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The Colombian-American soprano, Laura Santamaria-Mendez, completed her secondary education at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she was fortunate to receive instruction from the renowned Marilyn Mims. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance with an Emphasis in Opera and a minor in Creative Entrepreneurship from the prestigious Boston Conservatory at Berklee (September 2019-2023). Recognized for her exceptional talent and dedication, she was honored as the Presidential Scholar of Music and had the privilege of studying under the esteemed guidance of Conservatory faculty member Patty Thom. Continuing on her path of artistic development, she is currently completing her Masters degree in Opera Performance at Boston Conservatory at Berklee (since September 2023; expected graduation: May 2025), where she studies with Dr. Rebecca Folsom. She was a recent Florida District Winner in the Metropolitan Laffont Competition (January 2024).
Laura Santatamaria's talent extends beyond the classroom, as she has showcased her remarkable vocal abilities in a variety of settings. She has captivated audiences through her performances in choral concerts, solo recitals, and as a church cantor and section leader. Notably, she took on the roles of Barbarina in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Mercury in the world premiere of Pluto by Michael Polo at the Vienna Summer Music Festival in June 2022. In June-August 2023, she was Emerging Artist at the prestigious Seagle Festival. During the festival, she excelled in the lead role of Young Juana in With Blood, With Ink, and also contributed her talents to the ensembles of Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette and Fiddler on the Roof. In summer 2024, she was a Gerdine Young Artist at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where she covered the roles of Musetta in La bohème and Berta/A Notary in Barber of Seville. She will be performing the roles of Cathleen in Riders to the Sea and Eliza Spencer Brock in Whaling Women at Boston Conservatory at Berklee in Spring 2025. She will be returning to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as a second-year Gerdine Artist to sing the role of Peaseblossom in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and cover the role of Norina in Don Pasquale this summer.
In addition to her academic achievements, Laura Santatamaria is a trailblazer and leader in her community. She is the Founder and President of the Latinx Student Alliance and actively serves as a student ambassador for the conservatory, advocating for diversity and inclusion within the performing arts. She is extremely passionate about her Latin-American culture and enjoys singing art songs by Latin-American composers such as Jaime Leon Ferro, Maria Grever, and Alberto Ginastera. |
