After performing in concert at the Philharmonie de Paris, Benjamin Bernheim travels to Berlin to sing his second Alfredo of the season at the Staatsoper Berlin. He debuted the role in Berlin at the beginning of the season at the Deutsche Oper, and returns to the role for a limited run opening on May 30th, with additional performances on June 1st and 3rd. Domingo Hindoyan conducts Ailyn Pérez as Violetta, Alfredo Daza as Germont, and Natalia Skrycka as Flora in this Dieter Dorn production. Mr. Bernheim performs the role again at the end of his season at the Opernhaus Zürich (July 6, 8, 11, 13, and 15), and next season, when he performs the role at the Royal Opera House London in January 2019.

Benjamin Bernheim performs in concert in his birth city of Paris on May 14th at the Philharmonie de Paris. He is joined by Russian soprano Olga Peretyatko-Mariotti and the Orchestre de chambre de Paris, conducted by Giampaolo Bisanti. A program of bel canto arias and duets will be presented, including "Una furtiva lagrima" from L'Elisir d’amore, “Qui di sposa….Verranno a te sull’aure” from Lucia di Lammermoor, "Ah lève-toi, soleil!" from Roméo et Juliette, and "Parigi o cara" from La Traviata, among other beloved pieces. Tickets are available here. This is Mr. Bernheim’s second appearance in Paris this season, having performed in the new Claus Guth production of La bohème at the Opéra national de Paris in December and January. Following this performance, the French tenor travels to Berlin, where he will perform the role of Alfredo in Verdi’s La traviata at the Staatsoper Berlin.

Mr. Bernheim makes his North American debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on March 3rd, when he sings the title role in Gounod's Faust. This is the tenor's second time singing the role which is likely to become a staple of his repertoire. Kevin Newbury directs the new production which uses sculpture by acclaimed American artist John Frame. This unique partnership allows audiences to experience this beloved French opera in a whole new way. Watch John Frame speak about his work on this opera here.

Mr. Bernheim is joined by Ailyn Pérez, who sings the role of Marguerite, Christian Van Horn, who sings the role of Méphistophélès, and Edward Parks, who sings the role of Valentin. Ana María Martínez joins the cast as Marguerite for the final show, on March 21st. Emmanuel Villaume conducts. Tickets can be purchased here.

Benjamin Bernheim continues his 2017/2018 season in Vienna, where he makes his role debut as Nemorimo in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. This also marks his house debut at the Wiener Staatsoper. The three performance run opens on February 3rd with additional performances on February 6th and 10th. The role of Adina is shared by Valentina Naforniţa and Andrea Carroll, while Mario Cassi sings Belcore, and Paolo Rumetz sings Dulcamara. This classic Otto Schenk production has been a favorite of Viennese audiences for decades, and Mr. Bernheim is one of the many tenors who has had the pleasure of performing Nemorino in this traditional setting. French conductor Frédéric Chaslin leads from the pit. For additional information and tickets please click here.

Following the conclusion of this run of performances in Vienna, Mr. Bernheim flies to Chicago to make his North American opera debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Faust.

Benjamin Bernheim sings a solo recital at the Opéra National de Bordeaux with pianist Florence Boissolle. This important debut for the young tenor is broadcast live online by Medici TV, and is available after the recital on replay here.

Mr. Bernheim sang an all French program, including both mélodies and arias. He opened with a "L'invitation au voyage" by Duparc, and continued with a selection of Fauré and Gounod mélodies to round out the first half. For the second portion, Mr. Bernheim sang the most celebrated tenor arias in the French repertoire, including "Je suis seul...Ah fuyez, douce image!" from Massenet's Manon,  "Toute mon âme est là ! Pourquoi me réveiller, ô souffle du printemps" from Massenet's Werther, and "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" from Bizet's Carmen. Mezzo-soprano Aude Extrémo joined Mr. Bernheim to sing the final scene from Carmen as an encore, following a standing ovation from the Bordeaux audience. Mr. Bernheim then performed "Va pour Kleinzach!" from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann as his second encore.

