Laura Claycomb
Laura Claycomb (born August 23, 1968) is an American lyric coloratura soprano singer.
Background
Claycomb was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, but grew up in Dallas, where she excelled in church and school choir, winning numerous youth competitions, such as the National Association of Teachers of Singing,[1] U.I.L., and Texas All-State Choir.[2] A graduate of Highland Park High School,[3] Claycomb won a full scholarship to Southern Methodist University,[4] where she studied voice with Barbara Hill Moore, and completed two bachelor's degrees in vocal performance and foreign languages.[5] She studied with the late Norma Newton from 1994 until Newton's death in 2008.
She won the Silver Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1994,[6] the Operetta Prize at the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna in 1992,[7] and First Prize in the National Opera Association Competition in 1992.[8]
Early career
She gained international attention for the first time in 1994 after stepping in at the last minute to perform Giulietta in
Another of her roles is Gilda in Rigoletto, which she has performed at the Canadian Opera Company, Lausanne Opera, Opéra Bastille, Pittsburgh Opera, New Israeli Opera, Teatro Municipal de Santiago de Chile, Canadian Opera Company, Teatro Municipale Giuseppe Verdi Salerno, Houston Grand Opera, and the Dallas Opera.[citation needed]
Her Lucia di Lammermoor at the Houston Grand Opera "literally catapulted the opening night audience to its feet with her creativity and versatility." (Don Moser, Houston Voice).[citation needed]
Other notable roles have been her
She got her start at
Career performances
Following her European debut in Geneva, she sang Marie at
After her debut at
Following success at Houston Grand Opera as Gilda in Rigoletto in 2001, Claycomb forged a special relationship with audiences in Houston, returning to sing Lucia di Lammermoor, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Ilia in Idomeneo and the title role of La fille du régiment.[14]
In Trieste, Claycomb debuted the role of Ophelie in Thomas' Hamlet; in Toulouse, she debuted Philine in Mignon; and at Brussels' La Monnaie, she debuted Tytania in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream.[citation needed]
Baroque opera
In the
Claycomb also has a close relationship with Baroque conductor
Modern music
In modern music, she made her debut at the
Concerts
In concert music, with
She was the soprano soloist in
Her collaboration in concert with
In London's Royal Albert Hall, she sang a Mozart program including Der Schauspieldirektor with Iván Fischer and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, which was also broadcast on BBC Radio. On another all-Mozart program in Switzerland, Claycomb was the feature, singing a program of 6 concert arias with the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne and conductor Jonathan Darlington. She appeared as Madame Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor with the Munich Radio Orchestra and Sebastian Weigle, and another Mozart concert with Ulf Schirmer. Claycomb also performed Beethoven's rarely heard oratorio Christus am Ölberg with the Flemish Opera Orchestra and Ivan Törz, as well as with Pinchas Steinberg and the Orchestra of Santa Cecilia. in Rome.[22]
She sang her first
With an avid interest in recital repertoire, chamber music, and neglected composers, she combines this music into her recital schedule with pianists Roger Vignoles, Peter Grunberg, Keith Weber and Iain Burnside. In past years, Claycomb reprised Messiaen's Chants de terre et de ciel with Grunberg on "Cal Performances" to rave reviews, as well performing three world-premieres at One World Theater in Austin on a chamber concert with Nina Kotova, José Feghali, and Ron Neal. Her recitals have taken her from San Francisco to Chicago, San Antonio, San Marcos, Austin, Houston, Georgetown (TX), Brussels, Bruges (Concertgebouw), Santiago de Compostela (Spain), the Tuscan Sun Festival in Cortona, Italy and a BBC Voices recital on English radio.[23]
Awards
Claycomb was the recipient of the 2011 Maria Callas Debut Artist Award for her performances as Gilda in Dallas Opera's production of Rigoletto,[24] the 2000 Pegasus Prize at the Spoleto Festival in Italy, and 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award for Highland Park High School,[25] among many prizes. She makes her home in Italy.[26]
Recordings and videos
- Ligeti: Le Grand Macabre / Salonen, Philharmonia Orchestra, Willard White, Graham Clark, Sybille Ehlert, Jard van Nes, Frode Olsen, Charlotte Hellekant, Steven Cole, Derek Lee Ragin. Sony B00000ICMU CD, 1999
- Vaughan Williams: Sir John in Love / Richard Hickox / Anne-Marie Owens, Sarah Connolly, Northern Sinfonia and Chorus, Brian Bannatyne-Scott, Donald Maxwell, Roderick Williams, Susan Gritton, Matthew Best, Mark Padmore, Stephen Varcoe, Stephan Loges, John Bowen, Richard Lloyd-Morgan, Laura Claycomb, Henry Moss, Mark Richardson Chandos, B00005M0ER, CD/MP3, 2001
- Handel: Arcadian Duets / Dessay, Gens, Asawa, Haim, et al., Virgin 07243545524272002, CD/MP3, 2001
- Mahler: Symphony No. 4 / Tilson Thomas, Claycomb, San Francisco SO/DELOS SACD Hybrid, 2002
- Il Salotto Vol 6 – La Partenza / Laura Claycomb, Bruce Ford, Manuela Custer, Roberto Servile, Dominic Natoli, Nicola Rossi Giordano, Dean Robinson, Brindley Sherratt / Opera Rara ORR227 CD, 2004
