About
A rising dramatic mezzo-soprano, Laura Zahn has been praised for her “warm, voluptuous voice clearly destined for Puccini and Verdi.” In 2022, Ms. Zahn joined Opera Orlando for their Viva Verdi season, which focused on the works of Giuseppe Verdi. During her residency there, Laura performed Maddalena (Rigoletto), Giulietta di Kelbar (Un giorno di regno) and Flora Bervoix (La Traviata). That May, Laura sang the role of Marguerite (La Dame Blanche) with New Amsterdam Opera followed by a summer engagement as the Mezzo-Soprano soloist at Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, performing in their 6,000 seat Great Auditorium.
Highlights of the current season include role debuts as Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Mamma Lucia (Santuzza cover) in Cavalleria Rusticana and Secretary in Menotti’s The Consul. Additionally, Ms. Zahn recently stepped in for an ailing colleague to reprise the role of Siebel in Faust, marking her debut with Opera Baltimore.
In 2020-21, Ms. Zahn was scheduled to make several debuts including Alto Soloist in a world premiere production of Lori Laitman’s Vedem with Indianapolis Opera, Secretary in the Consul with Angels Vocal Art and a cover of Eboli (Don Carlo) with Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece. These productions were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Recent performances include Maddalena (Rigoletto) with Bel Cantanti Opera, Frugola (Il tabarro) and Zelatrice (Suor Angelica) with Angels Vocal Art and Flora Bervoix (La Traviata) with Pacific Opera Project, the latter of which Maria Nockin (Broadway World) noted was sung “with powerful tones as a dramatic Flora whose line was always confident.” Laura also had a 2019 Carnegie debut singing selections of Amneris (Aida) and Suzuki (Madama Butterfly). In previous seasons, Ms. Zahn has performed Florence Pike (Albert Herring), Mother Goose (The Rake’s Progress), Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Dorabella (Cosi fan Tutte) and Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro). She has also covered Mistress Quickly (Falstaff), La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Minskwoman (Flight), Mother (The Consul) and The Moll in a world premiere production of The Cradle will Rock.
Ms. Zahn holds degrees from The Boston Conservatory and Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and has participated in apprenticeships with Indianapolis Opera, The Savannah Voice Festival and Opera Saratoga for two seasons. She has also sung with The Boston Lyric Opera and Los Angeles Opera. Laura was most recently a Finalist in Opera Mississippi’s 2021 John Alexander National Vocal competition. She also semi-finaled in the 2020 NYIOP/Premiere Opera Foundation Competition and the 2016 Mildred Miller International Voice Competition.
Her full resume can be found here
"The assassin siblings – Sparafucile (bass Andrew Potter) and Maddalena (Laura Zahn)- gave a great lift to production. Potter’s riveting low growls and imposing height and Zahn’s passion and creamy mezzo-soprano added a guilty pleasure to the opera. And when Zahn joined Ohse, Dougherty and Baek for Rigoletto’s defining music moment- the Act III quartet- there was magic in the air."
David Sckolnik, A La Carte Productions
"Mezzo-soprano Laura Zahn sang with powerful tones as a dramatic Flora whose line was always confident."
Maria Nockin, Broadway World
Though visually young for the loyal retainer Marguerite, Laura Zahn used her rounded mezzo and expressive features memorably
David Shengold, Opera News
Another highpoint was Laura Zahn who sang “My Funny Valentine,”...Standing atop the steps, she appeared deeply reflective, like a silent film actress of the time with a stunning purple dress. Descending until she reached the piano below, she continued singing confidently, briefly resting a hand over her chest for dramatic effect. “Each day is Valentine’s Day,” she softly declared with her concluding lyrics and was then greeted by uproarious applause.
Diego Cagara, SpotlightNews.com
There were a couple of understudy performances at this final show of the season, but one would never know it. Both Laura Zahn as Seibel and Karoline Guerin as Marthe Schwerlein sang beautifully. The rest of the principals were all superb. This uber-talented cast was as professionally perfect as any I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a number of operatic performances both locally and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Timothy David Copney, Md Theater Guide
"Laura Zahn as the madam Mother Goose pleasing in voice, acting and presence..."
Vance R. Coven, The Boston Musical Intelligencer
"Laura Zahn’s warm, voluptuous [voice] - clearly destined for Puccini and Verdi - shines...she squeezes every expressive drop out of the music."
Jessica Grace, StageMagazine.org