When the recital concluded, both press and social media alike lauded his performance. French opera blog Forum Opéra commented:

"Yes, certainly, Benjamin Bernheim has something to contribute to the French repertoire, as he once said to Christophe Rizoud (Benjamin Bernheim: “I have something to contribute to the French repertoire”). It will clearly be fascinating to follow at a distance the singer’s recital appearances, a discipline that can only refine his musicality and reinforce his talent as a singer and performer."

And Sud Ouest published a glowing review, writing:

"These exceptional vocal skills are clearly perfect for the most famous French operatic arias. Without artifice, with a firm stance, he easily embodied the torments of the Chevalier des Grieux entering the orders, the despair of Werther, the youthful ardor of Romeo or the forced humor of ‘Hoffmann …. recall that Jonas Kaufmann did not do better twenty years ago… after the same ovation, let’s wish him the same career!"

During and after the recital, those watching both in the opera house and online took to Twitter to share their reactions:

Mr. Bernheim travels to Vienna next, where he makes his role debut as Nemorino in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore in February. This also marks his house debut at the Wiener Staatsoper.

A highlight of his exciting 2017/2018 season, Benjamin Bernheim sings Rodolfo in in Claus Guth’s new production of La Bohème at Opéra National de Paris. One of the most talked about productions of the year, the show provided a vehicle to cement Mr. Bernheim’s reputation as one of the most exciting tenors of this upcoming generation, and in particular as a rising French star. He received critical acclaim from both press and audience members alike, and was featured on TV, the radio, and several blogs.

Forum Opera, an influential French, online opera publication, commented:

“Benjamin Bernheim est le véritable intérêt de cette reprise. La voix est bien conduite, d’une délicate musicalité, avec une impeccable maîtrise du souffle qui permet au chanteur de varier son style d’émission (poitrine, mixte) en fonction de la situation dramatique et musicale. La projection est techniquement exemplaire : la voix, qui n’est pas immense, est parfaitement audible car excellement concentrée."

{Benjamin Bernheim was the real interest of this reprise. The voice was well managed, with a delicate musicality and an impeccable mastery of the breath that allowed the singer to change color vocally (chest, mixed) as the dramatic or musical situation demanded. The vocal projection was exemplary technically: the voice, which isn’t huge, was perfectly audible because of its excellent concentration.}

“Depuis plusieurs saisons, le développement vocal de ce jeune ténor retient l’attention : le timbre est beau, souple, chaleureux mais surtout la ligne vocale est remarquablement tenue, avec une projection idéale, un soutien permanent qui ouvre la voix vers son espace supérieur et lui permet d’habiter la grande salle de l’Opéra Bastille, et une intelligence du chant qui participe grandement de la construction du personnage, aussi bien psychologique que vocale. Aujourd’hui, Benjamin Bernheim est assurément à l’aube d’une grande carrière : les plus grandes maisons s’intéressent à lui, son répertoire se diversifie sans s’alourdir prématurément, sa présence en scène s’affine, tout fait qu’on doit profiter de cette Bohème parisienne pour le découvrir (ou le retrouver) !"{For several seasons, the vocal development of this young tenor has drawn my attention: the timbre is beautiful and supple, warm but above all the vocal line is remarkable, with an ideal projection, a consistent support that opens the voice to accommodate large spaces and allows the voice to live in Bastille’s large theater, and a vocal intelligence that contributes to his construction of characters, both psychologically and vocally. Today, Benjamin Bernheim is certainly at the dawn of a great career: the most prestigious opera houses are showing interest in him, his repertoire is diversifying without going into heavier repertoire prematurely, his presence on stage continues to become more refined, and all of this can be enjoyed in this Parisian Bohème where you can discover or rediscover [this tenor]!}

Blogger Helene Adam of Passion Opera commented,

“Question chant, Benjamin Bernheim domine vraiment le plateau. J’avais pris une place pour la distribution B pour l’entendre. Je l’apprécie depuis un petit moment ( Capriccio à Garnier, Cassio à Salzbourg, un récital à Paris). Il a confirmé tout le bien que je pense de lui . Non seulement il a une projection impressionnante, supérieure à celle des tous les autres artistes de la scène, mais surtout, il a un timbre magnifique, une technique irréprochable, notamment une diction parfaite et une capacité à nuancer sans casser sa ligne de chant qui nous promet de futurs rôles encore plus impressionnants s'il ne fait pas de choix inconsidérés.

