Menton
Menton
Location within Provence-A.-C.d'A. region  Menton
Administration
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Alpes-Maritimes
Arrondissement	Nice
Intercommunality	Riviera française
Mayor	Jean-Claude Guibal (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	0–774 m (0–2,539 ft) (avg. 16 m or 52 ft)
Land area1	14.05 km2 (5.42 sq mi)
Population2	28,833  (2008)
- Density	2,052 /km2 (5,310 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	06083/ 06500
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 43°46′30″N 7°30′00″E / 43.775000°N 07.50°E / 43.775000; 07.50

Menton (French pronunciation: [mɑ̃tɔ̃]; Occitan: [meˈta], written Menton in classical norm or Mentan in Mistralian norm; Italian: Mentone) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.

Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ("The Pearl of France").^[1]

History[link]

The Menton area has been inhabited since the paleolithic era, and is the site of the original "Grimaldi Man" find of early modern humans, as well as remains of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons.^[2] In Roman times, the via Julia Augusta, a road connecting Placentia (now Piacenza) with Arelates (now Arles) passed through Menton, running along the Rue Longue in the old town.^[3] The first major settlement occurred during the 11th century CE, when the Count of Ventimiglia constructed the Château de Puypin (Podium Pinum) on the Pépin hill, north and west of the modern town center. During the 13th century, the seigneury of Puypin fell to the Vento family of Genoa who built a new castle along the Roman road, now the site of the Vieux-Château cemetery, providing the core around which the current town grew. Menton was thus incorporated into the Republic of Genoa. The first mention of Menton dates from 21 July 1262, in the peace treaty between Charles of Anjou and Genoa. Its position on the border between the Angevin-ruled Provence and the Republic of Genoa, which at the time claimed Monaco as its western limit, made it a coveted location.

Menton -as part of Monaco- was the extreme western area of the Republic of Genoa (green color) in 1664

Acquired in 1346 by Charles Grimaldi, Lord of Monaco, Menton was ruled by the Princes of Monaco until the French Revolution. Annexed during the Revolution, Menton remained part of France through the First Empire. It belonged to the district of Sanremo in the department of Alpes-Maritimes, which at the time included Monaco and Sanremo.

In 1814, Menton was included in a reconstituted principality of Monaco which, after Napoleon's Hundred Days in 1815, became a protectorate of the King of Sardinia. The Princes of Monaco were obliged to do feudal homage (anachronistic at that late date) to the King for Menton, although not for Monaco itself.

Map of the territory of the "Free cities of Menton & Roquebrune in 1848^[4]

In 1848, Menton, along with its neighbour Roquebrune, seceded from Monaco, due at least in part to a tax imposed on lemon exports.^[5] They proclaimed themselves a "free city" during the 1848 revolutions related to the Italian Risorgimento, then two years later placed themselves under the protection of the Kingdom of Sardinia where they were administered by the House of Savoy for ten years.^[6]

The Treaty of Turin concluded on 24 March 1860 between the Kingdom of Sardinia and Napoleon III's France called for the annexation of the County of Nice to France, subject to a plebiscite, as a reward for French assistance in Italy's war against Austria. The plebiscite, with universal adult male suffrage, was held on April 15 and 16, 1860 and resulted in an overwhelming vote in favor of annexation (833 for vs 54 against in Menton and Roquebrune),^[7] despite complaints of rigged elections from, among others, Nice born Italian nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi^{[citation needed]}. The county of Nice was thus annexed to France that June, and Napoleon III paid 4 million francs in compensation to the prince of Monaco, who renounced his rights in perpetuity on 2 February 1861.^[7]

From the end of the 19th century, tourism became an important factor in Menton. The town was popular with English and Russian aristocrats who built many of the luxurious hotels, villas, and palaces which still grace Menton today. Many of these hotels and palaces were pressed into service as hospitals during World War I to allow injured troops to recuperate in a pleasant climate.

Menton was the only sizable settlement captured by Italy during its invasion of France in June 1940. Following the armistice of June 22, 1940, two thirds of the territory of the commune was annexed by Italy as "terra irredenta". The annexation lasted until 8 September 1943.

Although officially returned to Vichy France, Menton was in fact occupied by Nazi Germany until its liberation by American and Canadian troops of the First Special Service Force on 8 September 1944.^[8]

The port and the old part of town.

Geography[link]

Menton, nicknamed the Pearl of France, is located on the Mediterranean Sea at the Franco-Italian border, just across from the Liguran town of Ventimiglia. It boasts a warm micro-climate favorable to lemon, tangerine, and orange groves whence one of the town's symbols, the lemon.

