Cuban soprano Laura León is quickly becoming a rising star on the operatic stages with a voice that “sparkles, seduces and languishes.” Laura made her dèbut as Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte with Orchestra Miami under the baton of Elaine Rinaldi, as well as a Florida Grand Opera dèbut as Frasquita in Carmen with subsequent performances as Mother of Peasant in Before Night Falls and Cristina Kahlo in Frida.

Last season, Leon joined the Lyric Opera of Chicago in the world premiere of The Factotum, performed the role of Ana Maria in Héctor Armienta’s Zorro with Opera Southwest, and joined Modus Operandi Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate. This season’s engagements include the Moon in Before Night Falls with Opera Southwest and Catarina in El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego with Opera Omaha.

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Most recently, Ms. León performed as Adina in L’elisir d’amore with Opera in Williamsburg, Woman I in Frida with both El Paso Opera and Opera Southwest, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi with On Site Opera, the four Heroines in Les contes d’Hoffmann with Opera Lousiane, and Mozart’s Mass in C and Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music with Mid-America Productions at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, she sang the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte with Opera in Williamsburg, Susanna in Figaro 90210! with Chautauqua Opera, the Four Heroines in Les contes d'Hoffmann with Opera Orlando, Norina in Don Pasquale with Gulf Shore Opera, and Amore in Orfeo ed Eurydice with Opera in Williamsburg.

Previous operatic engagements have also included Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Lousiane, Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos with Opera Fusion, Lucia in excerpts from Lucia di Lammermoor with Magic City Opera, La Princesse Laoula in L’étoile, Marguerita Fiorentino in Street Scene, Musetta in La bohème, and Lola in Dueling Divas. Laura’s musical theater credits include Maria in West Side Story, Lady Larken in Once Upon a Mattress, Woman 1 in I Love You, and Lulu in Cabaret.

On the concert stages, Laura has performed as a soloist in Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass, Orff’s Carmina burana, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Egmont, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Missa solemnis, Rutter’s Requiem, Al Borde de la Esperanza with University of Miami, and in the Ernesto Lecuona International Festival with Alba Productions.

Laura was a recent Jensen Foundation Competition finalist 2019 and 2018, Giulio Gary Competition Finalist 2019, 2nd place Winner in the Deborah Voigt Rising Stars Competition with Vero Beach Opera, 1st place winner of the Metropolitan National Council Competition for the District of Florida 2018, she won 2nd place in the St. Petersburg Opera Competition 2019 and 2018 and 1st place in the NSAL district competition 2018.

She also won 1st place in the Zarzuela de las Americas Competition 2015, and 1st place Concerto Competition at Florida International University 2015.

Laura has a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Florida International University, a Bachelor of Arts in Voice Performance from Nyack College, and an Associate in Arts in Music Education from Miami Dade College and works as a teacher of New World School of the Arts as well as Area Stage Company.

Current as of June 29, 2023