Paul-AntoineBénos-Djian

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Countertenor
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For availability and general enquiries:

Angelica Conner

Angelica Conner

Artist Manager
Charlotte Bateman

Charlotte Bateman

Assistant Artist Manager

Representation

Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

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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 2024/25 season include performances of Polifemo as Ulisse at Opéra de Lille and Château de Versailles and Endiminone in La Calisto at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence. On the concert platform, Paul-Antoine will sing the title role in a tour of Tamerlano under the baton of René Jacobs with the Freiburger Barockorchester, Trasemede in Merope at the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, along with performances with Le Poème Harmonique and Café Zimmermann.

He recently made his Moscow debut with the Bolshoi Theatre as Polinesso Ariodante, conducted by Gianluca Capuano, and sang Didymus Theodora with Il Pomo d’Oro, alongside Joyce DiDonato, Lisette Oropesa and Michael Spyres, at Theater an der Wien, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and La Scala, Milan, with a live recording to follow. Other highlights include Nireno Giulio Cesare, also at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées and Ottone L’incoronazione di Poppea for the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.

Paul-Antoine is based in Paris

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Representation

Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

Follow Paul-Antoine

Season Highlights

Oct 2024
Opéra de Lille
Polifemo (Ulysse) Emmanuelle Haïm (conductor) Bruno Ravella (director)
Dec 2024
Opéra Royal de Versailles
Polifemo (Ulysse) Stefan Plewniak (conductor) Justin Way (director)
Feb 2025
European tour
La Merope (Trasimede) Francesco Corti (conductor) Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (orchestra) Venues include Gran Teatre del Liceu, Teatro Real, Staatsoper Berlin and Theater an der Wien

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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