Here at PONANT, we believe luxury cruising deserves a soundtrack befitting the elevated experience of our guests. On many of our journeys, we can think of no better accompaniment than the melodic keys of a lilting piano. We’re bringing this notion to life by collaborating with Radio Classique, France’s premier radio station, to bring you a richly curated program of live onboard classical music on one exclusive sailing from Venice to Athens.
“If music be the food of love, play on!”
So wrote William Shakespeare in his romantic comedy Twelfth Night. Certainly, the producers at Radio Classique keep this in mind every hour of every day as they develop programming that is intended to break down the barriers to classical music.
And we’ve kept it in mind as we’ve invited the beloved French radio station to enhance our Venice-to-Athens cruise aboard L’Austral. Renowned musicologist and artistic director Alain Duault will be at the musical helm to provide insight and illumination.
PONANT and Radio Classique: A Harmonious Collaboration by Any Measure
Since its founding in 1983, Radio Classique has strived to make classical music more accessible to more people. Mixing a friendly, welcoming tone, the station sprinkles film music, interactive programs, and even games into their repertoire to bring the genre into the living rooms – and, more recently, the ear buds – of the French-speaking world in a relaxed manner. To further promote the art form, they have tapped well-known personalities with a passion for music to appear on air.
Radio Classique’s discerning tastes and love of the finer things are very much in tune with PONANT’s values. And therein lies the root of our long relationship with Radio Classique. Together, we have fashioned our elegantly styled Piano Festival at Sea, entering its 9th year with our 2024 sailing. And we’re proud to say it has become something of an Event with a capital “E” among cruise lovers and classical music lovers alike.
Meet the Maestro, Curator, and Director Alain Duault
Alain Duault has worn many chapeaus in the French cultural landscape. His first passion is classical music, but he is also a novelist, poet, journalist, and radio and television personality. He was beloved as “Mr. Classical Music” on Radio RTL before joining Radio Classique, where he illuminated the history and culture of music until 2018.
One of Alain’s specialties is the catalog of piano composer Frédéric Chopin, which makes him especially suited to curate our Piano Festival at Sea. In his broadcasting career, he produced and coordinated a concert of 60 pianists playing 225 of the famed composer’s works. Among many other achievements, he is also one of the greatest opera specialists in France.
A Varied and Vibrant Selection of Masterworks for Piano
Indeed, the concertos, nocturnes, sonatas, and countless other pieces Chopin composed serve as the perfect backdrop for the magnificence and drama of the Adriatic and Aegean coasts. But Chopin is only part of the program.
Throughout your journey, you’ll thrill to live performances by the exceptional pianists Monsieur Duault has invited along. He is sure to have some of classical music’s most inspirational pieces lined up for you – perhaps some by composers who hail from the countries you are visiting. Antonio Vivaldi and Guiseppe Verdi of Italy. Bruno Bjelinski and Ivana Lang of Croatia. Vangelis Papathanassiou of Greece, the composer of the music from the motion picture Chariots of Fire.
No matter what’s on the playlist, the music will soothe and delight you. After a day of exploring, you’ll sit with a glass of wine from our thoughtfully stocked wine cellar or sip a handcrafted cocktail mixed by our artisan mixologists and ease into an evening of memorable performances.
Join Us for the Only Piano Festival of Its Kind
There is nothing quite like this Piano Festival at Sea, which has been celebrated in classical music circles for almost a decade. As the pianists’ fingers dance and glide over the keyboard, their inspiring melodies echo throughout the ship, rising and falling like the tides. The open sea shimmers under the moonlight. Flickering lights twinkle like fireflies on the shore. As for Monsieur Duault, he’ll be on hand, too. It’s impossible to keep him away from the keys that he loves so much.
We hope you’ll join us on the 9th Annual Piano Festival at Sea, where virtuoso classical piano meets a virtuoso cruise experience. PONANT is collaborating with Radio Classique on other music-themed sailings, too. You can read more about them here.