Ben Heppner, Great dram tenor

[@kunozeller38]

Für mich der beste Wagner-Helden-Tenor seit Windgassen und Hopf. Klare Stimme, alles wortgenau verständlich, ein strahlender höhensicherer Tenor, einer der besten in der Hall of Fame Wagner. Sensationell.

[@УправляющаякомпанияТОРГрупп]

I guess Wagner was expecting that one day Heppner would have been born, when he had composed this marvelous piece !

[@spgtenor]

Wow, flawless. Exceptional phrasing, tonal beauty, wonderful mezza voce and strong top when needed. What I've admired about him is his ability to sing with a strong, deep middle voice and then finesse the upper notes without getting too dark and woofy. Just great, lyrical singing.

[@jack60091]

He is on Canadian radio every Saturday afternoon. I love to listen to his show. One of my favorite Wagnerian singers.

[@lawrence18uk]

RIP ❤ and words so clear, and delivered with clear meaning

[@ingemayodon5128]

Ein ganz großartiger Wagner Sänger! Vielen herzlichen Dank und LG aus Montreal.

[@johnkunpark]

This is one of the best versions I've heard. WOW.

[@JoePalau]

Ben’s Voice is perfect for Wagner. I can’t think of a performance at the NY MET were he disappointed. His retirement saddens me. I miss him.

[@retepsnikrep]

A great performance, very committed and full of energy and considerable physical effort, which IMO increases the impact.

[@teresamogollon9242]

Hermosa y maravillosa voz!!!

[@Nello7]

This is a beautiful interpretation. I have never given Mr. Heppner the credit that he justifiably deserves. He has showed me something very important here- the lost art of nuanced interpretation. His use of the dynamics that Wagner imposed are true and correct.

[@joanabanyeres]

How lucky you are ,give him a big kiss, l am awaiting here in Spain for Pique Dama.. The way he sings , just good persons can achieve it. and the more l hear him the more l love him. Musicality ,voice and expression... and more...

[@compuholic82]

Perfect performance. Simply perfect.

[@spelea]

Simply amazing! He's the perfect Lohengrin!

[@operarocks]

I'm speechless. Truly incredible, Ben.

[@einherzundeineseele]

Ben Heppner Wahnsinnsstimme !

[@antonselinger4942]

Weltklasse! Danke

[@emlokbr01]

Drei mal volle Kraft voraus (full ahead!)! Was für eine Wucht in dieser Stimme, wahrhaftig eine Referenzstimme für Wagner ! Bravo, Bavissimo Maestro Happner ***

[@ibizaking]

was für ein Glück ihm in Köln mit dem Gürzenich Orchester unter James Conlon erlebt zu haben, ein ganzer Abend Wagner mit natürlich auch dem Preislied!

[@odomira]

Conheci-o pessoalmente em agosto 2015 em Withiby, num café.

[@pattipage12]

Glorious!

[@Matthewcoakley08]

He's so astounding!!! Such briliance for a Hilden Tenor. Usualy Wagnerians sound like Baritones, but he's a true Tenor.

[@rationalsceptic7634]

A beautiful Tenor,hugely underated

[@Marinausbcn]

Aira excepcional, y el maestro Heppner la canta de forma magistral.

[@isabelescudero4119]

Bravo maestro que gran Voz que gran orquesta

[@WotansSpeer]

Perfection! Bravo.

[@lizarmstrong8665]

Magnificent

[@meloncholybob]

The greatest tenor in the world Wagnerian tenors give me goosebumps

[@УправляющаякомпанияТОРГрупп]

One of the best Wagner singers ever...it seems like he was born to sing Wagner's opera as his ultimate purpose.

[@vivimonteiro1303]

I had the opportunity to meet him in Whitby, Canada, for a coffe

[@davefank]

Bravo Ben!

[@leobardorom1503]

Buen tenor, magnífica interpretación. Tenor heroico de gran calidad y como muchos tenores de esta tesitura, batallan con las notas grabes.

[@jenspflug7473]

Sublime!

