Return of the Hero

One of the most gratifying things for me about Saturday's concert at NJPAC with Ben Heppner and the New Jersey Symphony, was how consistently wonderful he sounded. He approached everything with a fearlessness and there was a look of calm assurance on his face. His voice rang out lyrically but powerfully and he applied his very consistent and unique musicianship to everything that he sang.

I'm sure he's tired of hearing this at this point, but it is now evident that whatever problems he was suffering a few years ago, were truly just temporary and now, just history.

What was amazing about that whole period, from an observer's perspective, was that reaction among the cognoscenti was almost entirely supportive. I don't recall reading or hearing anything that predicted that his career was over. No one indulged in the kind of Schadenfreude the way only bitchy opera fans can. Every internet post, conversation or message I read about expressed deep concern about what was going on. I was present at those Meistersingers at the Met, where he began having serious problems and once could sense almost immediately, that the whole audience was rooting for him. The applause at the end was no less than if he had sung every note perfectly.

I'm not sure how to attribute that reaction, especially after having read bitchy, venomous attacks on other singers who've had vocal difficulties. Could it be that he was just "so" good that any aberration from that standard was worrying. Or is it that he just gives out the aura of being a "nice guy" (which I can't verify is true or not because I've never met him), and we all support him. I can't say for sure. I just wish I'd see more of it when other singers (or musicians have problems).

As for Mr. Heppner, BRAVO (again)