The Montreux Jazz Festival, one of the most prestigious events on the world music scene, has decided to maintain its 2021 edition despite the uncertainties linked to the pandemic, and will be held in part on the waters of Lake Geneva.
Read also: Faced with the Covid, the Montreux Jazz Festival is digitizing its next editions
The 55th edition of the Swiss festival will be held from July 2 to 17 in a format "
flexible and compatible with the constraints related to the pandemic
", underlines a press release from the organizers, who were forced to cancel the 2020 edition for cause. of Covid-19.
To be able to deal with uncertainties this year, the format is intended to be “
more intimate
”.
The big news will be that the largest stage where artists can perform will float on Lake Geneva 25 meters from the shore, with bleachers that can accommodate up to 600 spectators.
Two artists will perform there every evening.
The program is expected to be unveiled in May.
"The Festival is thus continuing its transition to a hybrid model between live events and annualized digital presence"
Organizers
The rooms and gardens of the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace will host the other three stages, two of which are free.
The floating stage is not the only innovation this year.
At the beginning of February, the festival announced that its future editions will also be broadcast online.
“
The Festival is thus continuing its transition to a hybrid model between live events and annualized digital presence
,” the organizers explained at the time.
Accelerated by the Covid crisis, this strategy had already been initiated in 2019 with the creation of Montreux Media Ventures, a subsidiary dedicated to the creation of digital content.
From now on, the festival will broadcast live the future editions thanks to a "
multi-year agreement
" signed by Qello Concerts by Stingray, specialized in the diffusion of live music.
For the first time since its creation in 1967, the organizers had to cancel the 2020 edition, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The open-air stage changes from the format so particular to this cultural event.
The Montreux Jazz has never been a big open air.
He offered his concerts in closed halls, including his flagship, the Stravinsky Auditorium, renowned for its acoustics.
If the Montreux Jazz was originally true to its name, purely jazz, it has diversified its styles over the years.
Electronic music, hip-hop, R&B, pop, soul: many musical genres are now represented there.