[@joanabanyeres]

You are right Benny is a big lyric Wagner tenor. He always sounds as a tenor never as a baritone and for this la love him. The term of Dram is mostly for his interpretation. In Italian we say lirico spinto They used to treat me also as a dram but l never was, just a lirico spinto with dram expression.

[@baritoneblazzin1965]

True- as a Heldentenor would sound Baritonal naturally. He sounds as a sizeable full lyric tenor; lirico spinto.

[@hwh1946]

Really good singing. Sounds like a Wagnerian tenor and lyrical as well.

[@ShawDAMAN]

Love his voice. I like how he rolls his R's.

[@dmguitarist99]

I'm actually related to Ben, his brother is my Step-Granddad he's a wonderful man

[@FarReacher41]

Lucky you!! I even love every word of his "Backstage with BH. My canaries ove him too. They start to belt out their songs whenever I play BH!

[@achantus1]

Heppner is wonderful! Have you heard "Die meistersinger von Nürenberg"? Wolfgang Sawallisch. A classic recording!

[@hightenor123]

The Dramatic Tenor myth is a ridiculous fantasy. What you are wishing for is a tenor who sounds like a baritone, and there have been a few, but all with negative compensation. Ben Heppner was born to sing Wagner, expecially lyrical Wagner. He is a real, non-baritone tenor. It is a Lyric voice, in terms of tone, but with fantastic projection (I have heard him live)

[@fludu1]

@AfroPoli yes and that´s why he is singing Lohengrin for fun in L.A. in a few weeks ;-)

[@Cesaare]

Yes I do! he is an amazing singer and personality and I had an opportunity to listen to him live couple of times. Demand for a true helden tenor voices excedes the market and some lyric tenors like Ben risk to be in it(Ben has a great tecknique and musicality and I hope that Wagner will not distroy his voice) but B.H. is rather Italian full lyric tenor then a dramatic one, and he knows it:) if you look for dramatic take Melchior, del Monaco, Giacomini. There are some great but yet unknown

[@joanabanyeres]

Cesaare. l really think the same. You see l was a lirico spinto and l had to fight because the wanted me to sing, Salome. and heavy roles. l did not, but may be l failed because l did not reach where may be l could have be. The only good thing is that l am now 76 and l still have my voice, great help for teaching. But l love Benny he is so musical and his voice ring, ring.

[@Matthewcoakley08]

I would love to hear him in the ring cycle.

[@ShawDAMAN]

@AfroPoli I agree his voice is basically gone but could you explain how/why it happened? Some have said certain medications he took caused dry throat but that obviously isn't the whole story... Or was he singing roles too heavy for him..

[@meloncholybob]

The greatest tenor in the world

[@Severolus]

wunderbar!

[@isabelle070209]

Pourquoi n'a-t-on pas ce genre de concert à Paris?

[@Taehan_Kim_1]

Bravo

[@Cesaare]

I can name the names:Cecilia Bartoli, Khvorostovsky, Battle, Tchernov etc. It's still done in big secrecy and even parners who sing with them in a particular production are not informed aout it for tyhe reasons you probably understand:) but that motion will take opera soon in to a different dimention where size of a voice will not count anymore. May be thats good? what do you think?

[@AfroPoli]

@fludu1 Yeah, let's see if he 1) shows up or 2) if he sings through it without quitting like in Canada.

[@joanabanyeres]

@mozart May be Lohengrin and Widmung are nor strictly heldentenors, l would say a type of great italian lirico spinto What do you think ? Are we right.?

[@retepsnikrep]

Great singer having a very good day. Check World class conductor on top form. Check German orchestra that knows this stuff backwards. Check Result a top notch performance. :) I also like the way Levine nods and makes a subtle aside at the end to say what a great job Ben had done.

[@augustocelsi2050]

❤

[@GERMANYFrankie]

@joanabanyeres yes, you are right!

[@flaze3]

Thanks Joan :)

[@MarioBahg]

Great Hellden Tenor!

