Benjamin Bernheim and Carrie-Ann Matheson Recital 2026 in Abu Dhabi

Benjamin Bernheim and Carrie-Ann Matheson Recital 2026 in Abu Dhabi brings one of the most celebrated tenors of his generation to Cultural Foundation on Wednesday 9 December, in an Arab World Premiere for the Recital Series at Abu Dhabi Festival 2026. The French tenor performs with his long-standing partner at the piano, Canadian pianist Carrie-Ann Matheson, in a programme inspired by their Deutsche Grammophon album Douce France. Doors open at 7pm and the recital starts at 8pm.

Who is Benjamin Bernheim?

Benjamin Bernheim was born in Paris in 1985 and grew up in Geneva, where he studied violin and piano before starting singing lessons at the age of ten. He trained at the Lausanne Conservatory and then joined the Opera Studio at Opernhaus Zürich, becoming part of the Zürich company in 2010. From there his career moved quickly: a Salzburg Festival debut in 2012, La Scala in 2016, the Royal Opera House in London in La bohème, and roles at the Paris Opera including Faust, Manon and La traviata. He made his Metropolitan Opera house debut in Rigoletto in 2022.

He is known above all for the French and Italian lyric repertoire: Rodolfo in La bohème, Des Grieux in Manon, Alfredo in La traviata, Roméo, Lenski and the Duke of Mantua. A Süddeutsche Zeitung critic called his “the most beautiful tenor voice since Luciano Pavarotti”, and he has been named lyric artist of the year at France’s Victoires de la Musique Classique twice, in 2020 and 2024, and made a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2021. The festival also highlights his appearances at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris.

An exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist since 2018, he released his debut album in 2019 with the Prague Philharmonia under Emmanuel Villaume, the year after which he won an Opus Klassik newcomer award, and Boulevard des Italiens in 2022 with the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, before turning to song with Matheson on Douce France.

Carrie-Ann Matheson at the piano

Carrie-Ann Matheson is a Canadian pianist, conductor and educator, and Artistic Director of the San Francisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program. She began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, joined Opernhaus Zürich in 2014, the same house where Bernheim built his early career, and has performed with singers including Jonas Kaufmann and Joyce DiDonato. In a recital like this the piano is an equal partner rather than an accompaniment, and the pair’s long collaboration is a large part of the appeal.

The programme: from Douce France outwards

The evening follows the spirit of Douce France, starting in French song before travelling further afield. The festival describes it in four parts:

• French mélodies, including songs by Henri Duparc and Ernest Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et de la mer, a sweeping cycle about love and the sea.
• Spanish, Catalan and Argentinian song, adding warmth and colour in the middle of the programme.
• Puccini’s lyrical romanze, the composer’s songs for voice and piano, giving an operatic flavour without the orchestra.
• Classic French chansons by Charles Trenet, Joseph Kosma and Jacques Brel, the kind of songs many in the audience will know.

The ticket page also features Pourquoi me réveiller from Massenet’s Werther as a highlight of Bernheim’s voice, though it does not confirm that the aria is on the programme. Exact song titles for the Spanish and Argentinian sections have not been published.

Cultural Foundation and the evening

Cultural Foundation, on Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street (2nd Street) in central Abu Dhabi, is one of the capital’s main arts venues and part of the Qasr Al Hosn cultural site. A voice-and-piano recital suits it well, with nowhere for either performer to hide.

Practical details

• The recital is for ages 10 and over.
• Elegant attire is welcome, but the festival says you can wear whatever makes you comfortable.
• Arrive at least 30 minutes early. Latecomers are admitted only during a break, if there is one, may be seated elsewhere and may be refused entry.
• Phones must be silent, and photography and recording are not allowed during the performance.
• Outside food is not permitted; weapons, drones, laser pointers and glow sticks are prohibited, and bags may be inspected.
• Ticket sales are final, with no refunds, exchanges or resale.

Parking is available at or near the venue, Abu Dhabi Bus Station is about 1.2 km away, and most taxi drivers know Cultural Foundation.

Who it suits

This is one for opera lovers who have followed Bernheim’s rise, and a natural choice for anyone who loves French song, from Duparc to Brel. Because the later part of the programme moves into chanson and Latin song, it also works for listeners who are newer to classical recitals.

For more, see our art and culture listings, things to do in Abu Dhabi, December events and what’s on in the UAE.