Ben Heppner, left, is Siegfried as Ulrich Burkhard plays Mime in Richard Wagner's opera 'Siegfried' during a rehearsal in Aix-en-Provence, France, Monday, June 23, 2008. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
AP - When tenor Ben Heppner wanted to try the grueling role of Tristan for the first time back in 1997, he chose a spot that he described as "off the beaten path." |