Recital Series: Benjamin Bernheim and Carrie-Ann Matheson

OVERVIEW

Hailed by the SüddeutscheZeitung as “the most beautiful tenor voice since Luciano Pavarotti”, Frenchtenor Benjamin Bernheim comes to Abu Dhabi Festival 2026 for an intimaterecital with his long-standing artistic partner, Canadian pianist Carrie-AnnMatheson. From the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to thehistoric reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris, Bernheim has brought his voice tosome of the world’s most significant stages and occasions.

Inspired by theiracclaimed Deutsche Grammophon album Douce France, the evening journeysthrough the elegance and expressive beauty of French song, from the refinedmélodies of Duparc to Chausson’s sweeping Poème de l’amour et de la mer.The programme travels onwards through Spanish, Catalan and Argentinian song andPuccini’s lyrical romanze, before turning to the timeless Frenchchansons of Trenet, Kosma and Brel.

Taking place at CultureFoundation, this exceptional recital offers audiences a rare opportunity toexperience one of the finest tenors of his generation in a more intimatesetting, in an evening of elegance, poetry and extraordinary vocal artistry.

Programme

Henri Duparc (1848–1933)
L'invitation au voyage
Chanson triste
Phidylé

Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky (1840–1893)
Kuda, kuda (Eugene Onegin)

Georges Bizet (1838–1875)
La fleur que tu m'avais jetée (Carmen)
Je crois entendre encor (Les pêcheurs de perles)

Charles Gounod (1818–1893)
Ah ! lève-toi, soleil ! (Roméo et Juliette)

Intermission

Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848)
Una furtiva lagrima (L'elisir d'amore)

Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880–1968)
I pastori

Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924)
Mentìa l'avviso
Terra e mare
Sole e amore

Charles Trenet (1913–2001)
Douce France

Joseph Kosma (1905–1969)
Les feuilles mortes

Jacques Brel (1929–1978)
Quand on n'a que l'amour

ARTISTS

Benjamin Bernheim,Tenor

French tenor BenjaminBernheim is one of the leading lyric tenors of his generation, appearingregularly on the world’s foremost opera stages, including the Opéra national deParis, Metropolitan Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Teatroalla Scala and Royal Opera House.

An exclusive DeutscheGrammophon artist, Bernheim’s accolades include Opera Singer of the Year at theVictoires de la Musique in 2020 and 2024, Male Singer of the Year at the 2024International Opera Awards and the 2025 Opus Klassik. He is also a Chevalier del’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Carrie-AnnMatheson, Piano

Canadian pianist,conductor and educator Carrie-Ann Matheson is Artistic Director of the SanFrancisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program. After beginning her careeron the music staff of the Metropolitan Opera, she joined Opernhaus Zürich in2014, where she also made her conducting debut.

A sought-after recitalpartner, Matheson has performed with some of the world’s leading singers,including Jonas Kaufmann, Piotr Beczała, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, RolandoVillazón and Thomas Hampson.

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