Opera Singer. A soprano, she is remembered for her career at the Metropolitan Opera that saw her sing 286 performances in a variety of roles. Raised in northwestern Ohio, she manifested her talent early, enrolled at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1940, later studied at Tanglewood with noted conductor Boris Goldovsky, and relocated to New York City in 1948. Heidi sang on Broadway in 1950's "Dance Me a Song" then on December 12, 1953 bowed at the Metropolitan in what would probably be considered her signature piece, Frasquita from Georges Bizet's "Carmen", on that occasion and many others sharing the stage with the incomparable Rise Stevens. Over the next 13 years her roles included the Countess Ceprano from Verdi's "Rigoletto", Marina's Companion in Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov", a Flower Maiden from Wagner's "Parsifal", two of Verdi's maids, Curra in "La Forza del Destino" and Flora from "La Traviata", several parts in Wagner's "Ring Cycle", among them Ortlinde in "Die Walkure" and Woglinde of "Das Rheingold", a Priestess from Verdi's "Aida", Kate Pinkerton of Puccini's "Madame Butterfly", and a Lady in Mozart's "The Magic Flute". Heidi's most significant 'Met Moment' came in a 1959 gala at which she filled-in for an indisposed Zinka Milanov as Leonora in the Convent Scene from "La Forza del Destino" and took the soprano part in Verdi's "Manzoni Requiem". Given such major roles as Desdemona in Verdi's "Otello" by smaller companies, she was eventually accorded more substantial parts at the Metropolitan including Donna Elvira from Mozart's "Don Giovanni", Musetta of Puccini's "La Boheme", and Micaela in "Carmen". Having married distinguished obstetrician Dr. John Preece in 1959, Heidi retired from the Met following a May 27, 1966 Detroit performance as Musetta. She settled in Newtown, Pennsylvania, in 1967, continued singing for a number of years in church and in local venues, relocated to a Hamilton, New Jersey, in 2006, and died in a nursing facility of the effects of advanced age less than a month after Dr. Preece's demise. At her death she could be heard on a number of archived Metropolitan broadcasts.
Opera Singer. A soprano, she is remembered for her career at the Metropolitan Opera that saw her sing 286 performances in a variety of roles. Raised in northwestern Ohio, she manifested her talent early, enrolled at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1940, later studied at Tanglewood with noted conductor Boris Goldovsky, and relocated to New York City in 1948. Heidi sang on Broadway in 1950's "Dance Me a Song" then on December 12, 1953 bowed at the Metropolitan in what would probably be considered her signature piece, Frasquita from Georges Bizet's "Carmen", on that occasion and many others sharing the stage with the incomparable Rise Stevens. Over the next 13 years her roles included the Countess Ceprano from Verdi's "Rigoletto", Marina's Companion in Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov", a Flower Maiden from Wagner's "Parsifal", two of Verdi's maids, Curra in "La Forza del Destino" and Flora from "La Traviata", several parts in Wagner's "Ring Cycle", among them Ortlinde in "Die Walkure" and Woglinde of "Das Rheingold", a Priestess from Verdi's "Aida", Kate Pinkerton of Puccini's "Madame Butterfly", and a Lady in Mozart's "The Magic Flute". Heidi's most significant 'Met Moment' came in a 1959 gala at which she filled-in for an indisposed Zinka Milanov as Leonora in the Convent Scene from "La Forza del Destino" and took the soprano part in Verdi's "Manzoni Requiem". Given such major roles as Desdemona in Verdi's "Otello" by smaller companies, she was eventually accorded more substantial parts at the Metropolitan including Donna Elvira from Mozart's "Don Giovanni", Musetta of Puccini's "La Boheme", and Micaela in "Carmen". Having married distinguished obstetrician Dr. John Preece in 1959, Heidi retired from the Met following a May 27, 1966 Detroit performance as Musetta. She settled in Newtown, Pennsylvania, in 1967, continued singing for a number of years in church and in local venues, relocated to a Hamilton, New Jersey, in 2006, and died in a nursing facility of the effects of advanced age less than a month after Dr. Preece's demise. At her death she could be heard on a number of archived Metropolitan broadcasts.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Family Members
Spouse
Advertisement
