Album insights
The French tenor Benjamin Bernheim has been hailed as having "the most beautiful tenor voice since Luciano Pavarotti" by the Süddeutsche Zeitung. His latest album for Deutsche Grammophon, titled "Boulevard des Italiens," delves into over a century of Italian opera in France. Bernheim performs rare and familiar pieces from operas by Cherubini, Spontini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, and Mascagni in French, his native language. Through this album, he aims to showcase the historical connection between the French language and Italian composers who premiered their works at the Parisian opera houses. With guidance from the Palazzetto Bru Zane, a foundation dedicated to French Romantic music, Bernheim meticulously curated the repertoire. Collaborating with Frédéric Chaslin and the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Bernheim not only demonstrates exceptional French operatic singing but also provides a captivating overview of the symbiotic relationship between Paris and successive generations of Italian composers. Critics have praised his performance for its remarkable clarity and highlighted the album as a significant contribution to the French operatic tradition.