Ben Heppner

Thomas Bernard (Ben) Heppner, CC (born January 14, 1956) is a Canadian tenor and broadcaster, now retired from singing, who specialized in opera and other classical works for voice.

For the politician of the same name, see Ben Heppner (politician).

Early life and career

Heppner, of Mennonite descent, was born in Murrayville, British Columbia, Canada, and lived in Dawson Creek, British Columbia.[1] He began his musical studies at the University of British Columbia and first attracted national attention when he won the CBC Talent Festival in 1979.

He is associated particularly with the Wagnerian repertoire, but he performed a wide range of operas from the German, French and Italian canons.

Heppner performed frequently with major opera companies in the United States (including the New York Metropolitan Opera) and Europe, as well as concert appearances with major symphony orchestras. He has appeared in the DVD recordings of the Met's productions of Beethoven's Fidelio, Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, two of his signature roles. (He first performed Tristan with the Seattle Opera in 1998.) He specialised in some of the most challenging of operatic roles, including, in addition to Tristan, the title part in Lohengrin, the title part in Otello, and Berlioz's Aeneas.

Heppner has recorded widely on many labels, participating in both complete operas and solo albums of arias and songs. He is currently signed to an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon (DG). His first solo recording for DG, made in 2001, was Airs Français. It won a Juno Award.

Heppner has received Honorary Doctorates from Queen's University (2006), McMaster Divinity College (2005), York University (2003), Memorial University of Newfoundland (2003), University of Toronto (2002), McGill University (2002), and University of British Columbia (1997).

Heppner was awarded the National Arts Centre Award, a companion award of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards in 1995.[2] He was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1999, was promoted to Officer in 2002 and Companion in 2008. He performed at closing ceremonies of two Winter Olympic Games. In Turin in 2006, he sang the Canadian national anthem. Four years later, in Vancouver, he sang the Olympic Hymn. Both times, he mixed English and French. In June 2016, Heppner was made a laureate of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards, with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Classical Music.[3]

Heppner announced his retirement from singing in April 2014.[4] Heppner felt unable to be a "part-time singer", feeling that "No matter how often you sing, if you're going to sing at a good level, a quality level, you've got to keep it up all the time. And I was finding that to be a little bit difficult. So that, plus the fact that I've been experiencing a little bit of unreliability in my voice – and that causes some anxieties – I decided it was time."[4]

Post-retirement, Heppner accepted a brief role in a musical production of Titanic at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in May 2015.[5]

Heppner is currently a broadcaster on Canadian radio, hosting Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and Backstage with Ben Heppner on CBC Radio.[4]

Heppner plans to continue hosting master classes and coaching singers for roles, and appearing on voice competition juries.[4] The Ben Heppner Vocal Music Academy, a public school in Scarborough, named after Heppner, opened in 2012.[6]

Discography

Opera

Recital

Others

References
  1. Heppner at The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed September 4, 2019
  2. "Ben Heppner biography". Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  3. Heppner, Ben. "Ben Heppner, 2016 Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (Classical Music)". ggpaa.ca. Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  4. "Ben Heppner, star tenor, announces retirement from singing". CBC News. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  5. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/ben-heppner-to-star-in-titanic-musical-in-toronto/article20980623/
  6. Heppner, Ben. "Ben Heppner Music Academy". TDSB.ON.CA. Toronto District School Board. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
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