Franco-Swiss tenor, Benjamin Bernheim sang at the inauguration of Notre-Dame de Paris and at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in August 2024. This regular on the biggest opera stages also recently released his first album of songs, “Douce France”.
Endowed with a particular voice color, vibrant, warm and a little mystical, the Franco-Swiss tenor Benjamin Bernheim has had a string of successes for almost ten years. From Paris to New York, he has graced the greatest opera stages, such as that of the Metropolitan Opera where he performed this fall as Hoffmann in “Tales of Hoffmann” alongside soprano Pretty Yende. He also distinguished himself during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games by singing a modernized version of the “Hymn to Apollo” accompanied by the pianist Alain Roche, suspended above the Stade de France, and made shine, internationally, French opera.
Lausanne, a decisive step
His latest album released in August 2024, “Douce France: melodies & songs”, can be listened to as a tribute to our neighboring country. Because Benjamin Bernheim, 39, shares a love story with French song. But the tenor did indeed grow up in Geneva and then trained at the Lausanne Conservatory.
“Lausanne was a first big step for me, he explains in the 7:30 p.m. of December 19. I met my teacher, Gary Magby, I made a lot of friends and I had my first experiences, since I sang at the time in the choir of the Lausanne Opera, I made my debut on stage, in Lausanne, before leaving for Zurich”, and joining the Opera troupe. Studio.
Lyric artist of the year
Crowned lyrical artist of the year at the last Victoires de la Musique Classique, his voice has often been compared to that of the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Today he plays major roles in the lyric tenor repertoire and is particularly appreciated for his diction. “What I want to bring to the stage is to allow the audience to hear every word. Whatever the language, French, German, Russian and Italian, [j’aimerais que] people who speak the language of the opera that I sing do not need to look at the surtitles and can understand that I have really done elocution work (…). It’s a long-term job.”
Benjamin Bernheim played a key role in the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris and in doing so contributed to the widespread diffusion of classical music to all audiences. “It is crucial today [que l’opéra brise les barrières]. The world is getting bigger and at the same time, the world of classical music has always been seen, unfortunately, as something intended, perhaps, for older people. But it's not true: whether I go to New York, Paris, Zurich or other places, I see many young people fascinated by the voice that vibrates in space, in a room. And this shows that culture, the arts, are for all ages,” he concludes.
Comments collected by Philippe Revaz
Adaptation web: Melissa Härtel