- Il Salotto Vol 7 – Primo Dolce Affano / Bruce Ford, Elizabeth Vidal, Laura Claycomb, Manuela Custer, William Matteuzzi, Roberto Servile, Alastair Miles, piano – David Harper / Opera Rara ORR230 CD, 2005
- Vocal Teamwork / Annick Massis, Bruce Ford, Majella Cullagh, Alastair Miles, Jennifer Larmore, Mirco Palazzi, Laura Claycomb, Peter Glossop, Della Jones, Alexander Oliver, Yvonne Kenny, Rockwell Blake, Daniela Barcellona, William Matteuzzi, Jane Eaglen, Christian du Plessis, Deborah Cook. London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra – conductors David Parry, James Judd, Giuliano Carella / Opera Rara ORR233 CD, 2005
- Meyerbeer: Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Giuliano Carella – conductor / Opera Rara ORR234 CD, 2006
- Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini / Norrington / SWR Stuttgart Radio Orchestra / Ford, Maltman, Ekkehard Vogler, Franz Hawlata, Ralf Lukas, Reinhard Mayr, Johannes Chum, Middle German Radio Chorus-Leipzig, 2007
- Entre Nous: Celebrating Offenbach / Jennifer Larmore, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, Mark Stone, Diana Montague, Laura Claycomb, Elizabeth Vidal, Colin Lee, Loïc Félix, Mark Wilde, Cassandre Berthon, Mark le Brocq, Alexandra Sherman, Andre Cognet. London Philharmonic Orchestra, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, David Parry – conductor / Opera Rara ORR243 CD, 2007
- Pacini: Alessandro nelle Indie/ Bruce Ford, Jennifer Larmore, Laura Claycomb, Mark Wilde, Dean Robinson. London Philharmonic Orchestra, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, David Parry – conductor/ Opera Rara ORC35 CD, 2008
- Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini / Colin Davis / London Symphony Orchestra / London Symphony Chorus / Gregory Kunde, Laura Claycomb, Darren Jeffery, Peter Coleman-Wright, Andrew Kennedy, Isabelle Cals, Jacques Imbrailo, John Relyea, Andrew Foster-Williams, Alasdair Elliott, 2008
- Ambroise Thomas: La cour de Célimène / Laura Claycomb, Joan Rodgers, Alastair Miles, Sébastien Droy, Nicole Tibbels. Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, Philharmonia Orchestra, Andrew Litton – conductor/ Opera Rara ORC37 CD, 2008
- Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress / Laura Claycomb, Andrew Kennedy, William Shimell, Julianne Young, Dagmar Pecková / Robert LePage, Théâtre de la Monnaie, Kazushi Ono / "BBC/OPUS ARTE" B00118DQY2 DVD, 2008
- Fabrizio Cassol/Bach: Pitié! / AKA MOON, Laura Claycomb, Melissa Givens, Cristina Zavalloni, Serge Kakudji, Magic Malik, Airelle Besson, Sanne Van Hek, Tcha Limberger, Philippe Thurion, Lode Vercampt, Monica Brett-Crowther, Alexandre Cavalière / Cypress Records, CD, 2008
- Carl Orff: Carmina Burana / Richard Hickox – Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra, Laura Claycomb, Barry Banks, Christopher Maltman / CHANDOS CD, 2008
- Mahler: Symphony No 8 / Michael Tilson Thomas – Conductor, Erin Wall, Elza van den Heever, Laura Claycomb, Katarina Karnéus, Yvonne Naef, Anthony Dean Griffey, Quinn Kelsey, James Morris, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Pacific Boychoir, San Francisco Symphony / San Francisco Symphony Label, SACD, 2008
References
- ^ "National Association of Teachers".
- ^ "All-State History Rosters". www.tmea.org. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015.
- ^ Laura Claycomb makes long-awaited Dallas Opera debut in Rigoletto by Scott Cantrell. The Dallas Morning News, March 23, 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Opera Warhorses, Interview.
- ^ Stanley, Alessandra (July 2, 1994). "Musical Tradition of Acrimony". The New York Times. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ "Belvedere Competition Announcement".
- ^ "NOA site".
- ^ "Music Preview: Laura Claycomb brings her experience as Giulietta to Pittsburgh Opera". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "Opera masterpieces. Jacques Offenbach - The Tales of Hoffmann (Les Contes d`Hoffmann) (Concert) - BolshoiMoscow.com". bolshoimoscow.com. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "Il dramma di «Hamlet» con gli accenti della lirica - Il Piccolo". Archivio - Il Piccolo (in Italian). January 18, 2004. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Hoffman, Gary (May 9, 2011). "Houston makes sense — and music — of Ariadne". Opera Today. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "Laura Claycomb". Glyndebourne. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "Houston Grand Opera". Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2007. Houston Grand Opera
- ^ "France Musique". Radio France.
- ^ "Teatro del Maggio" (in Italian). Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "'Grendel' is a milestone, of sorts, for L.A. Opera". Los Angeles Times. June 10, 2006. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ https://intermezzo.typepad.com/intermezzo/2008/03/rakes-progress.html
- ^ "REMO GIRONE CON L'ORCHESTRA RAI ALL'AUDITORIUM TOSCANINI". La Stampa (in Italian). March 23, 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "London Symphony Orchestra - Richard Hickox". HIGHRESAUDIO. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "Pinchas Steinberg dirige all'Auditorium". March 26, 2009.
- ^ "BBC - Radio 3 - Voices - 8 June 2004".
- ^ "Dallas Opera Announcement".
- ^ "2019 Alumni Award Honorees". Highland Park Education Foundation.
- ^ "Dallas interview". September 30, 2012.