<<  -- 6 --  Tess Crebbin and Sissy von Kotzebue    BEN HEPPNER

MV: Many people say that singing well is connected to a certain level of physical fitness. What are you personally doing to keep fit, your body and your voice?

BH: I struggle with my weight a bit. I am into bicycling these days and I try to keep active. As far as singing, I'll give you an example. When I came here and I started to rehearse Lohengrin, I hadn't done it for a couple of years. At home I went through it a few times with my accompanist but it is not the same. So when I came here I started to sing it out right away and everyone was telling me: relax, relax, you can mark it. And I said; No, I am training. You train yourself in rehearsals and you have to learn to sing the high notes in rehearsal so that when you're out on stage, under pressure, then you have some possibility, it's not a matter of luck. So you keep yourself fit by singing.

MV: In 1992, you sang McTeague in Chicago. How did you come to sing that and did you like the role and being part of a world première?

BH: You have to understand, and I am saying that with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, that the character of McTeague is someone who is very big, very strong and quite stupid. So I was a natural for the role ... Jokes aside now, in 1988, I had sung the Walther in Tannhäuser and they auditioned me when I was there and they invited me right then to do the première in 1992. I love Bill's music. He did an amazing job. There is talk about reviving it as well. We are currently talking about doing some rewrite but right now we are just talking about it.

MV: Have you yourself thought about composing?

BH: No, I stick to singing these days. I remember when I was at university, and courting a young lady, I did compose a few things and we were married afterwards, so that part of my life is gone.

MV: What do you prefer, singing Lieder or Opera?

BH: I like both venues, the Liederabend and Opera. The concert is wonderful for a kind of one-on-one connection with the audience. This is not possible with opera because you are a character and you don't come out of that character all evening. So, I like that about Lieder. Some of Tosti feels very much like opera. L'alba separa is very much an opera aria, but others, like Ideale are not.

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