It is a mini-metropolis: you have everything you would find in one of the world’s largest cities while, at the same time, it is so comfy that you can reach most things on foot, and if not by using an efficient public transport system. Apart from a very particular history, Monaco shows grandeur but also has intimate, beautiful spots, Mediterranean flair, and a most pleasant microclimate.

Breakfast on my balcony to check how the sea is doing, a short walk to the theatre, administrative work or rehearsal, back home with a stop at a local food market to cook a light lunch, a short rest, back to the theatre for a rehearsal or performance. And if my evening is free, I attend one of the many other interesting cultural events in Monaco, or simply spend some quality time with friends.

The Place du Casino because of its unique mixture of Mediterranean beauty and glamour, the Vieille-Ville with its charming narrow lanes and Italian atmosphere, the relaxed Condamine Market at the foot of the towering Rock, the beautiful sands of the Larvotto beach…

My début at the Salle Garnier in 1989 in Rossini’s ‘‘Barber of Seville’’, at the very beginning of my career as an opera singer. All the more significant, as in my first year as Director of the Opéra in 2023, I sang in this piece here once again, in a very funny and successful new production.