Tenor Ben Heppner, seen here performing in 2005, wants to bring opera to smaller Canadian communities and dispel the notion of opera as inaccessible. (Julie Jacobson/Associated Press)

Taking a break from prestigious engagements in opera capitals like New York, Paris and Milan, tenor Ben Heppner is back touring smaller Canadian cities, this time performing across the North.

The acclaimed singer is in the midst of his third such solo recital tour, bringing a program of folk and opera works — peppered with his personal stories — to smaller Canadian communities, partially to help dispel the notion of opera as inaccessible.

"I talk with them. I make it non-threatening. I start with some folk songs and then I give them the big 'Ben can sing in Russian, Swedish and German' kind of stuff," Heppner told CBC Radio's cultural affairs show Q on Tuesday.

"Then I do some operas and tell them some funny stories about my family, about my life. I just try to relate — and that has an incredible impact."

These tours started in British Columbia in 2006, where Heppner started in his hometown of Dawson Creek and ended up on Salt Spring Island. Last year, he travelled around Ontario.

"This year, it's a little bit of a mixed bag, but the idea is a northern swing," he said from Edmonton.

So far, the singer has performed in Saskatchewan (in Yorkton and Prince Albert) as well as in Medicine Hat, Alta. Next up are Fort McMurray, Alta., Yellowknife and Whitehorse.

'Couldn't stand' opera as a child

Though now considered in the top tier of opera singers worldwide, as a kid, Heppner said, he "couldn't stand [opera], couldn't understand it, didn't get it at all."

But, he loved music and eventually embraced the form. One of the things that helped, Heppner said, was seeing Canadian bassoonist George Zuckerman bring classical music to his hometown.

"I saw him at an early point coming into schools and playing his bassoon in groups and other organizations that he brought through Dawson Creek," Heppner said. "It was very impressive to hear these people."

Zuckerman was also responsible for organizing Heppner's solo B.C. tour as well as his current slate of northern gigs.

Concerts hook new fans

Aiming to reach far-flung audiences and also convey to naysayers that opera is "not as dry as they think it is," Heppner said he's received an amazingly positive response from appreciative fans so far.

"Somebody brought their seven-year-old son, who is hooked," he said. "Now, I do hope he goes out and learns how to throw a football, but hopefully that love of music won't leave him either."

Being exposed to, participating in and supporting the arts is important, Heppner said, beyond the economic benefits the cultural industry contributes.

"We can't … thrive in a world that doesn't have beauty," he said.

"What is really saddening me [during the election campaign] is that culture is not being discussed by any of the major political parties, I think, perhaps with the exception of the Bloc Québécois, who of course are talking about the [French-Canadian] culture."

Canadians must continue to stress the importance of the arts and cultural funding and "get on the phone, write a letter, write an e-mail and speak up and say 'Hey, it's important,'" the tenor said.

"I don't have to have funding from the government to go sing in Paris or wherever. But it's going to affect a whole raft of people behind me. Are they going to get the chance to sing with the CBC Orchestra like I did? … I'm afraid that young artists are not going to get that opportunity."