At times one could even imagine him quickly taking his place as the next important heldentenor.

In fact, he has an unusually wide repertoire for a Heldentenor.

Knappertsbusch called him the most "human heldentenor" of his time.

This 42-year-old Canadian is the great hope for the heldentenor repertory.

"They see this big guy and think: huge, dramatic heldentenor.

"They also had to commit themselves to begin their heldentenor studies as soon as possible.

Mr. Heppner is the first true heldentenor to have appeared in some time.

Neate's lyric tenor had developed into a heldentenor by the end of the 1950s.

A heldentenor and Wagnerian soprano would not be out of place if they accidentally walked onto such a canvas.

Most heldentenor voices seem built from the bottom up, with baritonal shadings even in the high register.

But what is a heldentenor, exactly?

A powerful "heldentenor", he became known for his German- and Italian-language roles.

An abundance of power, thrust and stamina was needed to sing the Wagnerian heldentenor roles.

His beefy tenor filled the house and, except in its upper reaches, suggested the proper heldentenor ring.

Richard Thomas rides the waves of Wagner's music like a heldentenor on a surfboard.

Stephen Gould is an American heldentenor, born in Virginia.

Her nephew, Wolfgang Windgassen, was a heldentenor held in similar stature.

His voice fell almost into the heldentenor fach but was smaller and more "ingratiating" than many voices in that category.

Although some critics felt he strained his voice with the Heldentenor roles, his interpretations nevertheless drew high praise.

Mr. Heppner's firm, strong tone is technically superior to that of any heldentenor now operating.

"He has qualities seldom found in a heldentenor," Mr. Gockley explained.

"He is built like a heldentenor, along heroic proportions," Mr. Schonberg wrote.

His lean, burnished and powerful voice makes him the closest the opera world has right now to an ideal Wagnerian heldentenor.

The book's title refers to an alleged incident in the career of his father, heldentenor Leo Slezak.

However, after further study with August Iffert in Vienna, his heldentenor voice emerged.