Ben Heppner News

Following a careful three year search, Florida Grand Opera is proud to announce the appointment of Spanish conductor Ramon Tebar as Music Director, effective June 1, 2011.

Metropolitan Opera Radio on Sirius XM (Channel 74) will celebrate the 40th anniversary of James Levine's Metropolitan Opera debut with a full week of Levine performances. Fifteen historic performances, three of which join the archival rotation on Sirius XM for the first time, will air in rotation for an entire week, beginning May 30 and ending June 5. The broadcasts will be introduced by Levine and other artists, some of whom will also pay tribute to the Met Music Director's extraordinary career in special segments between operas.

The Dallas Opera is extremely pleased to announce the result of this year's balloting for the prestigious 'Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year' Award: Texas-born, internationally renowned, lyric coloratura soprano Laura Claycomb.

The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the eighteen artists from around the world who are vying for the prestigious "Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year" Award to be announced at the annual Dallas Opera Board and Trustee Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, May 19th at 6:30 PM in the Crescent Ballroom of the Rosewood Crescent Hotel, 400 Crescent Court in Uptown Dallas.

The complete list of presenters at the sixth annual Opera News Awards, which will take place on April 17 at The Plaza in New York City, has been announced: beloved singer Barbara Cook will present the award to tenor Jonas Kaufmann; iconic film director Francis Ford Coppola will present to conductor Riccardo Muti; legendary soprano Renata Scotto will present to soprano Patricia Racette; conductor Andrew Davis will present to soprano Kiri Te Kanawa; and award-winning playwright John Guare will present to bass-baritone Bryn Terfel.

Broadway icon Patti LuPone and acclaimed mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe will co-host the sixth annual Opera News Awards, which will take place on April 17 at The Plaza in New York City.

The New York Choral Society will celebrate its 52nd Anniversary with a Spring Gala, on April 6 at The National Arts Club.

The complete list of presenters at the sixth annual Opera News Awards, which will take place on April 17 at The Plaza in New York City, has been announced: beloved singer Barbara Cook will present the award to tenor Jonas Kaufmann; iconic film director Francis Ford Coppola will present to conductor Riccardo Muti; legendary soprano Renata Scotto will present to soprano Patricia Racette; conductor Andrew Davis will present to soprano Kiri Te Kanawa; and award-winning playwright John Guare will present to bass-baritone Bryn Terfel.

The New York Choral Society will celebrate its 52nd Anniversary with a Spring Gala, on April 6 at The National Arts Club.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of eight finalists who will sing in the 2011 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on March 13 at 3:00 p.m. with the Met Orchestra conducted by Patrick Summers. The finalists are: Joseph Barron, bass-baritone from Pittsburgh, PA; Deanna Breiwick, soprano from Seattle, WA; Sasha Djihanian, soprano from Montreal, Canada; Ryan Speedo Green, bass-baritone from Suffolk, VA; Michelle Johnson, soprano from Pearland, TX; Joseph Lim, baritone from Seoul, South Korea; Nicholas Masters, bass from New Canaan, CT; and Philippe Sly, bass-baritone from Ottawa, Canada.

Broadway icon Patti LuPone and acclaimed mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe will co-host the sixth annual Opera News Awards, which will take place on April 17 at The Plaza in New York City.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of eight finalists who will sing in the 2011 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on March 13 at 3:00 p.m. with the Met Orchestra conducted by Patrick Summers. The finalists are: Joseph Barron, bass-baritone from Pittsburgh, PA; Deanna Breiwick, soprano from Seattle, WA; Sasha Djihanian, soprano from Montreal, Canada; Ryan Speedo Green, bass-baritone from Suffolk, VA; Michelle Johnson, soprano from Pearland, TX; Joseph Lim, baritone from Seoul, South Korea; Nicholas Masters, bass from New Canaan, CT; and Philippe Sly, bass-baritone from Ottawa, Canada.

The Dallas Opera's 2010-11 season revolves around "Dangerous Desires," a theme of romantic drama and political intrigue, and the February 11-27 production of Gounod's Romeo et Juliette in the celebrated Winspear Opera House presents that most iconic story of love and conflict, starring two vocal up-and-comers, Russian soprano Lyubov Petrova and New York-born tenor Charles Castronovo.

Gary Lehman and Stephen Gould will sing the role of Siegfried in the Met's 2011-12 season performances of Wagner's Siegfried and Götterdämmerung, replacing Ben Heppner who has retired the role from his repertory.

The Dallas Opera's 2010-11 season revolves around "Dangerous Desires," a theme of romantic drama and political intrigue, and the February 11-27 production of Gounod's Romeo et Juliette in the celebrated Winspear Opera House presents that most iconic story of love and conflict, starring two vocal up-and-comers, Russian soprano Lyubov Petrova and New York-born tenor Charles Castronovo.

World renowned tenor Ben Heppner - described by the Telegraph (UK) as 'the world's dramatic tenor of choice, distinguished not only by his stamina and power but also his clarion beauty of tone' - headlines a special free community conversation open to the general public and presented by Los Angeles Children's Chorus in conjunction with its new Young Men's Ensemble (YME) on Friday, December 10, at 7:30 P.M., at Buckley School in Sherman Oaks. Young Men's Ensemble Director Dr. Steven Kronauer moderates the conversation, during which Heppner, currently featured in the title role of LA Opera's production of Lohengrin, will discuss his career in general, as well as his singing techniques, his voice change during adolescence, and how he trained during that period of his life. He will also answer questions from the audience.

World renowned tenor Ben Heppner - described by the Telegraph (UK) as 'the world's dramatic tenor of choice, distinguished not only by his stamina and power but also his clarion beauty of tone' - headlines a special free community conversation open to the general public and presented by Los Angeles Children's Chorus in conjunction with its new Young Men's Ensemble (YME) on Friday, December 10, at 7:30 P.M., at Buckley School in Sherman Oaks. Young Men's Ensemble Director Dr. Steven Kronauer moderates the conversation, during which Heppner, currently featured in the title role of LA Opera's production of Lohengrin, will discuss his career in general, as well as his singing techniques, his voice change during adolescence, and how he trained during that period of his life. He will also answer questions from the audience.

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Tomorrow night, The Dallas Opera opens its 2010-11 season, its second in the glittering new Winspear Opera House. With 30 performances in all, the new season comprises five productions exploring "Dangerous Desires" - themes of romantic drama and political intrigue - kicking off with Mozart's Don Giovanni, which stars Tony® Award-winner Paolo Szot.

Tomorrow night, The Dallas Opera opens its 2010-11 season, its second in the glittering new Winspear Opera House. With 30 performances in all, the new season comprises five productions exploring "Dangerous Desires" - themes of romantic drama and political intrigue - kicking off with Mozart's Don Giovanni, which stars Tony® Award-winner Paolo Szot.