Ben Heppner

Ben Heppner, CC ( born January 14, 1956 in Murrayville, British Columbia) is a Canadian singer and is considered the leading heroic tenor of the early millennium.

Heppner grew up in Dawson Creek; his parents were Mennonite immigrants. He began his musical training at the University of British Columbia. First national attention gave him the victory in the CBC Talent Festival in 1979, then still with a predominantly lyrical voice and the aria " Il mio tesoro " of Ottavio in " Don Giovanni ". In 1981 he made ​​his debut as an opera singer with the Rodrigo from Verdi's " Otello " at the Opera Company of Vancouver.

In 1987 he moved under the guidance of his teacher, William and Dixie Ross Neill, the spinto skilled and specialized primarily on Wagner. After his voice change of subject, he debuted with " Ariadne auf Naxos " an Australian production. In 1988, he was among the eleven finalists for the auditions of the Metropolitan Opera (Met) and won the prestigious Birgit Nilsson Prize. In 1989 his European debut as Lohengrin with the Royal Swedish Orchestra Stockholm. The same role with the same orchestra he sang shortly afterwards at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. In the spring of 1988 Heppner debuted in the U.S.: In Chicago he sang Walther von der Vogelweide in Richard Wagner's " Tannhäuser".

Heppner should debut at the Met in 1992, but it came earlier to when he stepped in in December 1991 for the indisposed Luciano Pavarotti in "Idomeneo".

Ben Heppner has sung with virtually every major conductors and orchestras, and in all the great opera houses of the world. His most famous roles are in addition to the Wagner roles like Tristan, Lohengrin Stolzing or the Florestan in Beethoven's "Fidelio", Verdi's Otello, or Peter Grimes in Benjamin Britten's opera.

Heppner was awarded an honorary doctorate from several Canadian universities. He is since 1999 member of the Canadian Order, 2000 was promoted to officer. He is a believer and is involved in various charitable organizations. As an avowed family man he limited his appearances to 50 per year and avoids every second summer larger opera productions.