Review: Benjamin Bernheim, Tenor - Deutsche Grammophon (2019)

French tenor Benjamin Bernheim’s star continues to rise with the release of this debut album, arriving only a few months after the signing of his long-term exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Raised in Geneva, Bernheim studied at the Lausanne Conservatoire, then the Opernhaus Zürich’s Young Artists’ Program, eventually becoming part of its ensemble. His career shifted into high gear in 2015 and in the last few years he has performed in several major opera houses across Europe, including London’s Royal Opera House, the Paris, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Vienna State Operas, as well as America’s Lyric Opera Chicago.

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His new recording opens with “Pourquoi me réveiller” from Massenet’s Werther. Bernheim show great sensitivity, using a varied vocal palette and his effortlessly spun lyricism to convey the text. His builds an impressive first climax at 1’25,” easily scaling back to sotto voce in the next phrase, displaying impressive vocal technique. Particularly moving is how he varies his color and intensifies his tone each time he asks, “Why awaken me, O breath of spring?”.

Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” follows, sung with a disarming sincerity, expressive without ever veering into melodramatic. Again, listen to how easily Bernheim changes his vocal color to reelect the change in text, especially beginning at the 2-minute mark. Indeed, the French arias prove to be the most musically satisfying offerings, with consistently gorgeous tone and impeccable diction wedded to thoughtful and mature engagement of the text. It is especially gratifying to hear two selections from Godard’s “Dante,” music that deserves to be better known and certainly benefits from Bernheim’s passionate and intelligent advocacy.

Concerns creep in with the two selections from Verdi’s “La Traviata” (Tracks 6 and 7). Bernheim’s performance of “Lunge da lei” is thoughtfully earnest but lacks interpretative fire, only partially capturing the “passionate spirit and fire of youth.” Perhaps Bernheim is choosing beauty of tone at the expense of textual expression? His Tchaikovsky only confirms this impression: in “Kuda, kuda, kuda vi udalilis” from Eugene Onegin, an older man reflects on “the golden days of my youth” and struggles with aging. Bernheim communicates that regret fitfully; turn to Andrey Dunaev, accompanied by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Alexander Vedernikov on Pentatone for a fuller, more convincing portrayal. The Pentatone recording also features more vivid and characterful orchestral playing; indeed, the Prague Philharmonia and Emmanuel Villaume offer attentive and beautiful playing that is just a bit bland and non-descript. This issue is further exacerbated by the recording itself, which lacks any sense of front to back depth, and, especially when listening with headphones, has a slightly synthetic engineered sound.

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Similar issues can be heard in Track 9, “Ella mi fu rapita!” from Verdi’s Rigoletto. Compared to a recent performance by Jonas Kaufmann, accompanied by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Marco Armiliato on Decca, it is Kaufmann who more vividly characterizes, at time even allowing his sound to become less than beautiful to more fully capture the emotional import of the words.

The album ends with an engaging and gorgeous performance of “Che gelida manina” from La Boheme. This is music that certainly plays to Bernheim’s strengths and his reading has a gentleness and naivety that completely capture the passionate wonder of falling in love.

Liner notes offer a shallow interview with Bernheim but provide no notes on the music itself. Text and translations are provided. Despite a few under characterized moments (which will surely deepen as he performs these roles on stage), performances overall are consistently impressive. Certainly, this album shows Bernheim to be an exceptionally gifted and communicative artist, of whom great things can be expected.