...mais c'est un ténor aux harmoniques très riches sur toute la tessiture ce qui fait que son chant se déploie dans les graves, le médium et les aigus sans discontinuer. Il s'autorise du coup un superbe legato, des diminuendi et des crescendi parfaitement maîtrisés et je dois dire que ses airs et ses duos furent certainement les plus beaux moments de la soirée.”

{In respect to the singing, Benjamin Bernheim really dominated the stage. I bought a ticket to see the B cast specifically to hear him. I have appreciated his singing for a while now (Capriccio à Garnier, Cassio à Salzbourg, un récital à Paris). He confirmed that my memory served me correctly. Not only does he have impressive projection, better than all the other singers on stage, but above all, a magnificent timbre, a faultless technique, especially perfect diction and a capacity for limitless nuances without breaking the line which holds the promise for even more impressive roles in the future, providing he doesn’t make reckless choices.

...but he is a tenor with rich harmonics and above all a tessitura that allows the voice to unfold beautifully in the lower, middle and high range without any inconsistencies. He is in control of an excellent legato, perfectly mastered diminuendi and crescendi and his arias and duets were the most beautiful moments of the evening.}

TV5 Monde took notice, and featured him on the program 64’, which is broadcast live worldwide. Watch the clip here.

He was also invited as a guest of Classic Club, the popular classical music talk show, broadcast live on France Music. You can now listen to the rebroadcast here, or download the podcast version available in the iTunes store.

Mr. Bernheim was also featured in several important online publications, including Forbes, Olyrix, La Revue du Spectacle, Forum Opera, and Fans de Culture.

Mr. Bernheim is joined by Nicole Carr as Mimi, Aida Garifullina as Musetta, Artur Ruciński as Marcello, Alessio Arduini and Andrei Jilihovschi as Schaunard, and Roberto Tagliavini as Colline. Gustavo Dudamel and Manuel López-Gómez conduct.  A limited number of tickets are now available here.

Italian repertoire dominates the beginning of Mr. Bernheim’s 2017/2018 season, as he sings the role of Rodolfo (La bohème) and Alfredo (La Traviata) in several opera houses throughout Europe. He began his season with a role debut as Alfredo at the Deutsche Oper Berlin; a role that he will sing a total of three times throughout his 2017/2018 season. This role debut is followed by a house debut at the Royal Opera House in London. Mr. Bernheim sings the role of Rodolfo in Puccini’s La bohème in the new, yet traditional Richard Jones production of this beloved masterpiece. Nicole Carr sings opposite Mr. Bernheim as Mimì, Mariusz Kwiecien sings Marcello, Joyce El-Khoury sings Musetta, Gyula Nagy Schaunard, and Luca Titttoto Colline. Paul Wynne Griffiths leads from the pit.

Traveling to the city where he was born, Mr. Bernheim explores a very different version of the same piece as he again sings Rodolfo - this time at the Opéra National de Paris. When asked how he approaches performing such an iconic role in different productions, Mr. Bernheim recently commented in an interview, “Ultimately, when I work on a role I go with as much of an open mind as possible and try to avoid closing myself off from new ideas because one always has to be open to new ideas in this business.” (OperaTraveller) This perspective is certainly useful for the new Claus Guth production in Paris. The director envisions the bohemians on a failed mission in space, where visions occupy their thoughts as death approaches. Conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and Munuel López-Gómez, the production provokes a strong response from both critics and audience members alike. Nicole Carr once again sings the role of Mimì, while Artur Rucinski sings Marcello, Alessio Arduini and Andrei Jilihovschi share the role of Schaunard, Roberto Tagliavini sings Colline, and Aida Garifullina sings Musetta. Mr. Bernheim sings the role throughout the holiday season, with the last performance on December 31st. A limited amount of tickets remain, and can be purchased here.

