The new Montreux Jazz venues
The Montreux Jazz Festival is rethinking its formula. From the organization of the concert halls to the quayside, and including both free and ticketed events, the changes are numerous. RTS strengthens its partnership for four years.
Changes at Montreux Jazz: "The festival is getting a major facelift," says Mathieu Jaton, the new general manager who succeeded Claude Nobs.
The festival will now have three paying venues instead of two. The Stravinski Auditorium will continue to host legends and greats alike. The Montreux Jazz Lab will offer more contemporary concerts on the site of the Miles Davis Hall, followed by free aftershows until 5am.
As the last paying venue, the Montreux Jazz Club aims to offer "authentic listening in very close proximity to the musicians", noted Mathieu Jaton. As for free concerts, the Montreux Jazz Café (800 seats) disappears, while The Rock Cave (300 seats) arrives.
The quays of Montreux are to become Le Strip in homage to black American music, explained Mathieu Jaton. The whole project, which was strongly supported at the time by Claude Nobs, has received the enthusiastic green light from the Foundation Board, according to the General Manager. The changes remain within the festival's budget of around 22 million francs.
Collaboration with RTS
The director of Radio Télévision Suisse, Gilles Marchand, announced that RTS would continue its partnership with the festival for at least another four years, but in a "broader and more significant" way.
Thirty concerts will be recorded, collaborations with German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino are planned, and TV5 Monde is "very interested". Collaboration on archives is also on the agenda, with the release of discs to follow.
The 47th Montreux Jazz Festival runs from July 5 to 20. The program for the 2013 edition will be unveiled on April 18.
