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Monaco 2024
Seventy choristers and two music staff left Wales on Wednesday, February 29th, 2024, to return to Monaco for the fourth time since 2013 and as guests of honorary member of Treorchy Male Choir HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.
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Below is the write-up of Publicity Officer Tony Giannotti on his tour account.
My first overseas trip with the choir. And what a way to start! To the dazzling glitz and glamour of
Monaco. I’ll do my best to capture the essence of this magical place.
The trip started, as all choir trips seem to, with the coach leaving Blaenrhondda Bridge, at 10.30pm
this time, and picking up the boys from points down the valley, and all the way to Cardiff before
heading east along the M4 to Heathrow.
My pick-up point was going to be at Treforest Trading Estate, where I normally get on but Christian
Jones offered to pick me up and take me to Weatherspoon’s in Pontypridd, where the Ponty
contingent were gathering. Great start to the trip as we waited for the coach to wind its way down
the valley.
A smooth trip along the M4 saw us arrive at Heathrow in the small hours of the morning, with very
little sleep (a recurring theme on this trip!). We checked in for our flight at 4.15am and waited for
the Weatherspoon’s in Terminal 5 to open for a full breakfast about 6am! A short flight later and we
landed in Nice for the coach journey to Monaco, apart from an intrepid foursome who had arranged
to arrive in style, by helicopter!
We didn’t have much time after checking in to the beautiful Fairmont Hotel (situated on the famous
hairpin bend on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit), to get showered, changed and ready for a very
exciting performance. It was a short walk from our hotel, up the hill and next door to the world
famous Monte Carlo Casino stood the magnificent Hotel de Paris: the staggering, opulent venue for
an amazing experience.
Even the foyer in the hotel was breath-taking, so we savoured the surroundings, before being shown
through a corridor lined with glass cabinets, full of top designer clothes and very expensive
jewellery, before entering the Salle Ballroom. I can honestly say, it is one of the most incredible
rooms I have ever seen, with its crystal chandeliers, luxurious furniture and priceless artworks
adorning the walls. There was no time to dwell however, as we needed to practise staging positions
and do a sound check. At that point we met Mike Doyle, the Welsh entertainer, who was also
performing that evening. Mike has a fantastic voice and I strongly recommend going to see him if
you get a chance. He was rehearsing a great new song, ‘Forever in Wales’, and invited us to sing the
chorus with him – in front of royalty, with very little notice………! No pressure then!! We did it
however, and it went down a storm!
Our performance , in front of His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and a dazzling array of
famous and wealthy people (including our Choir President John Richards and his wife, our First Lady
of the choir, Marianne). We performed three sets of songs, with breaks in between, so the diners
could enjoy the many courses of sumptuous food being served for them. The concert was part of a
wonderful evening of fundraising for Princess Charlotte’s Charity, and included auctions of fabulous
prizes, as well as the meal and entertainment. I don’t know exactly how much was raised that night
but it was a substantial amount, and we are very proud to have been a part of that. Our
performance was greeted by rapturous applause and a standing ovation, led by the Prince himself.
With the boys on a high after a great performance, they were very keen to take off their bow ties
and enjoy a beer, and we had just started when Stewart (our MD), rushed in, as white as a ghost,
telling us to stop, as we had to go on again! So, after missing a complete night’s sleep through
travelling overnight, getting checked into a hotel, and then performing at a really prestigious venue,
and much later than we would normally perform, we had to go on again! The boys responded magnificently, and brought the house down. Truly amazing gentlemen! I am humbled to be one of
your number.
Personally, I was exhausted after that and Norman Cox and I decided to have a quiet glass of red at
hotel before bed. A cool 39 Euros later!! How some of the boys then had the energy to hit the Irish
Bar I will never know. My deepest respect boys!
The next day we were invited to the palace, for a private tour with the Palace Historian. What an
absolute treat, to learn so much about the Grimaldi family and the palace. It was a joy to see. From
the State Rooms to the Chapel, the staircases and verandas, we saw it all. The highlight for me was
going down to some cellars that had been used as water tanks hundreds of years ago, in case the
palace was under siege. The had vaulted roofs, with stalactites hanging down, and the most
beautiful acoustic I have ever heard. O, to record there one day……..! We were shown outside to VIP
slots to watch the changing of the guard ceremony, much to the chagrin of the hundreds of tourists
who had been waiting for hours to get the best vantage points, only for us to stand in their way! A
great spectacle, and the ex-servicemen amongst us enjoyed the precision drill of the guards.
We then enjoyed walking around the Old Town, down the narrow streets, with traditional cafés and
restaurants and gift shops. Norman Cox and I spent a very pleasant couple of hours with John and
Marianne, visiting the Cathedral and some lovely other chapels. What a super place the Cathedral is.
How about a concert there one day? Under our own steam and arrangements. What a weekend
away that would be……!
With their free time, the boys explored far and wide in the Principality. I wanted to see the Grand
Prix Circuit, so we walked a good section of it, taking in some of the famous sites you have seen so
many times on tv. The tunnel the cars rocket through at frightening speeds has a surprisingly
noticeable bend in it, and actually runs under our hotel, The Fairmont, and the famous hairpin bend
was right in front of the hotel foyer. We walked down to the harbour, marvelling at the multi-million
pound yachts, and noted the ‘normality’ of seeing Bentleys and Ferraris on the streets. At the
harbour side we saw the pit lanes, and the start and finish area, with simple yellow lines painted on
the road, for the starting positions on the grid. It is unbelievable that some of the fastest vehicles in
the world, race on public roads!!
After a rest, we all converged on the Irish Bar and had a fantastic night, drinking and singing till the
small hours. A proper TMC night – a belter!! We even entertained Irish international footballer Niall
Quinn, with ‘The Fields of Athenry’ and he was blown away!
The next day before leaving, Norman and I went to visit a very exclusive Italian tailors shop in our
hotel. I fell in love with a superb dinner suit in the window, and thought I might push the boat out
and treat myself – till I found out it was 9,000 Euros!! We had a lovely chat to the shop owner, who
was very interested in the choir, and he had a great chat to Norman about tailoring techniques. He
even bought us a beer and snacks – great meeting him.
All too soon, it was time to head home. It was pouring down with rain as we got on the coaches and
travelled back into France and Nice Airport for the journey home. We were met at Heathrow by our
welcoming coaches from Davey Travel, and whisked down the M4 back home to Wales.
What an awesome trip and experience. Once again Treorchy, you did yourselves proud. Diolch bois!
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