Mr. Bernheim discusses interpreting the role of Rodolfo and other aspects of his career in interviews with OperaTraveller, Olyrix, and with Lionel Esparza on the radio show Classic Club.

Mr. Bernheim made his highly anticipated Royal Opera House debut on October 6th, staring as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La bohème. The new production by Richard Jones was set it in the traditional time period and setting, yet a cast young stars on the cusp of major, international careers gave the show an updated, fresh appeal.

Coinciding with his debut, the International New York Times featured Mr. Bernheim, highlighting his current breakthrough season. Indeed, 2017/2018 is noteworthy for this young, French tenor: he makes his role debut as Alfredo in La Traviata, makes house debuts at the Royal Opera House and the Wiener Staatsoper, and sings at the Opéra National de Paris and Lyric Opera of Chicago, in addition to other prominent international houses.

Opera Traveller decided to post a full review of the production, and included this high praise in the online article:

“Bernheim gave us a glorious Rodolfo. Right from his opening entry, his bright, well-placed tenor ringing out, it was immediately clear that we were in for something very special indeed. His isn’t the biggest voice but it carries wonderfully, seemingly floating on air throughout the auditorium. It is absolutely even from top to bottom – as he sang through ‘che gelida manina’ the voice took wing, drawing those ‘castelli in aria’, opening up in seemingly unlimited, unblemished beauty and rising to a fabulously full and even high C. He found poetry in the text too – he made the text live, always using it as a starting point for his phrasing and used dynamics intelligently to create a rounded character. The heartbreak he felt at the close was palpable. Bernheim is a very major talent.”

You can read the full review here.

French Opera site Olyrix also reviewed the show, and appreciated Mr. Bernheim’s performance, commenting:

“Son timbre chaud transmet parfaitement les premiers élans amoureux de Rodolfo. Il tâtonne à la recherche des clés de la couturière mais sa voix reste assurée, sa ligne vocale constamment articulée. Les voix de Benjamin Bernheim et de la soprano Nicole Car se répondent harmonieusement au moment d’O Soave Fanciulla,il en est de même pour tous leurs duos, auxquels le public applaudit chaleureusement.”

You can read the full article here.

Mr. Bernheim's next engagement is a reprisal of the role of Rodolfo in another new production of La bohème, this time directed by Claus Guth at the Opéra de Paris. (Performances the 18th, 21st, 23rd, 26th, 29th, and 31st of December)

Mr. Bernheim begins his 2017/2018 season with a role debut in Berlin, where he sings Alfredo in La Traviata to open the Deutsche Oper Berlin's 2017-2018 season.  Ido Arad conducts this Götz Friedrich production, while Salome Jicia sings Violetta, and Dong-Hwan Lee sings Germont. The show opens on August 30th, with an additional performance on September 2nd. While a role debut, Mr.Bernheim has sung with the Deutsche Oper before, most recently in a production of Eugene Onegin, in which he sang Lenskij. Mr. Bernheim returns to Berlin to sing Alfredo with the Staatsoper Berlin in May and June 2018, and will also end his season with Alfredo in Zurich, which opens on July 6th.

From Berlin, Mr. Bernheim travels to London, where he makes his house debut at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden singing Rodolfo in Puccini's La bohème. Simona Mihai sings opposite Mr. Bernheim as Mimì, and Paul Wynne Griffiths conducts. Richard Jones directs this new production of Puccini's beloved opera. Mr.Bernheim performs on October 6th and 10th.

In December, Mr. Bernheim sings in Paris at the Opéra de Paris, where he performs in a Claus Guth production of La bohème. This will be his first time singing at the Opéra Bastille theater, after having made his debut in Paris at Opéra Garnier in Capriccio in 2016. His premiere is on December 18th, followed by five additional performances throughout the holiday season.

