Heather Plewes, Opera Hamilton’s marketing and communications coordinator, is petite, blonde haired, and sports long eye lashes. She has the confident gaze of someone who loves to “impose her will on something difficult,”as she puts it, and shakes my hand with a firm grip. Photographs of her suggest a wistful desire to connect to something greater than herself.
A young woman with everything going for her, Heather possesses a beautiful soprano voice, movie-star good looks, and the kind of energetic intelligence that fully captivates an audience. She holds an honours in BA in Music from the University of Western Ontario and is an experienced performer. Her gifts are certainly not going to waste.
The Chenoweth-sized soprano recently took on the challenge of putting together a recital in St. Andrew’s church, Ancaster, with accompanist Krista Rhodes and mezzo-soprano Margaret Bárdos. The show, How Can I Keep from Singing?, was a great success, showcasing beautiful sacred works from both the traditional and contemporary repertoires. ‘Let the Mountains Sing’ was composed by Hamiltonian Paul Chappel. Three of the pieces were a set of Psalms put to music, composed for Heather by friend and award-winning Canadian composer Zachary Windus. The set; which consists of Psalms 7, 13, and 47, was premiered by Heather in recital in 2009.
“Zach and I met as children,” Heather tells me fondly. “He has won a lot of awards and competitions. I encourage his work and, I guess as a result of that, the set of Psalms was written for me. Musically, that was fun. He knows my voice. It’s the difference between wearing something tailored and wearing something off the rack. Off the rack is nice...but it can never fit as well as tailored. It’s neat to be making something together,” she adds thoughtfully. “We’re really like family.” Windus attended Heather’s recent performance and received applause for his work.
It is impossible to exaggerate Heather’s love of performing. Perhaps this is why she won the 2008-2009 Arcady Young Artist competition. “Performing is like a drug. If I didn’t sing, I might have an addiction! I love singing to people, not just for people. There’s a big distinction between the two. You won’t see a vacant look in my eyes while performing. When I was younger I had a vocal coach who told me to sing to the wall. Just, pick a spot and sing to it.” There is a dramatic pause, then Heather makes a frustrated gesture with her hands. “That was such a disservice! It took the communication aspect right out of it for me. People aren’t walls. This isn’t how I sing, or why I sing, as if I’m above the audience. I like eye contact, it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. People are generous to reward you just by the way they look at you.”
So how did a beautiful young soprano with such a marked passion for communicating to an audience end up working behind the scenes at Opera Hamilton? The question reveals Heather’s other not-so-secret passion: choral ensembles. “I heave a heart for choral music. There’s something about taking a group of people and making music together, there is nothing like it. It really takes you to another place.” As well as offering her talent as a volunteer conductor for the Hamilton Children’s Choir and performing with the Arcady Singers, Heather has performed in various Opera Hamilton productions. From there she began filling other volunteer needs at Opera Hamilton, and was approached by general director David Speers about an administrative position. “I love it! I’m getting good feedback as well. It harnesses my creative juices. “This might surprise you, but opera really has a place in Hamilton. Opera Hamilton has been established for thirty years. This was actually our 30th anniversary season.” In April the season closed with a stunning production of Puccini’s La Boheme, which is perhaps most famous for inspiring the smash Broadway and cinematic hit, Rent. “Opera is so valid and so relevant,” Heather says. “You write something good and it stays relevant. That’s the way it works.”
There is a secret to marketing a successful regional opera company in an evolving post-industrial city. “Most Hamilton opera fans come to the opera and want to see grandiose period sets and costumes. Our company once did a production of La Boheme set in the 40’s or 50’s, and Hamilton has never fully forgiven us for the Nazis. I personally think it’s neat, I like to see new takes on old things.” However, she promises that no Nazis appeared on stage in the 2009-2010 season. Appealing to long-standing opera patrons while attracting a broader audience is a challenge. As a result of this the younger generation is largely unaware of how entertaining and affordable a night out at the opera is. “The most common remark I hear from newcomers to the opera is, ‘Wow! It’s not at all what I thought, it was great!’
“There are no fat ladies wearing helmets!” Heather exclaims, running a frustrated hand through her hair. “That is a horrendous and untrue stereotype. What a lot of people don’t realize is that they are going to see an attractive cast telling a beautiful story. It’s basically a movie on steroids, and it doesn’t cost much more than going to a cinema. There you pay $13 for your ticket, and more for some disgusting food.” She makes a face. “You get more value for your dollar going to the opera. Single adult tickets range from $40 to $95. And I’m going to be perfectly honest with you, there isn’t a bad seat in Hamilton Place. There are also senior and student rates, and the ‘30 under 30’ deal...or ‘30-ish under 30-ish,’” she says easily. “By all means, feel free to lie to us. Just let the box office know, and you can get a $30 seat. You can come to the opera, spend only double what you would at a movie, and get an entire night out. Have fun! Get jazzed up! Of course you can wear jeans and not feel out of place, there is a casual crowd in attendance. But you also have an opportunity for a night on the town that is largely absent in this generation. A night on the town is a lost art. The opera is a way to reclaim it.”
With the possibility of a CD being released, plans for another recital, and Opera Hamilton’s next season looking fantastic, Heather is well on her way to becoming a pillar in the local arts scene.
