NICOLA LISLE talks to soprano Mary Plazas, the new Honorary President of Wallingford's Music at St Peter's concert series

Music at St Peter's had a sad start to its 23rd season, when its long-serving Honorary President, Lady Barbirolli, died in January, just after her 97th birthday. But artistic director Glynne Stackhouse turned quickly to ask another leading lady to step into Lady Barbirolli's shoes by asking his friend, local girl turned opera star Mary Plazas, to take on the role.

"I was happy to accept because it's a local thing and it's music-making," said Mary. "It's good to have a concert series like this. Places like St Peter's enable new artists to come in, as well as established artists, and I think it's really important to support that. I feel very privileged to be asked.

"It is also important to me to maintain local links because I went to school in Didcot, and really enjoyed growing up there. My parents still live in Wallingford, and my brother's not far away. I get back there whenever I can. I'm now living in Berkshire, so I'm still sort of local."

The former Cholsey schoolgirl, whose precocious talent took the North Berks Festival by storm back in the early 1980s, has barely stood still since her professional debut with ENO in 1992. Her commitments now take her all over the world, to some of the most prestigious opera and concert venues, and she has a string of recording credits to her name as well.

I caught up with her just as she was getting to grips with a new and very challenging role - that of the title character in Lady Sarashina by the Hungarian composer Peter Ëotvös. The opera had its debut at the Opera de Lyon in March this year, and is being given a re-run at the Opéra Comique in Paris in 2009.

"It's a very complex piece," Mary said. "Over the last two or three years I've been branching out into slightly different repertoire. As I get more experienced, I can take on different roles, not necessarily ones that are more vocally demanding, but more physically and emotionally demanding. I'm really enjoying it, because it moves you on a notch, emotionally and vocally. But it's jolly hard work!"

Also lined up for next year is the title role in Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia for the Buxton Festival in Derbyshire. But before all that, there's a new production of one of opera's greatest double bills, Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci, by English National Opera, with Richard Jones directing and Edward Gardner conducting.

Mary is taking on the role of Nedda in Pagliacci, with a cast that also includes the renowned baritone Christopher Purves as Tonio.

"I've not done this role before so I'm really pleased with it," she said. "I'm working with a director that I've worked with before, and enjoyed working with, so that will be lovely, and very exciting.

"So there's lots to prepare, and they're all very different characters, which is great."

But away from these high-profile arenas, Mary is keen to encourage community projects, and was recently involved in a production of La bohème at Blackheath in London, which brought together schoolchildren and other members of the community.

"We had professionals in the front line, and then the community coming forward with a local orchestra and singers and kids, and they learnt how to put on an opera," Mary explained. "It's lovely to be able to do that. I think it's important to see a community coming together, and for them to see how opera works."

Seeing a community coming together is, for Mary, part of the pleasure of the Music at St Peter's concert series.

"Last time I went to a concert at St Peter's, what I loved was that I just parked my car and all these folk were walking down the street, all heading in the same direction. And I think it's really important that people can just step out of their door and go and see something like that. It's very important that these things are supported."

Despite her hectic work schedule, Mary hopes to get to some of the St Peter's concerts this season.

"I'm a bit busy this summer, but I've booked some time to go to a couple of the concerts. I feel that I'm putting something back into the community that opened doors for me. It's important to put something back."

Music at St Peter's season August 30: The Prometheus Piano Trio: Music by Beethoven, Saint-Saëns and Brahms September 13: The Cappa String Quartet: Music by Haydn, Mendelssohn, William Walton and Erwin Schulhoff.

September 27: The Thames Consort: Haydn's Nelson Mass.

All concerts are at St Peter's Church, Wallingford, at 8pm. Tickets available in person from Just Trading, Wallingford, and 80 High Street, Wallingford, or by calling 01491 824792. For more details, visit www.musicatstpeterswallingford.co.uk