Mr. Bernheim will tour Italy with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Teatro alla Scala this summer, performing in four concerts. The tour begins on July 11 in Varese, and then continues on to Como (July 13), Pavia (July 14), and ends in Cremona (July 15). At each venue, Mr. Bernheim will sing a programme of opera arias, including "Pourquoi me réveiller" from Werther, "Che gelida manina" from La bohème, and "De' miei bollenti spiriti" from La traviata. Conducted by Lorenzo Viotti, the program will also include Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor. This concert tour concludes Mr. Bernheim's 2016/2017 season, and his next season begins at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where he will sing Alfredo in Verdi's La traviata opening August 30.  Ticket information for these concerts to follow shortly.

Benjamin Bernheim's 2017-2018 season begins in Berlin, where he sings Alfredo in Verdii's La Traviata at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Although Mr. Bernheim has sung before at the Deutsche Oper, this marks his role debut as Alfredo. The production opens their season on August 30th, with an additional performance on September 2nd.

Next, Mr. Bernheim makes his house debut at the Royal Opera House, where he sings Rodolfo in a new production of Puccini's La bohème. Simona Mihai joins as Mimì, in a new production by Richard Jones. He reprises the role at the Opéra National de Paris, with six performances over the holiday season. He begins the new year in Bordeaux, where he sings a solo recital with pianist Jean-Marc Fontana on the main stage at the Opéra National Bordeaux. He continues on with debuts, as Nemorino in Donezetti's L'elisir d'amore at the Wiener Staatsoper in February is followed by a new staging of Faust at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mr. Bernheim then returns to France, where he sings in two concerts in Paris. The first is with Olga Peretyatko at the Philharmonie de Paris, and is a program of arias and duets, and the second is an Hommage à Gounod with the Orchestre National de France. His season finishes at the Opernhaus Zürich, where he sings Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata. 

On  June 8 & 17, Benjamin Bernheim will debut in the title role of Gounod's Faust in his first-ever engagement at the Latvian National Opera. Marina Rebeka sings Marguerite and bass Andreas Bauer is Méphistophélès, in performances conducted by Tadeusz Wojciechowski. Directed by Aik Karapetian, the production's creative team includes costume designer Kristīne Pasternaka, set designer Kristaps Skulte, and lighting by A.J. Weissbard.

Mr. Bernheim will return to the role in a new production next season, in his house debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago from March 3 - 21, 2018.

The DVD/Blu-ray of the Salzburg Osterfestspiele production of Otello, with Benjamin Bernheim singing the role of Cassio, has just been released by Unitel. Hailed as a “revelation” in this role by Diapason, and as having a “bright, voluminous and extensive voice,” by Opera Online, this is Mr. Bernheim’s third time singing the role, having previously performed it at the Opéra National de Bordeaux, and Opernhaus Zürich. Mr. Bernheim is joined by José Cura in the title role, Dorothea Röschmann as Desdemona, Carlos Alvarez as Iago, and Christa Mayer as Emilia. Christian Thielemann conducts this dark and dramatic production by Vincent Boussard. The trailer is available here, and the DVD can be purchased here.

Benjamin Bernheim reprises his acclaimed portrayal of Rodolfo in Puccini's La bohème this spring at Opernhaus Zürich. He sings the role on April 15, 19, 22 & 29 and May 6 & 10, with Eleonora Buratto as Mimì, Andrei Bondarenko as Marcello, and Elsa Dreisig is Musetta. Giampaolo Bisanti leads from the pit for all performances. The production, directed by Ole Anders Tandberg, features stage designs by Erlend Birkeland and costumes designed by Maria Geber.

