Laura Friesen
Assistant Music Director
Laura Friesen, Pianist, originally from Canada continues to enjoy a long and ongoing career as a highly successful Operatic Coach and Pianist, Ms. Friesen has spent the past 12 years with various Opera Companies in the United States, Canada and Europe in addition to various International Summer Opera Festivals.
For the past six years Ms. Friesen was Principal Coach and Principal Main Stage Pianist at the Virginia Opera and was also appointed Musical Director of their Emerging Artist program. Prior to this engagement, she spent four years with the Pittsburgh Opera as Main Stage Pianist and Head Coach of the Young Artist Program. In addition, Ms. Friesen has worked with the Canadian Opera Company, the University of Toronto Opera Department and Opera Naples. Currently, Ms. Friesen is the Head Coach and Pianist for Gulfshore Opera, Naples, FL.
Ms. Friesen has spent many summers as Coach/Pianist with the Des Moines Metro Opera Summer Festival, and just recently this past May and June, 2017, saw her returning to Rome, Italy for her 5th year as Coach/Pianist with Opera Festival di Roma. Her work with many prominent International conductors, and increasingly frequent presentations of an Audition Techniques Masterclass (most recently at North Park University, Chicago 2017) are consistently met with high acclaim.