In January 1999, Canadian tenor Ben Heppner sang his first Southern California recital - he brought the house down! And the Philharmonic Society of Orange County scored another coup.

Masterfully accompanied on the piano by Thomas Muraco in their first performance together, he sang a wonderfully varied programme of Lieder, opera arias from the German, Italian and French repertories and yes, popular song.

As soon as the audience heard his opening number - Beethoven's Adelaide (which made this program a part of the Society's Beethoven Festival), they knew they were in for a fascinating evening. One felt the tremendous vocal power as he sang Walter's Prize Song from Wagner's Die Meistersinger, but there was also an unmistakable sweetness to the heroic voice (that made one realize that Strauss' Morgen is as beautiful sung by a tenor as by the usual female voice). And then there was the sense of humor so evident in his choice of Papageno's Dies Bildnis ist.. (from Mozart's Magic Flute) and his off-the-cuff remarks from the stage.

This heldentenor who takes the art of dramatic singing to new heights, revealed himself in his choice of encores to be a down-to-earth sort of guy with an ear for a good tune and a heart for romantic melodies. He delighted the audience with the House on the Hill made famous by Mario Lanza and swept everyone away by a stirring Danny Boy.

He could have sang the evening away, and the audience would have stayed. "Have you ever heard a more beautiful voice?" the couple behind us asked in wonderment.

Ben Heppner deserved the standing ovation, the accolades ... and the roses!

This recital was also the first of the Philharmonic Society's 3-part programme called THE ART OF THE VOICE. which includes a The Royal Opera Orchestra of Covent Garden in their US concert debut (March 11) and a Beethoven recital by Austrian mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlager (March 16).