"I always marvel at his rich column of sound, even from top to bottom . . . through “Che gelida manina,” his high notes soared.” (Seen and Heard International)

This March, Benjamin Bernheim returns to the Opernhaus Zürich stage to sing Cassio in Verdi's Otello. The performances take place on March 8, 12, 16, 19 & 23, with a cast that also features Aleksandrs Antonenko in the title role, Maria Agresta as Desdemona, and Zeljko Lucic as Jago. Maestro Marco Armiliato leads from the pit for this production, which features a staging by Graham Vick.

Mr. Bernheim has received praise for his past portrayals of Cassio, including his star turn at the Salzburger Osterfestspiele:

"Bernheim's performance was a source of inspiration for both his sound and a keen flexibility in his voice."

{Bernheims Auftritt begeisterte durch seine stimmliche Durchschlagskraft und aufgeweckte Flexibilität in der Stimme.}

Christine Arnold - Bachtrack

On February 5, 8, 10 & 12, Benjamin Bernheim sings the role of Laërte in Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet at Opéra de Lausanne. Vincent Boussard directs the staging, a co-production with Opéra National du Rhin and Opéra de Marseille, with a cast that also includes Régis Mengus as Hamlet, Lisette Oropesa as Ophélie, Stella Grigorian sings Gertrude, and Philippe Rouillon is Claudius. Fabien Gabel leads the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne for these performances.

Benjamin Bernheim is the featured tenor soloist in Berlioz' Te Deum on January 21 at the Philharmonie de Paris, with Bertrand de Billy and the Orchestre de Paris. The performance is part of the multi-concert celebration of the Choeur de l'Orchestre de Paris' 40th Anniversary, with a programme that also includes Henri Dutilleux' Symphonie n°2 "Le Double" and Philippe Hersant's La lumière et l'ombre, commissioned by the Orchestra. Tickets and additional information are available at the following link.

Watch a live online broadcast of the concert at 8:30pm CET:

Culturebox

Philharmonie de Paris Live

"... the triumph of Benjamin Bernheim at the Deutsche Oper Berlin ... a whirlwind provoked by the appearance of Benjamin Bernheim. A great winner of the applause, the Franco-Swiss tenor suspends time from the first aria of Lensky. The voice is of sublime warmth, a consistency of the timbre without faults, but it is even more in crafting the character that Bernheim dazzles: away from the lusty and violent boorishness, Lensky appears here as the great romantic hero of the opera, culminating in the aria "Kuda, kuda," overwhelming with his modesty and dignity."

{... le triomphe de Benjamin Bernheim à la Deutsche Oper de Berlin ... la tornade provoquée dès l'apparition de Benjamin Bernheim. Grand vainqueur aux applaudissements, le ténor franco-suisse suspend le temps dès le premier arioso de Lensky. La voix est d'une chaleur sublime, l'homogénéité du timbre sans failles mais c'est plus encore dans la caractérisation du personnage que Bernheim éblouit : loin du rustre veule et violent, Lensky apparaît ici comme le grand héros romantique de l'opéra, culminant dans un air Kuda, kuda, bouleversant de pudeur et de dignité.}

Laurent Vilarem, Opéra Online

Benjamin Bernheim's "mellifluous" (Bachtrack) portrayal of Edmondo in Puccini's Manon Lescaut can now be enjoyed on a 2-CD album release on the Deutsche Grammophon label, captured at the 2016 Salzburg Festival. Anna Netrebko stars in the title role, with Yusif Eyvazov as Des Grieux, Carlos Chausson as Geronte, and Armando Piña as Lescaut. Marco Armiliato leads the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra on this recording, which is now available for purchase via Amazon and iTunes.

Benjamin Bernheim sings Rodolfo in Puccini's La bohème, this winter at the Semperoper Dresden. Performances take place December 5 & January 15, and also feature Maija Kovalevska as Mimì, Emily Dorn as Musetta, and Markus Butter sings Marcello. Giampaolo Bisanti leads the Staatskapelle Dresden for these dates, with a production originally staged by Christine Mielitz.

"I always marvel at his rich column of sound, even from top to bottom . . . through “Che gelida manina,” his high notes soared.” (Seen and Heard International)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mQfRtoHBV0