Ben Heppner News

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates the 40th anniversary of James Levine's company debut with James Levine: Celebrating 40 Years at the Met, two special boxed sets of 21 DVDs and 32 CDs featuring highlights from the longtime Music Director's record-breaking career with the company.

Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The company enjoys an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation.

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates the 40th anniversary of James Levine's company debut with James Levine: Celebrating 40 Years at the Met, two special boxed sets of 21 DVDs and 32 CDs featuring highlights from the longtime Music Director's record-breaking career with the company.

In a week, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada's (NYOC) TD Music 50th Anniversary National Tour will be underway! With Maestro Jacques Lacombe at the podium, this three-week venture commences July 24 in London, Ontario, and wraps up August 14 in Edmonton, and includes a visit to the west coast for the first time in five years. This tour follows the NYOC's training period, currently in session in London, Ontario.

The National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC) will embark on the TD Music 50th Anniversary National Tour, with Maestro Jacques Lacombe on the podium. This three-week venture commences in late July following the NYOC's training session. The tour will also feature travel to the west coast for the first time in five years. It is also with great excitement the NYOC proudly announces world-renowned Canadian tenor Ben Heppner to perform at the NYOC's Stratford date on July 25th, as well as performing a Canadian work by Kati Agocs, Composer-in-Residence with the NYOC. Her commissioned work, Perpetual Summer, will receive its world premiere July 28 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Another Canadian composer, the late Jacques Hétu, composed Sur les rives du Saint-Maurice, a work dedicated to Maestro Lacombe and is featured on this tour.

The National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC), will embark on the TD Music 50th Anniversary National Tour, with Maestro Jacques Lacombe on the podium. This three-week venture commences in late July following the NYOC's training session.

On April 30, The Dallas Opera presents the world premiere of Moby-Dick by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, based on Herman Melville's iconic American novel of 1851. Tenor Ben Heppner stars as Captain Ahab.

On April 30, The Dallas Opera presents the world premiere of Moby-Dick by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, based on Herman Melville's iconic American novel of 1851. Tenor Ben Heppner stars as Captain Ahab.

On Friday, April 23, Deborah Voigt returns to the stage of New York's Metropolitan Opera as Senta in Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), the first time she will sing this psychologically and vocally intense role at the Met (seven performances through May 14).

On Friday, April 23, Deborah Voigt returns to the stage of New York's Metropolitan Opera as Senta in Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), the first time she will sing this psychologically and vocally intense role at the Met (seven performances through May 14).

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the winners of the 2010 National Council Auditions. They are: Leah Crocetto of Oxford, Connecticut; Lori Guilbeau of Golden Meadow, Lousiana; Elliot Madore of Toronto, Canada; Nathaniel Peake of Humble, Texas; and Rachel Willis- Sørensen of Tri-Cities, Washington. The winners were selected from nine finalists who performed arias with the Met Orchestra, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Each winner receives a cash prize of $15,000 and even more importantly, the opportunity to launch a major operatic career.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of nine finalists who will sing in the 2010 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on March 14 at 3:00 p.m., with the Met Orchestra conducted by Marco Armiliato. The finalists are: Leah Crocetto, soprano from Adrian, Michigan and Oxford, Connecticut; Lori Guilbeau, soprano from Golden Meadow, Louisiana; Rena Harms soprano from Santa Fe, New Mexico; Haeran Hong, soprano from Kang Won, South Korea; Hyo Na Kim, mezzo-soprano from Seoul, South Korea; Maya Lahyani, mezzo-soprano from Hod-HaSharon, Israel; Elliot Madore, Baritone from Toronto, Canada; Nathaniel Peake, tenor from Humble, Texas, and Rachel Willis-Sorensen, soprano from Tri-Cities, Washington.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of nine finalists who will sing in the 2010 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on March 14 at 3:00 p.m., with the Met Orchestra conducted by Marco Armiliato. The finalists are: Leah Crocetto, soprano from Adrian, Michigan and Oxford, Connecticut; Lori Guilbeau, soprano from Golden Meadow, Louisiana; Rena Harms soprano from Santa Fe, New Mexico; Haeran Hong, soprano from Kang Won, South Korea; Hyo Na Kim, mezzo-soprano from Seoul, South Korea; Maya Lahyani, mezzo-soprano from Hod-HaSharon, Israel; Elliot Madore, Baritone from Toronto, Canada; Nathaniel Peake, tenor from Humble, Texas, and Rachel Willis-Sorensen, soprano from Tri-Cities, Washington.

The LA Opera's 2010-2011 season has been announced, and will begin on September 23 with the world premiere of Daniel Catán's IL POSTINO (THE POSTMAN). IL POSTINO will play through October 16 and star Placido Domingo. Ron Daniels will direct with scene and costume design by Riccardo Hernandez (Tony Award winner) and lighting design by Jennifer Tipton (two-time Tony Award winner).

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Board Chair Ben Johnson announced today that the contract for Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles will be extended for one year, through the 2011-12 season. Following the end of his contract, Mr. Runnicles will continue to appear as a guest conductor with the Orchestra for two weeks annually - he currently appears four weeks each season.

The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University will host two competitions for the annual Metropolitan Opera National Council (MONC) this month.

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates its 125th anniversary year with a unique gala performance on March 15, 2009 at 6:00 p.m., featuring Met stars in recreations of historic classic productions and high points in the company's past. Music Director James Levine conducts the evening of 26 staged scenes that, with the use of projections, and scenic and costume recreations, will evoke the Met's illustrious history.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the winners of the 2009 National Council Auditions. They are: Paul Appleby of South Bend, Indiana; Anthony Roth Costanzo of Durham, North Carolina; Sung Eun Lee of Seoul, South Korea; and Nadine Sierra of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Selected from eight finalists who performed arias with the Met Orchestra, conducted by Patrick Summers, at the Grand Finals Concert on February 22, each winner takes away a cash prize of $15,000.

This spring, the Metropolitan Opera will present The Audition, a documentary film about the intense challenges and pressures young opera singers face as they try to become opera stars. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Susan Froemke, The Audition will be shown on 400 screens across the country on April 19 at 3pm EST (and in Canada on June 6 at 1pm EST) as part of the Metropolitan Opera's series of high definition presentations in movie theaters and performing arts centers. The Audition is a suspenseful competition narrative that provides a revealing behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to make it as an opera star. The feature-length film documents the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, where each year thousands of hopefuls compete for a cash prize, the chance to sing on the storied Met stage-and the opportunity to launch a major operatic career. The film focuses on the final week of the competition, as judges narrow the field down from 22 semi-finalists to11 finalists while the stakes get higher and the pressure grows more intense. The documentary crew was given unprecedented access to the singers, judges, and events backstage at the Met.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of eight finalists who will sing in the 2009 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on February 22 at 3:00 p.m., with the Met Orchestra conducted by Patrick Summers.