The Metropolitan Opera was a buzz with song on March 28 as for the first time in 5 long performances, the world’s leading heldentenor and the great American dramatic soprano sang a complete Tristan und Isolde in front of more than 4000 fans.
James Levine directed the more than 5 hours performance, which was followed by more than 8 minutes of adoring applause.
Illness in Heppner had reared its ugly head for the last while as he was diagnosed with a blood infection but Friday night fans heard what they wanted to here from the Met’s production stage manager, who said “I have only good news.”
“I was wondering,” Heppner said Saturday, referring to whether he would be able to perform. “I certainly wanted it to.”
Even the rest of the cast were inspired by the performance by Heppner and Voigt’s Isolde, moving the packed house who were rivited in their seats for the entire performance.
There is only 1 more scheduled performance of the show.
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