Benjamin Bernheim in Recital

French tenor Benjamin Bernheim’s recent seasons have established him as a regular guest artist at Europe’s leading opera houses, including the Opéra National de Paris, Vienna State Opera, Berlin State Opera, Opéra National de Bordeaux and the Royal Opera House in London where he performs leading tenor roles from the romantic repertoire. Garnering high praise with both his performances and recordings, he has been hailed as “The most beautiful tenor voice since Luciano Pavarotti” by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, and “the new star tenor” by Diapason. In 2020, he was named “Artiste Lyrique de l’Année” (opera singer of the year) at the Les Victoires de la Musique Awards in France, “personnalité musicale de l’année” (musical personality of the year) by Le Syndicat professionnel de la critique de théâtre, musique et danse, and Singer of the Year by Oper Magazin. The same year, his debut album was also awarded a “Diapason d’Or” by Diapason, and was named a “Choc de Classica” by Classica.

Mr. Bernheim’s 2023/24 season brings him to the Teatro alla Scala, Opéra national de Paris, Opernhaus Zürich, Salzburger Festspiele and the Metropolitan Opera. At the start of the season, Mr. Bernheim makes his role debut as Ruggero Lastouc in Puccini’s La Rondine at Opernhaus Zürich. Mr. Bernheim then performs the title role in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann at Opéra National de Paris. This is followed by his highly-praised interpretation of the title role in Werther, which he performs twice; first at the Opernhaus Zürich and then at the Teatro alla Scala. Also included in his 2023/24 season is his much acclaimed Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, as he returns to the Metropolitan Opera. On the concert stage, he performs a recital with pianist Carrie-Ann Matheson at Teatro alla Scala, a Liederabend at the Wiener Staatsoper, and a series of concerts with soprano Lisette Oropesa throughout Europe. His season concludes with a return to the Salzburg Festival.

Previous highlights include the title role in The Tales of Hoffmann at the Staatsoper Hamburg, Faust (title role) at the Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, and at the Latvian National Opera, Rodolfo in La Bohème at the Opéra National de Paris, Opernhaus Zürich, Royal Opera House (London), Staatsoper Berlin, and Vienna State Opera, Des Grieux in Manon at the Opéra National de Paris, Staatsoper Hamburg and Opéra National de Bordeaux, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Opernhaus Zürich, the Vienna State Opera and Salzburg Festival, Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto at the Bavarian State Opera, Vienna State Opera, Metropolitan Opera and Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Lensky in Eugene Onegin at Deutsche Oper Berlin and Opernhaus Zürich, Alfredo in La Traviata at the Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House (London), Opernhaus Zürich, Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper, Opéra National de Bordeaux and the Staatsoper Berlin, the title role in Werther at the Opéra National de Bordeaux, Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore at the Vienna State Opera, and Roméo in Roméo et Juliette at the Opernhaus Zürich, Opéra National de Paris, and with the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève.

On the concert stage, he has performed recitals at the Salzburg Festival, Opéra National de Bordeaux, La Grange au Lac, Opernhaus Zürich, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Philharmonie de Luxembourg, the Wiener Konzerthaus, Théâtre du Capitole, Gulbenkian Orchestra Main Hall, and L’instant Lyrique in Paris, and in Verdi’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elias, and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria. 

An exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist, his debut album was released in 2019 to outstanding reviews. “You believe you are hearing some of the well-known arias for the first time,” raved the Süddeutsche Zeitung, while Le Monde effused “ a sumptuous voice, fiery sensitivity, and poetic musicality.” His second solo album, Boulevard des Italiens, released in 2022, was also very well received, Oper Magazin claimed: “one can almost speak of a sensational album…This is a cleverly put together… even charming album by a tenor who is unrivaled in his field”. BBC Music Magazine also rated the album five stars, praising: “Bernheim, who has a voice of immense clarity and lyrical attractiveness, sings Puccini like a dream… Taking a stroll with him down the Boulevard des Italiens is a real treat.” Benjamin can also be heard on the complete recording of Faust, in the title role, released in 2019 on the Palazzetto Bru Zane label. 

Benjamin Bernheim studied with Gary Magby at the Lausanne Conservatoire,and was a young artist and troupe member at the Opernhaus Zürich. 

Learn more at BenjaminBernheim.com.

Carrie-Ann Matheson has a multi-faceted international career as pianist, conductor and educator. A native of Canada, Matheson began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, where she was a tenured member of the full-time music staff as assistant conductor, prompter, pianist and vocal coach. In 2014 she was invited by General Music Director Fabio Luisi to join the staff at Opernhaus Zürich, which led to the expansion of her performing career in Europe.

Especially in demand as a recital pianist, she has performed with many of the world’s most renowned opera singers, including Rolando Villazón, Jonas Kaufmann, Piotr Beczała, Benjamin Bernheim, Diana Damrau, Barbara Bonney and Joyce DiDonato. Recent performances include recitals with Joyce DiDonato at the Festival de El Escorial, Festival de Santander, and the virtual Metropolitan Opera recital series, with Benjamin Bernheim at the Salzburger Festspiele, Le Festival de Paris and Philharmonie de Luxembourg, and with Pene Pati as part of Les Grandes Voix recital series with performances at Salle Gaveau in Paris and at the Opéra national de Bordeaux.

In addition to her work with opera singers, she has performed in chamber music concerts with members of the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and Philharmonia Zürich. Matheson assisted such renowned conductors as James Levine, Fabio Luisi, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, and Gianandrea Noseda, before making her conducting debut in 2015 at Opernhaus Zürich, where she has conducted works such as La Finta Giardiniera, Don Pasquale and Iphigénie en Tauride, among others. Matheson has also been engaged by prominent festivals such as the Salzburger Festspiele and the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival.

Passionate about nurturing the next generation of opera singers and pianists, Matheson devotes a portion of her time to the development of emerging artists, and has worked with the International Opera Studio (Opernhaus Zürich), Atkins Young Artist Program (The Mariinsky Theatre), Lindemann Young Artist Development Program (The Metropolitan Opera), Ryan Opera Center (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and the International Vocal Arts Institute.

In addition, she maintains an active private coaching studio, and stays connected with the community of young opera professionals via her social media presence (@carrieannmatheson).

Matheson holds degrees from the University of Prince Edward Island (B.Mus.Ed), the Cleveland Institute of Music (M.Mus in Collaborative Piano), the Manhattan School of Music (Professional Studies Diploma in Vocal Accompanying) and is a graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s renowned Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.