Soprano Laura Pinto has captured the attention of audiences in the U.S. and Canada for her thoughtful interpretations of vocal music in a wide range of styles. On the operatic stage, she has performed a variety of roles including Poppea (Agrippina, Handel), #1 (Tranformations, Susa), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Phyllis (Iolanthe), Le Rossignol (L'enfant et les sortilèges), and Maria (West Side Story). She received "special kudos" for her performance of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, in which her "beautiful arietta 'O mio babbino caro' was literally a showstopper" (Classical Voice of North Carolina). In addition to breathing new life into the standard repertoire, Ms. Pinto frequently performs contemporary music and enjoys collaborating with living composers. Past premieres have included performances alongside composer Christian Kesten at Montreal's Musimars festival, works by former Fulbright Fellow Jason Thorpe Buchanan, and an opera written by Chicago Academy for the Arts students. Other solo work includes art song recitals and soprano soli on such choral works as the Poulenc Gloria and the Schubert Mass in G. Ms. Pinto is a graduate of DePaul University (B.Mus, Vocal Performance), where she studied with Susanne Mentzer and Elsa Charlston, and McGill University (M.Mus, Opera), where she studied with Sanford Sylvan. She currently resides in Forest Park with her husband, and teaches privately in addition to performing.
LAURA PINTO
soprano
