Ben Heppner, Canadian tenor

[Lance]

Canadian-born tenor Ben Heppner had quite a career until he decided to conclude it. As he puts it, thanks to Wikpedia, "... announced his retirement from singing in April 2014. 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'". After retiring, he took up broadcasting for the CBC, and retired from that career in 2021 but is still involved in other interests today.

When I first heard his voice, I was captured. More recently, listening to his all-Richard Strauss opera arias album for CBC Records [5142] with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Davis (released 1995), I was reminded of this voice. When his singing career was in motion, he recorded prolifically making recordings for RCA Victor, Sony, Decca, EMI, CBC, and landed a contract with DGG, which produced a recital of Tosti songs, another of French operatic arias and songs, plus an all-Wagner excerpt CD. The bulk of his recorded repertoire was issued by RCA Victor. •

[maestrob]

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A fine tenor, he could do justice to Wagner, yet possessed the rare tenderness to bring a tear to the eye in a Strauss song.

[Lance]

Yes, I was surprised, too, Brian. Out of site, out of mind, I guess. During that Millenium recital with the Canadian Opera Co., [CBC Records] who placed much on that disc; they left out Heppner, but someone surprised me when I got a copy of the entire concert and now understand why. Heppner had a bad night, as happens with singers on occasion. Nonetheless, he has left a grand legacy of recordings for someone who wasn't completely dedicated to his studies for performances.