Paul-AntoineBénos-Djian

/
Countertenor
Scroll for more

Contact

For availability and general enquiries:

Angelica Conner

Angelica Conner

Artist Manager

For contracts, logistics and press:

Matt Palmer

Matt Palmer

Assistant Artist Manager

Representation

Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

Follow Paul-Antoine

About Paul-Antoine

French counter-tenor Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian is one of the most exciting young vocal talents of our time. Formerly a HSBC Révélation award-winner at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, he is a graduate of the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles and Conservatoire de Paris.

Highlights of the 2023/24 season include singing the roles of Ottone L’incoronazione di Poppea at Opéra de Rennes and Oper Köln, and Ulisse Polifemo at Opéra national du Rhin under the baton of Emmanuelle Haïm. On the concert platform, he sings a Vivaldi recital with Café Zimmermann, the title role in Scarlatti’s Il Mitridate Eupatore at the Het Concertgebouw under the baton of Thibault Noally, Handel’s Messiah with Accentus and Laurence Equilbey with performances at La Seine Musicale, Opéra national du Capitole de Toulouse and Palau de la Música; a Bach recital at Bozar Brussels; and St Matthew Passion at Opéra de Rennes.

In the 2022/23 season, Paul-Antoine sang the role of Oberon A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Opéra de Rouen, Athamas Semele at Opéra de Lille with Emmanuelle Haim, Farnace Mitridate at the Staatsoper Berlin, the title role of Giulio Cesare at the Festival International de Beaune and Alessandro Tolomeo with Il Pomo d’Oro, touring to Teatro Real, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, the Elbphilharmonie, and Katowice.

Previous highlights include Farnace Mitridate with Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre (featuring a commercial recording) at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía Valencia, Ottone Agrippina in Halle, and Marte La Divisione del mondo at Opéra Royal de Versailles, both with Les Talens Lyriques and Christophe Rousset, Unulfo Rodelinda at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées with Le Concert d’Astrée/Emmanuelle Haïm, the title-role in Rinaldo at Opéra de Rennes, La Voce di Deo in Scarlatti’s Il Primo Omicido with Philippe Jaroussky in Salzburg, Tolomeo Guilio Cesare with English Touring Opera, as well as concerts and a recording of Purcell’s Odes (also with Le Banquet Céleste), and his debut appearance with the prestigious Comédie-Française in Paris in La nuit des rois.

Paul-Antoine is based in Paris

Download programme biography   

Representation

Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

Follow Paul-Antoine

Season Highlights

Oct 2023 - Oct 2023
Opéra de Rennes
L'incoronazione di Poppea (Ottone) Damien Guillon (conductor) Ted Huffman (director)
Nov 2023 - Nov 2023
Het Concertgebouw
Scarlatti’s Il Mitridate Eupatore (Mitridate) Thibault Noally (conductor)
Feb 2024 - Mar 2024
Opéra national du Rhin
Polifemo (Ulisse) Emmanuelle Haïm (conductor) Bruno Ravella (director)

Video

Photos

Selected Repertoire

BrittenMidsummer’s night Dream (Oberon)
CavalliErismena (Clerio Moro)
HaendelRinaldo (title role)   •   Rodelinda (Unulfo)   •   Theodora (Didymus)   •   Teseo (Egeo)   •   Agrippina (Ottone)   •   Giulio Cesare (title role)   •   Giulio Cesare (Tolomeo)   •   Giulio Cesare (Nireno)   •   Semele (Athamas)   •   Giulio Cesare (Nireno)   •   Ariodante (Polinesso)   •   Poro (Gandarte)   •   Tolomeo,rè D’egitto (Alessandro)
MonteverdiIncoronazione di Poppea (Ottone)
MozartMitridate (Farnace)
SacratiFinta Pazza (Achille)
ScarlattiSedecia (title role)   •   San Filippo Neri (Fede)   •   Il Primo Omicidio (Voce di Dio)
StradellaSan Giovanni Battista (title role)

News

Press

  • Porpora - Polifemo (Ulisse)

    Strasbourg
    Feb 2024

    • In Ulisse, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian stands out with a tone of more frank lyrical seduction, and attention to the theatrical effectiveness of singing. The French countertenor confirms himself as one of the great figures of the new generation, intelligently consolidating the construction of his repertoire.

    • The two heroes of the day are nonetheless the two countertenors of the cast. In the role of Ulysses formerly conceived for Senesino,Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian , unmistakable under his silicone biceps, deploys a warm, valiant and richly timbred instrument, admirably colored in the “ Fortunate pecorelle ”, with rapid and alert vocalization in the airs of virtuosity.

    • As Ulysses, the excellent Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian almost steals the spotlight with his more virile and sonorous tone, his strong stage involvement, his vocal ease and his obvious pleasure in singing and playing.

    • Vocally, we are on the heights with Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian (Ulisse) whose firm and assured timbre is coupled with an ability to nuance the line with a remarkable depth of meaning and color ( Core avvezzo al furore dell' armi ). Less fleshed out than the role of Acis, the Greek hero finds in this interpretation an infinity of means and thoughts which ends up focusing more attention than his alter ego.

    • We will also note the excellent performance of the second countertenor, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian , whose timbre is more virile, the harmonics richer, the sound volume well balanced.

    • his French counterpart Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian stands up to him in Acis, with a tone of astonishing beauty and projection, which earned him a real triumph during the salutes