Opera Sensation Benjamin Bernheim Wows Audience at Paris 2024 Olympics Closing Ceremony
The internationally renowned French tenor, Mr. Benjamin Bernheim, performed at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, captivating audiences at the Stade de France and viewers worldwide with his rendition of Fauré’s “Hymne à Apollon” or “Hymn to Apollo”.
Mr. Bernheim delivered his performance from the heart of a massive Olympic ring, with a grand piano suspended vertically in the air above him. Dressed in a custom Dior Men’s couture suit and Kim Jones’ derbies, he wore a couture cape by Kevin Germanier, specially designed for the occasion.
In his remarks after the event, Mr. Benjamin Bernheim expressed, “It has been an immense inspiration to witness the accomplishments of these extraordinary athletes participating in the Olympic Games. It is made even more special by the fact that Paris, my home, is at the heart of it. I feel incredibly honored to have been a part of the closing ceremony and to have shared this rarely performed work by Fauré with a global audience.”
The “Hymne à Apollon” holds historical significance with the Olympics, dating back to 1893 when French archaeologists unearthed an ancient song inscribed on stone tablets in the ruins of Delphi. A year later, Fauré transformed the melody into a harmonized version which was performed during the First Olympic Congress, marking the revival of the Olympic Games. The new version for voice and piano was specially created for the 2024 closing ceremony by composer Victor Le Masne, the Musical Director of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Following his performance at the Olympics, Mr. Bernheim will travel from Paris to Salzburg for a return to one of his signature roles, where he will grace the stage in six performances as Hoffmann in French director Mariame Clément’s new production of “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” at the Salzburg Festival from August 13th to 30th. The performance on August 16th will be livestreamed on ARTE, with a first showing on DG’s STAGE+ on August 24th.
Later this month, Mr. Bernheim will release his new album, “Douce France – Mélodies & Chansons” under Deutsche Grammophon (to be released on August 30th). This will mark his first solo album and will showcase a selection of French vocal music treasures. Recorded with his regular duo partner, Carrie-Ann Matheson, the album will feature 19th-century “mélodies” by Berlioz, Chausson, and Duparc, along with 20th-century “chansons” by Brel, Kosma, and Trenet. Two singles have already been released and are available for listening.
Following Salzburg, Mr. Bernheim will reprise the role of Hoffmann at the Metropolitan Opera in New York from September 24th to October 18th. He will also give recitals featuring repertoire from “Douce France” in Los Angeles (November 9th), Vienna (November 14th), Prague (November 19th), Paris (November 24th), and Monte Carlo (February 9th, 2025). The New Year will also see him assume the title role in Massenet’s “Werther” at Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (March/April), Roméo in Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” at the Vienna Staatsoper (May), and Des Grieux in Massenet’s “Manon” at the Paris Opéra (May/June).
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