Tenor Ben Heppner Sings Strauss

I attended a concert at Glenn Gould Studio last evening celebrating the 75th anniversary of CBC Radio.  Lovingly produced by Senior CBC Classical Music producer Neil Crory, it was a very memorable evening.  Besides the lovely voices of Isabel Bayrakdarian, Julie Boulianne, Marianne Fiset, and Aline Kutan, a special "mystery guest" was the great Canadian tenor Ben Heppner. It was his first appearance since the COC 60th anniversary concert at the Four Seasons Centre in September 2010.  Heppner sang the ever popular "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" from Lehar's The Land of Smiles.  Heppner was in fabulous voice, filling the hall with torrents of sound, his high notes like trumpets. It was an amazing performance. It shows that Heppner still has plenty to give and Calgary opera lovers can look forward to his Captain Ahab in Moby Dick in January.  The Glenn Gould Studio concert last evening will be broadcast on CBC Radio 2 and Espace Musique on October 30, as part of a total of 8 hours of programming celebrating 75 years of CBC Radio.  This is a one-day event NOT to be missed!  Here is Ben singing Strauss's "Cacilie" with James Levine conducting.

- Joseph K. So