The fishing industry was devastated in the 1980s and 1990s when a combination of overfishing and hypoxia in the bay. At the time, the cause of the devastation was erroneously attributed to the dubiously nicknamed "killer algae" Caulerpa taxifolia (a non-native Asian tropical green algae first discovered in the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco in 1984) spread throughout the coastal sea floor. Later, sound scientific findings revealed that the seaweed was adept at absorbing pollutants and excess nutrients, actually aiding the recovery of native Posidonia sea grass^[9] and enhancing local fish populations and overall biodiversity.^[10]

Population[link]

Musée Jean Cocteau

Townscape[link]

Menton with Musee Jean Cocteau Collection Severin Wunderman

Menton from the sea

Menton is famous for its gardens, including the Jardin Serre de la Madone, the Jardin botanique exotique de Menton ("Le Val Rahmeh"), the Fontana Rosa, and the Maria Serena garden. Le Val Rahmeh was established in 1905 by Englishman Sir Percy Radcliffe, the first owner of the gardens, and named for his wife. Villa Fontana Rosa was built in 1922 by Blasco Ibáñez, a Spanish novelist, and the gardens of the villa are now open to the public.

• The baroque basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange, with its bell-tower, was built in 1619 by the Genoese architect Lorenzo Lavagna.
• The Musée Jean Cocteau is located in the Bastion of the port of Menton. The bastion, built overwater in 1636 as an advance defense for the port by the Princes of Monaco, is now located at the shoreline.
• The wedding room at the Mairie (town hall) was painted in the 1950s by Jean Cocteau, transforming it into a giant work of art.
• Menton is home to at least half a dozen beaches
• The historic covered market was built in 1898 by local architect Adrien Rey. The market is open everyday from 5am until 1pm in the summer and in winter opening at 5:30am. Over 30 kiosks both inside and around the market sell local and imported vegetables. The belle epoque structure was one of many famous buildings constructed by the architect in the region.^[11]
• Next to the beach and the covered market, since November 2011 the new Musée Jean Cocteau hosts the Séverin Wunderman Collection.

Mentonasc language[link]

The Mentonasc dialect is currently spoken by about 10% of the population in Menton, Roquebrune, and the surrounding villages.^{[citation needed]} It is taught within the French educational system, as a variety of Niçard (i.e. Provençal and Occitan). However, in nineteenth century linguistic descriptions,^[12] as well as in contemporary linguistic scholarship^[13][14][15] Mentonasc is described as an intermediate between Niçard and the Intemelio dialect of Ligurian. Some scholars insist that Mentonasc is, at it base, a Ligurian dialect, with French influences coming only later,^[16] and that its supposed misclassification as a variety of Provençal has essentially political motives.^[17]

Origin of the name[link]

According to the French geographer Ernest Nègre, the name Menton comes from the Roman name Mento.^[18] However, it is possible that the name of the city comes from Mons Ottonis (reconstituted) from the name of Otton II, the Count of Ventimiglia from 1162-1200.^[19] In Mentonasc, the city's name is Mentan (pronounced [mẽˈtã]), and in Italian Mentone ([menˈtoːne]).

An inhabitant of Menton, un mentonnais or un mentonasque in French, would be O mentonasc in the local dialect.

View of the port of Menton

Annual town events[link]

The Lemon Festival takes place every February. The festival follows a given theme each year; past themes include Viva España, Disney, Neverland, and India. The festival lasts a few days, with different bands passing through Menton's streets on foot or on truck trailers. The Casino Gardens in the centre of town are decorated in the theme of the festival, using lemons to cover the exhibits, and huge temporary statues are built and covered with citrus fruit.

The Casino Gardens are also the location for Menton's Christmas Festival.

The Menton Classical Musical Festival is also held every year in the centre of the old town.

Sport[link]

Menton has a football team Rapid de Menton who play at the stadium Stade Lucien Rhein. Menton also has a rugby team Le rugby Club Webb Ellis de Menton.^[20]

Personalities[link]

Notables who were born, lived, or died in Menton:

• Jérôme Alonzo (1972-), French first division football goalkeeper, born in Menton 20 November 1972.
• Richard Anconina (1953-), French actor. Before his film career, he worked for several years at a holiday club for seniors in Menton.

