It won’t be long until the sounds of jazz and the music it influenced echo across the tranquil shores of Lake Geneva once more. In this exceptional setting in the Swiss Riviera, the Montreux Jazz Festival is getting ready to host international artists, special performances and a packed programme. For Maison Taittinger, this edition marks 10 successful years of partnering with this unmissable event.
A festival of legends
Founded almost 60 years ago, the Montreux Jazz Festival is one of Europe’s most iconic summer festivals. Created in 1967 by Claude Nobs on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva, it has a unique history which makes it an event like no other.
While American jazz was already well-established in Europe by the mid-1960s, musicians from across the pond discovered a particularly receptive audience, stunning scenery (the Swiss Alps), and incredible hospitality at this festival.
Music aficionado Claude Nobs had a great idea in the first year it was held. “He decided to film every single concert at his festival and never once deviated from that rule in future years,” explains Eduardo Mendez, the festival’s press officer. As a result, the Montreux Jazz Festival boasts a huge, one-of-a-kind collection of audiovisual archives. Today listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, it has played a key role in promoting musicians from across the globe.
The biggest names in jazz and music have gained icon status at Montreux – not to mention the concerts themselves, including Nina Simone ‘s legendary show (1976) and debut European performances for both Gilberto Gil (1978) and Miles Davis (1991), who agreed to play old songs for the very first time. “You come to Montreux for a unique experience, to see artists who are also performers,” continues Eduardo Mendez. “On stage, Claude Nobs wanted the artists to be able to play as freely as possible, to try things in front of a crowd who also craved these original experiences.” This is how, in 2016, members of American band Muse stepped away from the stadiums for one night only to play what became a legendary concert. During the show, they only played their B-sides (rare tracks or tracks seldom played live) – something that the group’s biggest fans had long been waiting for, with capacity capped at 5,000 spectators to keep the ambiance intimate.
The 2025 edition
Montreux is the whole package. With the Casino (the festival’s birthplace), the Lake Stage and its breathtaking view across Lake Geneva, the mountains and the sunset, the 16-day festival also features a new Spotlight stage dedicated to international rising talent, four daily ticketed concerts, and a packed events schedule including DJ sets and workshops that are open to all.
On the programme for 2025, festival-goers can expect to see Grace Jones, Beth Gibbons and Lionel Richie; an evening with British artists Raye and Jade – the latter recently breaking a record at the Brit Awards for winning the most awards in one night; a tribute to Quincy Jones, who was the festival’s coproducer and ambassador for three years until his death, and English band Pulp’s highly anticipated return as they share the stage with Bloc Party.
Ten years of subtle harmony with Taittinger
This edition marks the 10 year anniversary of Maison Taittinger’s partnership with the festival as its official champagne supplier. “Maison Taittinger and Montreux Jazz Festival each cultivate excellence in their own way,” Eduardo Mendez says. “We both have a thirst for exceptional encounters and for the constant pursuit of quality.” Taittinger champagne makes those special moments at this festival last longer – at an event that always leaves a mark on those who have experienced it.
