MONACO TRADITIONS
THE HISTORY
OF MONACO BALLS : magnificence and charity
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A title page of the ballet ‘ Les Entretiens de Diane et d ’ Apollon ’ presented in the Monaco Palace in 1654 . A . P . M . Reprod . Geoffroy Moufflet – A . P . M .
By Julia Belyakova
The history of Monaco Balls goes back well into the 17th century . Prince Honoré II introduced this tradition of ceremonial evenings and bright performances from the French royal court in Versailles under the rule of Louis XIV . Experienced with ballet productions in France , he organized their first performance in Monaco in 1654 . Ballet productions eventually become very popular in the Principality , making it one of the brightest royal courts in those days . The court life of Monaco , however , was not limited to ballet performances only . Over time , some very magnificent balls and charitable gala evenings became a common occurrence in the Principality .
© alamy . com The Monte-Carlo Opera
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Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace arriving at the Monte- Carlo Centenary Ball , 1966
Monte-Carlo Centenary Ball
This unique ball at the Belle Époque Monaco “ Opera ” was hosted by Hélène Rochas on May 27 , 1966 . It was a one-off event to celebrate the Monte-Carlo centenary . The ball was opened by Princess Grace attired in a magnificent coronation tiara that belonged to Josephine Beauharnais . The founder of the Chaumet jewellery house , Marie-Etienne Nitot , used some 1,040 diamonds to create this masterpiece on the occasion of Napoleon ’ s coronation , on December 2 , 1804 .
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Later on , the French government decided to sell the tiara . Nowadays , it is the property of Van Cleef & Arpels who granted Princess Grace permission to wear it at the Monte-Carlo Centenary Ball .