Émile Appay - Menton

• Émile Appay (1876– 1935), French landscape painter, spent time in Menton over the years with beautiful paintings of the sea.
• Gérald Ariano (1974-), French television presenter, born in Menton.
• Ferdinand Bac (1859–1952), French illustrator, lithographer, and writer, undertook the development of the gardens of the villa des Colombières in Menton. He transformed this old run-down building into a sumptuous residence in the midst of gardens where each bed takes its inspiration from a Mediterranean country.
• Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (1872–1898), English illustrator and author.
• Lesley Blanch (1904-2007), English-born writer.^[21]
• René Clément (1913–1996).
• Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French artist, spent much time in Menton over the years. A memorial and museum dedicated to him are in Menton, as is the wedding room in the town hall decorated with his work.
• Olivier Echouafni (1972-), French first division football midfielder, born in Menton 13 September 1972.
• William Webb Ellis (1806–1872), the inventor of Rugby, lived in Menton at the end of his life and is buried in the old cemetery.
• Ivan Grigorovich (1853–1930), Imperial Russian Navy admiral, lived in Menton after the Russian Revolution.
• Blasco Ibanez (1867–1928), Spanish author who, at the end of his life, lived in his estate, Fontana Rosa, in Menton.
• Joseph Joffo (1931-), French author, lived temporarily in Menton during World War II.
• Anatoly Lunacharsky, a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Soviet People's Commissar of Enlightenment responsible for culture and education, died in Menton.
• Hernàn Ponce (1991-), French football Defender, born in Menton 16 August 1991.
• Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892), British Baptist Preacher, died in Menton.
• Graham Sutherland (24 August 1903 - 17 February 1980), English artist.
• Cédric Varrault (1980-), French first division football defender, began his career with the Menton football club.
• William Butler Yeats died in Menton January 28, 1939 (aged 73), writer, poet.
• Philip Meadows Taylor (1808–1876), British Indian civil servant and author
• Hans-Georg Tersling (1857-1920), Danish architect, designed many buildings in the town

International relations[link]

Menton is twinned with:

• Baden-Baden, Germany
• Montreux, Switzerland
• Namur, Belgium
• Sochi, Russia
• Laguna Beach, California, United States
• Gisburn, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

See also[link]

• Mentonasc
• Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
• List of historical unrecognized countries
• Former countries in Europe after 1815
• intermelio
• Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department

References[link]

• INSEE

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Menton

• Tourist office website
• Tourist office website (english version)
• City council website
• Menton at the Open Directory Project
• Menton travel guide from Wikitravel
• Images of Menton
• Culture and local traditions

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Piotr Anderszewski on La Folle Journée in Nantes, 2009.

Piotr Anderszewski (Polish pronunciation: [pjɔtr andɛrˈʂɛfski]) (born April 4, 1969) is a Polish-Hungarian pianist.

Biography[link]

Anderszewski was born in Warsaw, Poland. He attended conservatories in Lyon and Strasbourg, the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music [1] in Warsaw, and the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles.

Career[link]

Anderszewski first came to public attention at the Leeds Piano Competition in 1990, when he walked off stage in the semi-finals because he didn't feel he was playing well enough (the piece was the op. 27 of Anton Webern) ^[1] . He made his London debut six months later at the Wigmore Hall.

He has given recitals at all the major venues around the world, including the Royal Festival Hall, Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, the Herkulessaal in Munich, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw, the Auditorio Nacional Madrid, the Mariinsky Concert Hall in St Petersburg and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Orchestras with whom Anderszewski has performed include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Royal Concertgebouw and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Anderszewski has established a significant reputation for directing from the keyboard and has collaborated with many chamber orchestras including the Sinfonia Varsovia, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Camerata Salzburg, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Anderszewski's chamber collaborations so far have been primarily with violinists - as well as his sister Dorota Anderszewska (currently leader of the Orchestre National de Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon), he has performed with Viktoria Mullova, Augustin Dumay, Gidon Kremer, Frank Peter Zimmermann and Henning Kraggerud. He also appears regularly with the Belcea Quartet.

Anderszewski made a number of recordings for Harmonia Mundi, Accord and Philips before signing exclusively to Virgin Classics in 2000. His first disc on the Virgin label was Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, which received a number of prizes including a Choc du Monde de la Musique and an ECHO Klassik award. His discography also includes a Grammy-nominated CD of Bach's Partitas 1, 3 and 6 and a critically acclaimed disc of works by Chopin. His affinity with the music of his compatriot Karol Szymanowski is captured in recording of the composer's solo piano works, which received the Classic FM Gramophone Award in 2006 for best instrumental disc. On April 12, 2012, he received the prestigious BBC Music Magazine Recording of the Year Award at a ceremony in London, for his Virgin Classics CD of music of Robert Schumann.

Anderszewski has collaborated on a number of occasions with the filmmaker Bruno Monsaingeon (creator of documentaries on Glenn Gould and Sviatoslav Richter). The first of these collaborations, Piotr Anderszewski plays the Diabelli Variations (2001) explores Anderszewski's particular relationship with Beethoven's opus 120, whilst the second, Piotr Anderszewski, Unquiet Traveller (2008) is an unconventional artist portrait, capturing Anderszewski's reflections on music, performance and his Polish-Hungarian roots. A third film by Monsaingeon, Anderszewski Plays Schumann was completed in 2010. There have also been two filmed recordings of Anderszewski's concert appearances, featuring Mozart piano concertos and a recital given at Warsaw's Philharmonic Hall in 2007.

