Leah Heater, mezzo-soprano, speaks of the opera and a bit of herself
Recently, Chris Cox, Director of Marketing and Communications for Pittsburgh Opera, took time out of his hectic schedule to interview, a former Resident Artist, Leah Heater, exclusively for onStage Pittsburgh
And here ‘s the transcript ——
Chris Cox: Leah Heater, welcome back to Pittsburgh.
Leah Heater: Thank you so much. I’m so happy to be here.
CC: We’re always happy to have you back. During the pandemic, you moved from Pittsburgh to the DC area. How long have you been there and what have you been up to there?
LH. I have been back in the DC area since 2021. I was an undergraduate at the University of Maryland, so I have a large network of people there that I have professional contacts and friendships with. I’ve been working with companies there. I’ve been teaching for a few companies there and on my own, in my own personal studio. I’ve also been doing various gigs there, such as a Marriage of Figaro at the Austrian Embassy. I did another Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro with Maryland Lyric Opera. I also went to Tulsa and did my first Sondheim show as Jack’s mother in Into the Woods, which was really fun.
CC: This is now your third time back at Pittsburgh Opera since the pandemic?
L H: Yes, this is my third time back since the pandemic. I was here for Carmen, and then Dutchman. It’s so interesting, I had my nails done yesterday and my nail tech at Nail Envy said, “Oh yeah, I love opera. And I came to see a show.” And I said, “No kidding, which one was it?” It was Carmen. I said, “I was in that.” I told him I wanted him to come to this one. No matter where I go in Pittsburgh, I pop into opera fans. The barista at Cafe Raymond told me, “I love opera so much. I’m a composer.” You never know who’s going to like opera and has already come to something around here in the Strip District.
CC: What’s it like for you when you come back to Pittsburgh as a guest artist, compared to when you were living here?
Leah Heater
LH.: Oh my gosh, I love it because the Opera puts us here in the Homewood Suites, and this whole side of Smallman Street has been developed. I love walking to work every day. This is what I loved about Pittsburgh. It’s such a community feel. I had lived in Friendship before, which was a very walkable community. So here, I just walk to work every day and stop in and see things in the different shops, have coffee at various places. I have friends here, it just feels like another home really. It’s just very, very homey and I always enjoy it and always love it and feel very comfortable and welcome.
CC.: Tell us a little bit about Flora, who you’ll be playing in La Traviata.
LH.: Flora’s a member of this high society, but really, she’s a bit of a party girl In the context of this opera as a supporting cast member, she simply exists to advance the dialogue and the narrative and the drama between Violetta and Alfredo. She’s a little bit of an ember in the fire of this love story between them. She does love Violetta. My Flora loves Violetta, but she also loves drama. So she throws parties. The first party she’s at is at Violetta’s house. Alfredo shows up and he’s a member of the bourgeois. Violetta’s a courtesan and so is Flora, but they’re high level. They’re not street prostitutes. They are well-educated. They are conversationalists. So their duties are a little more encompassing. Flora and Violetta are close, and when she sees the sparks fly between Alfredo and Violetta at Violetta’s party, Flora encourages it and says, “Ah, I like him.” Even though Alfredo is lower-class bourgeois. Alfredo and Violetta’s love begins at Violetta’s party. The second party is at Flora’s house. Flora’s telling her lover, the Marchese, “I’ve invited Violetta and Alfredo.” And then the Marchese says, “Oh, didn’t you hear? They’re not together, they’re fighting.” And I say, “You’re kidding me?” And he says, “Yeah, she’s going to come with the Baron,” who was Violetta’s lover before Alfredo. Then everybody arrives, and being the drama lover that she is, Flora instigates some back-and-forth between Alfredo and the Baron. They play a card game, and Flora makes some smart remarks to continue to anger both of them. And unfortunately, things boil over… but you’re going to have to see for yourself. I don’t want to reveal too much.
CC. What do you enjoy about playing this character?
LH.: As a mezzo-soprano, I play a lot of supporting characters. And oftentimes I’m singing roles that are just a little bit lower and a little bit older, even though I’m not that old in real life. But Flora’s energy is so much more youthful and vibrant, and the music of this opera is just so light and really encompasses that party spirit. So it’s a really nice change of pace for me to play a more youthful, flirty, vivacious individual.
CC: What do you think makes La Traviata such a popular opera? Why is it endured for going on 200 years?
LH: Oh wow. Well, because number one, the music is absolutely gorgeous. The music truly mirrors the spark of young love. You hear young, new love in the music and your heart immediately latches onto it and says, “I know this feeling.” And I think really that’s why it has stayed so relevant. The singing is true Bel Canto, gorgeous, florid, flexible singing that requires great skill and it’s very impressive that way.
Also it’s the love story. It’s a love story of two people from different financial backgrounds, and the types of strains those differences can put on a relationship. There are just really heartbreaking moments.
It had a lot of little cameos in pop culture throughout the years. It was in Pretty Woman, Edward and Vivian go and see La Traviata at the opera and it’s the first time Vivian’s seen an opera.
CC: What about La Traviata makes it such a good opera for first-timers? For people who have never been to the opera before, why is this a good one to pick?
LH: It’s got the dramatic storyline arcing all the way through the show. It’s got real world issues. It’s got someone who is chronically ill as the lead protagonist, female character. It’s got the issues of social class and inequality. It’s got the music. The parties, those are really fun. It’s got fantastic chorus scenes, it’s got the gorgeous costumes. This will be what we call a period production, set in the Victorian era. You’re going to see that the stories are relevant in a Bridgerton way. It is a soap opera, it just looks and sounds grandiose. If you like Bridgerton, you’ll love La Traviata.
CC.: Why else should folks come to La Traviata?
LH.: The singing honestly is going to be fantastic. Our leads, Michael Chioldi, Vuvu [Mpofu] and Duke are truly gifted singers, and Pittsburgh audiences are going to be impressed and moved by them. At our rehearsals, even though Vuvu was marking on some of her arias, I was still moved to tears. You’ll have a great time at the show.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Pittsburgh Opera’s producton of La Traviata is at the Benedum Center, March 16, 19, 22 & 24, 2024. Tickets at https://trustarts.org/production/84994/list_performances
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