Renowned for her expressive artistry, Canadian soprano Laura Nielsen has earned praise for her “superb piano dynamic, heartfelt passion” and “outstanding stage presence” (Online Merker). Her recent portrayal of Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème with the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera was hailed by Opera Canada as “completely convincing and vocally outstanding.”
Recent Performances & Engagements
In the 2023-24 season, Laura brought her artistry to the German stage, performing as Freia in Wagner’s Das Rheingold and Kassandra Tochter von König Priamos / Ihr Geist in Felix Weingartner’s Orestes at Theater Erfurt. She then traveled to New York City, where she covered the title role in the modern premiere of Carolina Uccelli’s 1836 Bel Canto opera, Anna di Resburgo, as a Resident Artist with Teatro Nuovo.
Competitions & Recognitions
Laura has been a finalist and prizewinner in numerous international vocal competitions across Canada, the United States, Italy, Germany, and France. In 2022, she was a finalist in the Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage Competition and a District Winner in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Canada Region). That same year, she was awarded the Second Prize at the NATS Artist Awards Competition for Singers in New York City. Internationally, she has been a featured soloist at both the Pro Musica Nostra festival and the International Organ Festivals of Jozef Grešák in Slovakia.
Operatic & Concert Repertoire
Laura’s operatic repertoire spans a diverse range of roles, including Mimì (La Bohème), Rosalba Montealban (Florencia en el Amazonas) Laetitia (The Old Maid and the Thief), Micaëla (Carmen), Soeur Constance (Les Dialogues des Carmélites), Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) and Nella (Gianni Schicchi). She has also covered the roles of Tatiana (Eugene Onegin) and Violetta (La Traviata) while performing excerpts as Magda (La Rondine), Contessa (Le Nozze di Figaro), Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), and Gilda (Rigoletto).
On the concert stage, Laura has performed as a soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, Poulenc’s Gloria, and Handel’s Messiah.
Education & Training
Laura is a proud graduate of Yale University, where she earned her Master of Music in Opera Performance with the generous support of the Stephen and Denise Adams Scholarship Fund. She also holds an Artist Diploma in Vocal Performance and an Honors Bachelor of Music with a minor in French Studies from the University of Western Ontario.
