Michael Benchetrit, panelist

Michael Benchetrit, a former vice-president at Columbia Artists, was born in France into a family of trained operatic singers; he was raised both in Paris and Los Angeles and studied at the Sorbonne Nouvelle, majoring in Film History and Aesthetics.

He then worked in the film and video industry as a screenwriter, an assistant editor and an assistant director. After deciding to turn from film to opera, he received the advice from Marilyn Horne—first his idol and later his friend and mentor—to enter the field of artist management.

In 1996 he left Paris for New York City where he was hired by Columbia Artists as a managerial assistant, working his way up to vice-president and artist manager. For the next decade he gained invaluable experience working with Ronald Wilford, Andrea Anson, Ken Benson and Karen Ashley, before starting his own roster. Since then, he has enjoyed the support and guidance of Matthew Epstein. Mr. Benchetrit has also been frequently asked to judge vocal competitions and to work with the students of music schools including Juilliard, Yale, Music Academy of the West and Mannes.

After Columbia Artists closed its doors in August 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, he knew he wanted to continue working with some of the world’s finest singers and thus has now opened his own management firm, Minerva Artists