Recently hailed by the Financial Times for her "large and lush mezzo-soprano," Texas native Laura Vlasak Nolen has quickly established herself on the operatic scene. Ms. Nolen was recently honored by New York City Opera with the Richard F. Gold Career Grant which is awarded to a young American singer who appears destined for a major career. As she continues to garner critical acclaim for each new appearance, it is no wonder Opera News claims "talent like hers can't possibly stay a well kept secret for long."
In 2008-09 Laura Vlasak Nolen returns to the Metropolitan Opera to reprise the role of Waltraute in Die Walküre as well as to sing Inez in Il trovatore. She also sings the role of Iras in Antony and Cleopatra with New York City Opera; Dorotea in Pedrotti's Tutti in maschera at Wexford Festival Opera; Dorabella in Così fan tutte with Madison Opera; and as soloist in Elgar's The Music Makers, a work for mezzo-soprano, chorus and orchestra with Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Nolen also performs as soloist in Rossini's Stabat Mater with the New York Choral Society at Carnegie Hall and in Messiah with the Philadelphia Orchestra, New Choral Society and Danbury Chamber Orchestra. Future seasons take Ms. Nolen to the Metropolitan Opera and Wexford Festival Opera.
In the 2007-08 season, Ms. Nolen returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Waltraute in Die Walküre and sang Tisbe in La Cenerentola at Spoleto Festival (USA). She performed Haydn's Mass in Time of War with The Washington Chorus at the Kennedy Center, Beethoven's Mass in C with the Honolulu Symphony, Dvorák's Stabat Mater with the Bel Canto Chorus and Orchestra, and appeared as Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri in gala concerts sponsored by UNESCO in Paris, France and New York City. In summer 2008 she performed the title role of Giulio Cesare at Glimmerglass Opera.
Ms. Nolen's 2006-07 season included the role of Malcolm in New York City Opera's production of La donna del lago, an engagement with the Opera Orchestra of New York in their production of Otello and, in a reengagement with the Caramoor Festival in summer 2007, Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle and Pierotto in Linda di Chamounix. In concert she appeared as soloist at Avery Fisher Hall with the Richard Tucker Foundation under Asher Fisch conducting members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, in Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Danbury Symphony, and in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde with the Westfield Symphony.
Ms. Nolen made her professional debut singing Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte at Cleveland Opera - a role which she later reprised in her debut with Dallas Opera. Other past operatic highlights include engagements with the Metropolitan Opera for its productions of the world premiere opera An American Tragedy and Die Walküre which toured in Japan. She made her debut at New York City Opera in 2005-06 singing Sélysette in Ariane et Barbe-Bleue which she later recorded with the BBC Symphony under the baton of Leon Botstein. Ms. Nolen has also sung the title role in Opera Theater of Connecticut's production of Giulio Cesare, Fanny in Strauss' Intermezzo with the Santa Fe Opera, Eustazio in Handel's Rinaldo with Berkshire Opera, and Enrichetta in I Puritani and Isaura in Tancredi, both with the Caramoor Festival.
An active concert performer as well, Ms. Nolen has appeared as soloist in Mozart's Requiem with the Westchester Philharmonic, Handel's Messiah with the Danbury Chamber Orchestra, Mozart's Vespers with the Lubbock Chorale, Vivaldi's Gloria with both the Texas Tech University and the First Congregational Church of Ridgefield (CT), Honegger's King David with the Lubbock Symphony, and scenes from Die Zauberflöte with the Cleveland Orchestra.
Ms. Nolen was the New England Regional Winner and National Semi-Finalist in the 2005 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has won Encouragement Awards in the 2005 George London Foundation competition and the 2006 Sullivan Foundation competition. She was also a finalist in the Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship Foundation competition and has participated in the Renata Scotto Opera Academy at both the Music Conservatory of Westchester and in Rome at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. She received her undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University and attended Indiana University.
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