By MBuja
09-Aug-2007

A star from the beginning  

This album, recorded in 1995, is a wonderful record of the tenor Ben Heppner as he was breaking into the international consciousness as a Tenor to Keep an Eye On. This album, which consists solely of arias from Richard Strauss' operas, is perfect for highlighting his Heldentenor voice - bravura matched with delicacy - lyrical and heroic all at once. Accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, he plays skillfully against the late Romantic/early Modern Strauss soundscape. Where the Guntram excerpt sounds very much like an undistinguished Wagner, by Die Frau ohne Schatten, Strauss is on his own feet, delineating a finer vocal line that expresses the mystery and drive of the scene. Each song is framed by an orchestral interlude chosen from the many Strauss operas and the CD as a whole serves as an incomparable introduction to Ben Heppner, the Toronto SO, and, above all, Richard Strauss at his finest.
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