Voice: | Soprano |
Nationality: | American |
Year of Birth: | 1968 |
Laura Claycomb (born August 23, 1968) is an American lyric coloratura soprano opera singer.
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 (NATS), U.I.L., and Texas All-State Choir. A graduate of Highland Park High School, Claycomb won a full scholarship to Southern Methodist University, where she completed two bachelor's degrees in vocal performance and foreign languages, and studied voice with Barbara Hill Moore.
She gained international attention for the first time in 1994 after stepping in at the last minute to perform Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Geneva Opera. This role was also the vehicle of her debut at the Opéra Bastille in Paris, with the Munich Radio Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera and Pittsburgh Opera.
Another of her roles is Gilda in Rigoletto, which she has performed at 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.
Her Lucia di Lammermoor at Houston Grand Opera "literally catapulted the opening night audience to its feet with her creativity and versatility." (Don Moser, Houston Voice).