav.com