The glittering Salle Garnier was packed to capacity on the night of Monday, April 28 as nearly 400 guests gathered for the debut of Esultate, a new documentary chronicling the extraordinary legacy of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. The film is the brainchild of Monegasque journalist Frédéric Laurent and his son Jérémie, who have taken on the ambitious task of capturing nearly a century of operatic splendour on screen.

Among the audience were some of Monaco’s most distinguished figures, including His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, Her Royal Highness the Princess of Hanover, and key government officials. Their presence underscored the cultural importance of the film and the enduring place the Opera holds in the Principality’s identity.

The 64-minute first episode, the opening act of a four-part series, explores the years 1879 to 1951—a golden age for the institution, marked by world premieres of over 80 operas and performances from the era’s most celebrated voices. Much of the narrative centres on Raoul Gunsbourg, who led the Opera for nearly six decades and was the first Artistic Director of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer. Under his baton and with the patronage of Prince Albert I, Monte-Carlo became a cornerstone of the global opera scene.

“What we’re presenting is a world first,” said Frédéric Laurent. “There’s no other comprehensive, televised history of a major opera house anywhere. The depth of the content is simply unmatched.” The title Esultate is a nod to Verdi’s Otello, one of the many legendary works to grace the Monte-Carlo stage.

The documentary is a feat of archival storytelling, incorporating more than 180 opera clips, 700 illustrations, and dozens of interviews. It paints a vivid portrait of an institution whose influence on Monaco’s artistic prestige cannot be overstated.

Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, long a benefactor of the arts, played a crucial role in supporting the project. The organisation opened its vast historical archives to the Laurents, digitising 149 opera programmes and lending rare visual material to the production.

Stéphane Valeri, President-Delegate of SBM, praised the documentary as a meticulous labour of love: “Frédéric Laurent’s passion and precision were immediately evident. This was clearly a monumental task—and a successful one. The Opera, fuelled by the vision of Monaco’s sovereigns, has long been a beacon of cultural excellence. This film reminds us why.”

The remaining chapters of Esultate are expected to premiere in the coming months, promising to take audiences even deeper into the artistic heart of Monaco’s past.

Image courtesy of the Government Communication Office – Manuel VitaliHis Serene Highness Prince Albert II and Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline, surrounded, from left to right, by Jean-Louis Grinda, Adviser to President Stéphane Valeri for cultural and artistic affairs, Frédéric Laurent, Jérémie Laurent, and Stéphane Valeri, Executive President of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Group