Listen to Benjamin Appl on BBC

Benjamin Appl

The young German barihunk Benjamin Appl, who was the last student of the late Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau, is rapidly emerging as one of the most sought after lieder singers in the world. Last month, he was named one of the European Concert Hall Organization's (ECHO) six outstanding young artists to become its Rising Stars and will have a piece commissioned for him by composer Nico Muhly.

Appl is also a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist and they just recorded him singing Beethoven songs, which is available online until Sunday, August 22. He joins the world renowned accomanist Graham Johnson in performing the composer's Gesang aus der Ferne, WoO137 and Der Kuss, Op 128. The remainder of the program includes Beethoven's Rondo alla ingharese quasi un capriccio, Op. 129; CPE Bach's Sonata in A minor, Wq 62/21; and, Adolf von Henselt's Duo for Horn and Piano Op.14.

Benjamin Appl sings Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte:

On September 1st, he makes his debut at the BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall in Brahms' Triumphlied with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the baton of Marin Alsop. The concert also included Cardiff winner Jamie Barton singing Brahms' Alto Rhapsody. On September 5, he returns to the Proms for Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with Keith Lockhardt and the BBC Concert Orchestra or Chorus.

On October 6th, he'll part of the closing concert at the 40th Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg, Austria, joining Angelika Kirchschlager, Mojca Erdmann, Juliane Banse, David Steffans, Graham Johnson and fellow barihunk Andrè Schuen.

Fans in Ireland will be thrilled to know that he'll be touring the country in November, with performances in Skibbereen, Clifden, Dublin, Tipperary, Cork, Dun Laoghaire and Down. The program will include lieder by Mendelssohn, Poulenc and Schubert, arias from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Magic Flute, and from Lehár’s The Merry Widow and Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos.

You can now follow Appl at his Facebook Fan Page and on Twitter.