Ben Heppner will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa, at the 2:00 p.m. ceremony on Saturday, November 14, “in recognition of his contribution to the pure enjoyment and appreciation of classical music through his consummate artistry, creative genius, arts advocacy, and ability to communicate his impressive knowledge.”
He gained an international reputation as a prominent contemporary dramatic tenor. His career has taken him to opera stages and concert halls around the globe. Associated particularly with the Wangerian repertoire, he has performed a wide range of operas from the German, French and Italian canons.
Ben Heppner, who announced his retirement from singing in April 2014, studied music at the University of British Columbia and first attracted national attention in 1979 as the winner of the CBC Talent Festival. He is a 1988 winner of the Metropolitan Opera auditions and received Grammy® Awards in 1998 for his recording of Die Meistersinger on London/Decca records and in 2001 for his recording of Les Troyens with the London Symphony Orchestra on LSOLive. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada.
Ben Heppner has taken his voice to the airwaves of CBC Radio as the host of Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and Backstage. He also hosts master classes, coaches singers for roles and appears on voice competition juries.
He has received several honorary doctorates in addition to many other awards for his singing talent.