Ben Heppner
Ben Heppner is a celebrated Canadian heldentenor, renowned for his powerful performances in the operas of Richard Wagner. Born on January 14, 1956, in Murrayville, British Columbia, Heppner's musical journey began in a religious and musical family, leading him to pursue music at the University of British Columbia and later at the University of Toronto. Though he initially did not focus on opera, Heppner's talent soon became evident, and he quickly gained recognition after winning the CBC Talent Festival in 1979.
He made his operatic debut in 1981 and has since performed in prestigious venues worldwide, becoming particularly noted for his roles in Wagnerian operas. Heppner's career highlights include winning Grammy and Juno Awards for his recordings, as well as critical acclaim for his portrayal of demanding roles such as Tristan in "Tristan und Isolde." After a successful tenure at the Metropolitan Opera, he shifted his focus to hosting a radio program and performing in various productions. He officially retired from singing in 2014 and from broadcasting in 2021, having spent his career deeply influencing the operatic landscape.
Subject Terms
Ben Heppner
Opera singer
- Born: January 14, 1956
- Place of Birth: Murrayville, British Columbia
Contribution: Ben Heppner is a renowned Canadian heldentenor, or heroic tenor. Although he began his career as a lyric tenor, he became associated with the dramatic operas of nineteenth-century composer Richard Wagner and has since become one of the most highly regarded Wagnerian tenors in the world. Several albums of his performances have received recognition as the best classical recording of the year.
Early Life and Education
Ben Heppner was born January 14, 1956, in Murrayville, British Columbia. He grew up on a farm in Dawson Creek, a small, mostly Mennonite town in interior British Columbia. His family was both religious and highly musical. As a child, Heppner loved singing but did not join his school choir because it was not a popular choice. He instead played in the school band and confined his singing to church. After high school, he attended Canadian Bible College in Regina, Saskatchewan. However, his love of music was deep, and he went on to study music at the University of British Columbia. At first, he thought he would become a music teacher, but while at school, he became interested in the university’s performance program.
Heppner was not initially interested in opera, but he saw the art form as a way to earn a living as a performer. After graduating, he entered opera school at the University of Toronto. While in training, he gained an appreciation for the conventions of opera—a story told though music with even the most ordinary dialogue sung with great intensity and passion. As it turned out, this intensity and passion proved to be perfect for his voice because of its brilliance and clarity.
Operatic Career
In 1979, Heppner won the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s (CBC) Talent Festival. He began his operatic career in 1981 as Rodrigo in a performance of Otello at the Vancouver Opera. He also performed with the Canadian Opera Company. In 1987, wishing to improve his voice, he began studying dramatic tenor roles and won the 1988 Birgit Nilsson Prize at the Metropolitan Opera Auditions. In the same year, he gave his first US performance at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, playing Walther von der Vogelweide in Tannhäuser.
In 1989, Heppner debuted at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm in Lohengrin. In 1990, he sang at La Scala as Walter von Stolzig in Die Meistersinger, a role for which he became well known. In 1991, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in Mozart’sIdomeneo. Throughout the 1990s, he appeared in numerous roles in venues around the world and became known for his intelligent, passionate performances as well as his flexible, expressive, and brilliant voice.
In 1998, he sang his first Wagnerian part when he performed as Tristan in Tristan und Isolde at the Seattle Opera. This demanding role was considered one of the peaks of Heppner’s career. Later that year, he was featured on an hour-long episode of CBC’s Something Special.
Awards
Heppner won a Grammy Award in 1997 for Wagner:Die Meistersinger von Nürnburg and another in 2001 for Berlioz: Les Troyens. He has won three Juno Awards for best classical album and Gramophone Awards for record of the year in 1999 (for Dvorák:Rusalka) and best opera recording in 2002 (for Berlioz:Les Troyens).
Later Career
In 2007, Heppner was hired to perform in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Richard Wagner’s cycle of operas as Siegfried, a notoriously difficult role. He missed the first four of six performances due to laryngitis but appeared in March 2008 to the pleasure of critics and listeners, who had long awaited his debut in the production. He received excellent reviews throughout his tenure at the Met, but in 2011, Heppner decided that the part of Siegfried was no longer a good fit for his voice and abilities and resigned from the cast.
In 2010, Heppner appeared in Moby Dick, a new opera by Jake Haggis and Gene Scheer. Playing the vengeful Captain Ahab, Heppner won praise from critics for both his acting and his richly nuanced singing.
Heppner took on a new role in 2013, when he signed on to host the CBC Radio program Saturday Afternoon at the Opera. He continued to perform as well, starring in a Canadian Opera Company run of Tristan und Isolde and appearing in a series of recitals throughout Canada. In 2014, Heppner announced his retirement from singing. In 2021, Heppner retired from broadcasting.
Personal Life
Throughout his career, Heppner followed a pattern of taking every other summer off to spend time with his wife, Karen, and their three children. He also used the time to recuperate from his heavy schedule and prepare for future roles.
Bibliography
DiGaetani, John Louis. Wagner Outside the Ring: Essays on the Operas, Their Performance, and Their Connections with Other Arts. Jefferson: McFarland, 2009. Print.
Hamilton, Stuart. Opening Windows: Confessions of a Canadian Vocal Coach. Toronto: Dundurn, 2012. Print.
Macy, Laura Williams. The Grove Book of Opera Singers. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
Plotkin, Fred. Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera. New York: Hyperion, 2013. Print.
Potter, John. Tenor: History of a Voice. New Haven: Yale UP, 2009. Print.
Salazar, Francisco. "Ben Heppner Retires from CBC Music." Opera Wire, 10 Sept. 2021, operawire.com/ben-heppner-retires-from-cbc-music/. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.