All things Monaco

By Danchi
Nguyen

COSTA MESA,
Calif. — Through Sunday, the Consulate General of Monaco and the Monaco
Government Tourist Office, together with the Princess Grace Foundation-USA,
is celebrating the culture of the Principality
with a free exhibition titled “Monaco:
A Dream Come True.” It shows the cultural and artistic heritage
of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Princess Grace and the Principality of Monaco; Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s performance of
Sergei Prokofiev’s “Cinderella”
at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts; and Fairytale Weekend
Celebrations in honor of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s Southern California debut.

The
area in front of Macy’s at South Coast Plaza’s Jewel Court currently is home to
a free exhibition, “Monaco: A
Dream Come True,” which showcases costumes from “Cinderella,” as well as photos, videos, posters about the
Principality and the late Princess Grace’s contribution to the arts.

“I like the
beautiful costumes,” said 8-year-old Mindy Le from Garden Grove, Calif.

Monaco: A
Dream Come True exhibit at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif. Photo by Danchi Nguyen

Some
of South Coast Plaza’s award-winning restaurants are participating in the
celebration by adding Monegasque specials to their menus. Participating
restaurants include Antonello Ristorante, Quattro Caffé, Nello Cucina and
Antonello Espresso Café, Marché Moderne, Pinot Provence and Leatherby’s Cafe
Rouge. There is also a sweepstakes for a Grand Prize trip to Monaco for two and
a $1,000 South Coast Plaza gift certificate. For more information on the exhibit
and Fairy Tale Weekend Celebrations, go to www.monacotakesus.com

With costumes reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil and a
surrealistic set design, Jean-Christophe Maillot’s version of Prokofiev’s “Cinderella” ballet is a visual feast for
the eyes, and Les Ballets de Monte Carlo’s performance perfectly blends modern
expression with classics dance steps.

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s Cinderella. Photo courtesy of Marie-Laure Briane

Maillot’s choreography incorporates humor and wit into the
ballet, giving the fairy tale a modern twist. Maillot’s “Cinderella”
(first staged in 1999) closely follows Charles Perrault’s original tale. Set to
a modified version of Prokofiev’s original score for “Cinderella,” the
ballet keeps its fairy-tale magic with gold fairy dust and a surprise happy ending.
The audience may be astonished to see that instead of glass slippers,
Cinderella’s feet sparkle and shine.

“I kept waiting for the glass
slipper, but it didn’t come,” said 6-year-old Colleen Tran from Irvine, Calif.

“This
is so different from what I expected, but it’s a wonderful kind of difference
and my grandchildren love it,” said Mai Truong from Seal Beach, Calif.

          Photo courtesy of Marie-Laure Briane

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s “Cinderella”

Where:
Segerstrom Center for the
Arts
600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, Calif.

When:
Saturday, Feb. 11: 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 12: 2 p.m.

For
tickets and information:
Segerstrom
Center for the Arts at www.scfta.org or contact Ticket
Services at (714) 556 2787