[@Cesaare]

I repeat BH is not a helden tenor and rather full liric in his size, I heard him in small and big places, of course you canot judge from the recording:)

[@karifrid]

I saw a consert with him also singing the high aria Di rigori armato inseno.He did it,not many "Wagner tenors " could ,I think. I would like you Wagner admirers to have a look at me singing this aria (and perhaps Morgenlic leuchtend) and say you opinion on if I should keep on working on Wagner arias...Some people comment that I am" a leggiero or at least lirico". Two of me teachers told me to try some Wagner..(They hear my "live".) I am "karifrid" on youtube.Lot of music,bad filming quality...

[@karifrid]

Dear operalover,that listen a lot to Wagner. I would like to ask you to listen to me singing this aria and three other (plus Nessun dorma,to find out if I still had a voice after that).I know that 2013 is 200 years birthday of Wagner (and Verdi). Then I hope I can sing something on conserts or on stage. Some people say I am to lyrical (on youtube),but my teacher (heard me live) told me to try some Wagner.I hope I am growing for this. karifrid, four Wagner tenor arias. Am I the "next Heppner"?

[@joanabanyeres]

You know that he sings big heldentenor roles, such as Tristan and so well.

[@AfroPoli]

@ShawDAMAN It's a pity for him, but I think he chose roles that were too heavy for him. That's maybe why he dropped Siegfried from his rep. He has a nice and strong lyrical voice but maybe no heldentenor. Kollo was a bit like him, he also sang Siegfried and Tristan, and it killed his voice. Ciao!

[@Cesaare]

for me true dramatic voices are truely rare because they have to have at least 3 quality:big if not hudge voices, darker color and right expression, don't you agree that only few singers in a whole history of vocal art fall in to that category, ex: Domingo has right coulor, right expression but not the right volume to be truely dramatic though his Otello is great especialy on DVD's, but in live performance I was a little disapointed 'cause his voice was not projecting all the time:)

[@mediterraneo1000]

@flaze3 yes if you take care of your healt and body and makes enough exercise yo can keep this kind of voice,dont forget discipline and perseverancia,your voice its like a MUSCLE work on it and you have trhe results

[@joanabanyeres]

you can hear l was not a dram soprano, just liric spinto but l had low an medium voice important and high bites a bit metallic with squillo. also a dramatic interpretation, but l was nos a dram soprano.

[@petergraham8681]

Heppner sang Wagner very well but cannot be called a heldentenor either in timbre or the weight of his voice, He was generally smart enough to sing the Wagner roles he did with HIS OWN VOICE however one wishes or needs to categorize it. However he did apparently run into some vocal problems that eventually brought about his early retirement. Was this a result of his Wagner repertoire? I am not sure since the few times I heard him he did not seem to compromise his instrument in order to “sound” like a Wagner tenor. Singing some Italian repertoire was a good move on his part & perhaps more of these roles would have served his voice better in the long run.

[@flaze3]

Are dramatiic tenors really light baritones? I mean, I can get to C5, but I'm officially a baritone. Does that make me a dramatic tenor?

[@dboyen]

flaze3 No. In the Renaissance and early Baroque, that was referred to as Baritono-Alto. Baritone means a deep voice and Alto means High. Ergo, a low-sounding voice which can sing higher than usual.

[@joanabanyeres]

Jonas is magnificent singing Lohengrin.

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

02:04

[@joanabanyeres]

It was not my case, l was normal woman , but my voice had good center and also some top notes with a bit a metal. This is why they wanted me to sing dramatic soprano, but l never did . some arias in concert, and Verdi., as lady Macbeth. The fact is now the theatre are too big. l had to sing with 96 of orchestra 96 chorus and a theatre 3.000 seats. Too much. A recording as you say is easy but after live is another thing. Just think the old Met was different.

