Ben Heppner News

Internationally acclaimed conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, life-long philanthropists James and Louise Temerty, and genre-defying musician Chilly Gonzales have been named Honorary Fellows of The Royal Conservatory of Music.

Sir Andrew Davis, Interim Artistic Director, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Johannes Debus, Music Director, Canadian Opera Company, will be among the musical luminaries taking part in the Neil Crory Tribute Concert on Friday, October 11, 7 PM, at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre. With their recorded and live spoken tributes, Davis and Debus join an unprecedented lineup of singers, instrumentalists, CBC broadcasters, and guest speakers for this extraordinary celebration of music and the human voice in honour of the legendary CBC Music producer, mentor, impresario, colleague, and friend who died on January 10 at the age of 68. Tickets and program information are available at tafelmusik.org/crory.

The program has been unveiled for the Neil Crory Tribute Concert on Friday, October 11, 7 PM, at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre. An unprecedented lineup of stellar Canadian singers whose careers Crory nurtured will take part in this extraordinary celebration of music and the human voice in honour of the legendary CBC Music producer, mentor, impresario, colleague, and friend who died on January 10 at the age of 68.

An unprecedented lineup of stellar Canadian singers will take part in the Neil Crory Tribute Concert, an extraordinary celebration of music and the human voice in honour of the legendary CBC Music producer, mentor, impresario, colleague, and friend who died on January 10 at the age of 68. Prominent singers whose careers Crory nurtured, including Phillip Addis, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Isaiah  Bell, Benjamin Butterfield, Tracy Dahl, Nathalie Paulin, Brett Polegato, Jean Stilwell, Krisztina Szabó, Daniel Taylor, Erin Wall, and Monica Whicher, will perform selections from the music most cherished by Crory at 7 PM on Friday, October 11 at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre. The Neil Crory Tribute Concert includes the participation of CBC Radio-Canada personalities Ben Heppner, Eric Friesen, and Françoise Davoine and will be recorded by CBC Radio Music for future broadcast. Tickets and information are available at tafelmusik.org/crory.

The 2019-20 season of events presented by the George London Foundation for Singers continues this legacy with two duo recitals featuring four George London Award winners, and the esteemed George London Foundation Competition.

The second and third repetition is ultimately what will establish a piece as an addition to the repertoire...

Sixty-two singers out of 475 applicants have been chosen to take part in the VIII Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition. They represent 22 nationalities. The largest number of competitors is from South Korea (20), followed by the USA (6), Russia (5), Finland (4), Germany (3) and Ukraine (3).

The Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, Canada's premier training program for young opera professionals, welcomes four new artists for the 2019/2020 season: tenor Matthew Cairns, bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian, mezzo-soprano Jamie Groote, and Alex Soloway as a pianist and intern coach. The four will join the Ensemble Studio in August 2019 and become part of a program that has launched the careers of over 230 Canadian opera professionals.

Matthew Cairns of St. Catharines, ON took home First Prize at the Canadian Opera Company's annual Ensemble Studio Competitionon November 1, 2018 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

In 2019, San Francisco's acclaimed Merola Opera Program will present the first opera commissioned in the Program's history, the world premiere of If I Were You, by distinguished American composer Jake Heggie and noted librettist Gene Scheer. This ground-breaking work will be presented August 1 - 6, 2019, at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre. Today it was announced the opera will be conducted by Nicole Paiement and directed by Keturah Stickann. Information is available at www.merola.org. Tickets will go on sale in Spring 2019.

On October 13, 2018, the Canadian Opera Company presented the highly anticipated world premiere of Hadrian by composer Rufus Wainwright and librettist Daniel MacIvor. The opera recounts the epic love story of Roman Emperor Hadrian and his young lover, Antinous. Erased by history, their story is reclaimed for the 21st century by its creators in a star-studded production from renowned Canadian director Peter Hinton. Hadrian runs for seven performances through October 27, 2018.

On October 13, 2018, the Canadian Opera Company presented the highly anticipated world premiere of Hadrian by composer Rufus Wainwright and librettist Daniel MacIvor. The opera recounts the epic love story of Roman Emperor Hadrian and his young lover, Antinous. Erased by history, their story is reclaimed for the 21st century by its creators in a star-studded production from renowned Canadian director Peter Hinton. Hadrian runs for seven performances through October 27, 2018.

On October 13, 2018, the Canadian Opera Company presented the highly anticipated world premiere of Hadrian by composer Rufus Wainwright and librettist Daniel MacIvor. The opera recounts the epic love story of Roman Emperor Hadrian and his young lover, Antinous. Erased by history, their story is reclaimed for the 21st century by its creators in a star-studded production from renowned Canadian director Peter Hinton. Hadrian runs for seven performances through October 27, 2018.

On October 13, 2018, the Canadian Opera Company presents the highly anticipated world premiere of Hadrian by composer Rufus Wainwright and librettist Daniel MacIvor.

Eight young opera singers from across Canada have been selected to compete as finalists in the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio Competition, the feature event of the Centre Stage fundraising gala, taking place November 1, 2018 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Finalists are vying for a series of top prizes, as well as the coveted chance to be considered for a spot in the COC's prestigious Ensemble Studio training program for the 2019/2020 season.

Young opera singers from across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and for the first time, Mexico, will compete for $15,000 cash prizes and the opportunity to launch major operatic careers, when the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions launches its 65th annual auditions program this fall. Over 1,000 singers between the ages of 20 and 30 will participate in the program, the longest-running singing competition in the country. Finalists will perform on the stage of the Met at the Grand Finals Concert on Sunday, March 31, 2019.

On October 13, 2018, the Canadian Opera Company presents the highly anticipated world premiere of Hadrian by composer Rufus Wainwright and librettist Daniel MacIvor.

Calgary Opera's General Director and CEO, Keith Cerny, Ph.D., is delighted to announce distinguished Canadian tenor and broadcaster Ben Heppner, O.C., LL.D., as Honorary Chair of Calgary Opera's new Legacy Society.

The George London Foundation for Singers has been honoring, supporting, and presenting the finest young opera singers in the U.S. and Canada since 1971. The foundation and the George London Awards (the prize of the foundation's annual competition) are named for the legendary Canadian-American bass-baritone, one of the greatest opera singers of 20th century, who devoted much of his time and energy in his later years to the support and nurturing of young opera singers.

The George London Foundation for Singers has been honoring, supporting, and presenting the finest young opera singers in the U.S. and Canada since 1971. The foundation and the George London Awards (the prize of the foundation's annual competition) are named for the legendary Canadian-American bass-baritone, one of the greatest opera singers of 20th century, who devoted much of his time and energy in his later years to the support and nurturing of young opera singers.