Heino on church tour with Anita Hegerland

Volks- und Schlagermusiker Heino again swaps the stage for the altar. Unlike last year, this time he is going on a church tour accompanied by Norwegian soprano Anita Hegerland, who sang a famous duet with Roy Black as a child and later two world hits with Mike Oldfield. "I always had the thought of singing in churches one day, I come from a very Catholic family," the 84-year-old said Thursday in Dresden. He said his grandfather played the organ in Cologne Cathedral, two cousins became pastors and he went to church almost daily in his youth.

Ten years after his foray into metal and rock, Heino will sing classical songs, sacred music and melodies by Mozart, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Brahms in houses of worship. From November 17 to January 21, 2024, a total of 23 concerts are planned in churches, cathedrals and basilicas in Germany, Austria, Belgium and Italy. "We sing together and solo," said Hegerland, who also contributes "Ein bisschen Frieden" by Nicole. In the current world situation, "you need songs like that," the 62-year-old said.

Accompanied by organist Franz Lambert, a choir and a pianist, the two artists also encourage people to sing along. "They are songs that actually everyone knows from childhood and youth, but unfortunately are hardly played or not played at all anymore," Heino said. He also wants to show with the musical excursion "that I can do other things than "Die Schwarze Barbara" or "Blau blüht der Enzian"". He had studied singing, but then turned to folk songs, to the dismay of his singing teachers. "And I'm quite happy to have taken that step," he said. "I couldn't have had a better career, as I did, with classical."