Anderszewski has received a number of awards throughout his career, including the prestigious Gilmore award (2002), given every four years to a pianist of exceptional talent. He has also been a recipient of the Szymanowski Prize (1999)^[2] and the Royal Philharmonic Society's Best Instrumentalist award (2001).^[3]

Anderszewski has championed the work of his compatriot Szymanowski through numerous performances and has directed festivals dedicated to his music at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris (2005), Carnegie Hall, New York (2010), the Wigmore Hall in London (2005 and 2010) and the Philharmonic Hall in Lodz (2010).

Discography[link]

• Leos Janáček: Sonata for violin and piano. Sergei Prokofiev: Sonata No 1 in F minor, Op 80 for violin and piano. Claude Debussy: Sonata for violin and piano. Viktoria Mullova - violin. Recorded 1994. Philips 446 091. Reissued Philips 457 7460 (2006)
• Johannes Brahms: Sonata No 1 in G, Op 78 for violin and piano. Sonata No 2 in A, Op 100 for violin and piano. Sonata No 3 in D minor, Op 108 for violin and piano. Viktoria Mullova - violin. Recorded 1995. Philips 446 709-2. Reissued Philips 475 7454 (2006)
• Johann Sebastian Bach: English Suite No 6 in D minor, BWV811. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 31 in A flat major, Op 110. Anton Webern: Variations, Op 27. Recorded 1996. Accord ACD 025. Reissued Virgin Classics 7243 5 45632 2 5 (2004)
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata in G major, Op 30 for violin and piano. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in E minor, K304 for violin and piano. Franz Schubert: Sonata in A major D574, Op. post. 162 for violin and piano Dorota Anderszewska - violin. Recorded 1998. Accord ACD 044.
• Johann Sebastian Bach: French Suite No 5 in G major, BWV 816. Overture in the French style in B minor, BWV 831. Recorded 1998. Harmonia Mundi HMN 911679
• Ludwig van Beethoven: 33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op 120. Recorded 2000. Virgin Classics VC 454682
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No 21 in C major, K467. Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor, K491. with the Sinfonia Varsovia. Recorded 2001. Virgin Classics VC 5455042
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita No 1 in B flat major, BWV 825. Partita No 3 in A minor, BWV 827. Partita No 6 in E minor, BWV 830. Recorded 2001. Virgin Classics 7243 5 45526 2 5
• Fréderic Chopin: Ballade No 3 in A flat, Op 47. Ballade No 4 in F minor, Op 52. Mazurka in A minor, Op 59 No 1. Mazurka in A flat, Op 59 No 2. Mazurka in F minor, Op 59 No 3. Mazurka in B major, Op 63 No 1. Mazurka in F minor, Op 63 No 2. Mazurka in C sharp minor, Op 63 No 3. Mazurka in F minor, Op 68 No 4. Polonaise No 5 in F sharp minor, Op 44. Polonaise No 6 in A flat, Op 53 'Heroic'. Recorded 2003. Virgin Classics 7243 5 45620 2 0
• Karol Szymanowski: Métopes, Op 29. Masques, Op 34. Piano Sonata No 3, Op 36. Recorded 2004. Virgin Classics 7243 5 45730 2 6
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No 17 in G major, K453. Piano Concerto No 20 in D minor, K466. with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Recorded 2005. Virgin Classics 0946 344696 2 3
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Sonata No 16 in C, K545, arr Grieg. with Martha Argerich - piano. Recorded live at the Lugano Festival 2005. EMI 0946 3 58472 2 2
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.1 in C major, Op 15, with Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Six Bagatelles, Op 126. Recorded 2007. Virgin Classics 50999 5 02111 2 8
• Piotr Anderszewski at Carnegie Hall: J S Bach: Partita No 2 in C minor, BWV 826, Schumann: Faschingsschwank aus Wien, op 26, Janacek: In the Mists (V mlhach) (1912), Beethoven: Sonata No 31 in A flat major, op 110. Bartók: Three Songs from the Csík District, Sz 35a/BB 45b (1907). Recorded 2008. Virgin Classics 2 CDs ICPN: 5099926729121
• Robert Schumann: Humoreske Op. 20, Studien für den Pedalflügel Op.56, Gesänge der Frühe Op. 133. Recorded 2009 & 2010. Virgin Classics Digipack 1 CD 5099994862522

References[link]

External links[link]

• Piotr Anderszewski official website
• Piotr Anderszewski recordings on Virgin Classics
• Piotr Anderszewski at IMG Artists
• 2000 Diabelli Variations documentary
• 2008 Unquiet Traveller (sic) documentary