About
A rising dramatic mezzo-soprano, Laura Zahn has been praised for her “warm, voluptuous voice” “captivating with her powerful delivery.” In the current season Ms. Zahn is scheduled to make several role debuts in the dramatic repertoire including Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana), Zita (Gianni Schicchi) and The Witch (Hansel and Gretel) as well as her international debut in Hong Kong singing highlights from Carmen and a house debut with Opera Delaware.
Highlights of recent seasons include Giulietta di Kelbar (Un giorno di regno) and Maddalena (Rigoletto) with Opera Orlando, role debuts as Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi and Secretary in Menotti’s The Consul and a Carnegie Hall debut singing highlights of Amneris in Aida and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly. In April of 2023, Ms. Zahn stepped in for an ailing colleague to reprise the role of Siebel in Faust, marking her debut with Opera Baltimore. Laura has also spent the last several summers as the Alto Soloist in residence at Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, performing in their historic 6,000 seat Great Auditorium and will return in 2024.
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 and Eboli (Don Carlo) with Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece. These productions were canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other notable roles Laura has performed include La frugola (Il Tabarro), Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Dorabella (Cosi fan Tutte), Flora (La traviata), Florence Pike (Albert Herring), Mamma Lucia (Cavalleria Rusticana) 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. She has also performed with The Boston Lyric Opera and LA Opera.
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 with Opera Saratoga for two seasons. Laura was most recently a Finalist in Opera Mississippi’s 2021 John Alexander National Vocal competition. She was also a semi-finalist in the NYIOP/Premiere Opera Foundation Competition and the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition.
Her full CV 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
[As Santuzza] She shone in moments where the character’s intense bitterness was warranted, captivating with her powerful delivery.
Operawire
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