[@joanabanyeres]

Flaze l am JOANA. Thanks friend

[@Cesaare]

Yes, BH was never asked to be an Italian tenor and he had a hard time to be recognised as a serious singer in his own country(Canada). I I gree he doen't have a tipical italian voice but I'd rather listen to his italian rep ten to Licitra's, who has tipical italian. warm sound, but very little expression in his singing: for me Italian tenor is coulor and expression too:)

[@Cesaare]

tenors coming to the scene hopefuly making Wagners dream come true Prolem today is with some directors and conductors who realy have no idea about voices and ther is a funny fact:Del Monaco was belived to be a very lyric tenor at the begining of his career because he was short I guess BH is belived to be Helden tenor because he is Tall and big:) There is anothe thing that alows some voices to do things unemaginable as for 15-20 years ago: being personaly miked in big opera houses like Met

[@flaze3]

Ah, sorry Joana--I took a guess which part of your username was your first name.

[@joanabanyeres]

Not really Titta Ruffo also was singing until a C5. My husband , a true bariton also can sing a b. Just a question of extension, lucky you, no problems with high notesGood luck flaze... But there is a kind of baritone, said in french, bariton Martin, some are really beautiful voice and they have a lot of music for them composed.

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

Heldentenors Meister.

[@AfroPoli]

@fludu1 HE CANCELED ALL PERFORMANCES AND CANNOT SING ANYMORE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED.

[@BenMcCormack91]

God help him; he's playing Siegfried this year at the Met. He seems a good tenor; I think he'll do well. But Siegfried is... well, it's not for musical theater majors dabbling in light classics; we'll leave it at that. Good luck to you!

[@Cesaare]

He is a very fine tenor but hardly dramatic or helden.Yes, he happens to sing this type of a rep and with this recording he kinda sounds heavier then he is, but that in no way diminishes his great talent:)

[@dmguitarist99]

how are you related? WE might be related! You never know haha

[@lucabernard489]

He isn’t a dramatic tenor

[@glmichaud3963]

are you kidding me!! an ad right in the middle of it???? f#$k that

[@meloncholybob]

Did I upset you Joana. You unsubsribed me

[@montsesanchezgiralt685]

Via Pere

[@aljavier2927]

Closest to Melchior that we have ever gotten.

[@syncopate50]

More beautiful, more musical, more serious as an artist, and (indisputably) more accurate than Melchior ever was. There were excellent reasons why neither Fürtwänger nor Flagstad wanted M for the great recording of Tristan und Isolde. The reviewers of M's 70th birthday concert were wowed by his voice, though one observed, "He made the same mistakes he always had."

[@alanrodrigues2829]

he is NOT a dramatic tenor.

[@VenusLover17]

It is all about the theatre. Recording cannot tell

[@skyhunk]

+Alan Rodrigues He is a true Helden tenor. The Helden tends to possess a thickness and depth of color as well as an ability to visit the tenor upper tessitura. Usually the Helden Tenor is not a voice that tends to sustain quite as high a tessitura as the Italian Dramatic tenor.

[@Agorante]

Well I have heard him live in the San Francisco Opera House and the San Francisco Symphony Hall. It's big gleaming sound that carries well over the orchestra. In my opinion people like this Alan Rodrigues person are confused by his sound. Many dramatic tenors like Guy Chauvet or Carlos Cossuta has a thick, heavy sound. But Heppner has a rather thin sound - perfect for Lohengrin.

[@skyhunk]

Absolutely agree. I heard him live also, but sadly, it was shortly before he announced his retirement; and he obviously made the right decision. Too bad for me and all of his fans. These days I enjoy listening to his CBC radio program, Backstage With Ben Heppner.

[@skyhunk]

@ShawDAMAN he was taking medication for high blood pressure that had a drastic effect on his voice...

[@fludu1]

@AfroPoli what is unhealthy about that voice! TELL ME

[@AfroPoli]

Now, he has destroyed his voice like Villazón.

[@TheTristan1954]

let's give Jonas Kaufmann a chance, please

[@sambtrli]

This is a false dichotomy. If Ben Heppner isn't a dramatic tenor (when required), there hasn't been a dramatic tenor since Melchior.

[@flaze3]

I think no one cares.

[@flaze3]

I have no hope of singing Wagner, nor do I particularly want to. I can't stand the covered muffled tones that so many tenors and baris employ today, but the Rossini/Bellini music offers hope for a lighter voice, and also demands bright ringing notes.

[@sabinewussow2998]

Oh mein Gott. 👎👎👎👎