Interview with Soprano Laura Ansaldi: “ Professionalism does not mean that we never experience difficulties; it means learning how to transform them into artistic concentration and give the audience the most honest performance possible.”

Piano-Travel had the great pleasure to interview international soprano, Laura Ansaldi, ahead of her performance at the IYMC Showcase taking place at the DiMenna Centre for Classical Music in New York City on September 5th 2026. We invite our readers to discover the interview conducted by Cristiana Achim, founder of Piano-Travel. 

What first drew you to music, and could you tell us a little about your musical journey and background?

Laura Ansaldi: “Music entered my life very early. As a child, I was already singing in choirs and performing in theatres, and I felt an instinctive connection with the stage. My parents encouraged this passion, allowing me to pursue a broad and rigorous musical education.

I studied at institutions including the Conservatories of Genoa and Milan, the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, the Music School of Fiesole, and the TEMA advanced training academy in Milan. Alongside my vocal studies, I also trained in piano and the performing arts. This multidisciplinary background has profoundly influenced the artist I am today. For me, singing is never only about the voice: it brings together music, theatre, movement, intellect, and emotional truth.

Over the years, this foundation has led me to an international career spanning opera, concerts, interdisciplinary projects, teaching, and charitable initiatives. Yet I still approach music with the same curiosity and sense of wonder that I experienced as a child.”

Was opera your first calling when you decided to pursue a career in music, or did your path towards opera develop over time?

Laura Ansaldi: “Opera was very much my first calling. From a remarkably young age—around six years old—I already knew that this was the world to which I belonged. Naturally, as a child I could not yet understand what an operatic career would demand, but I was immediately captivated by the combination of music, theatre, poetry, and human emotion.

I owe a lot to my granddad who was an opera lover and who initiated me to opera since I was a little girl, and to my mother and her sisters who are pianist and introduced me to classical music.
My understanding of opera developed and deepened over time. Through years of study and experience, I came to realise that an opera singer must be much more than a voice. We must inhabit a character physically and psychologically, understand the dramatic context, and communicate something truthful to the audience. That synthesis of vocal expression and theatre continues to fascinate me and is one of the principal reasons I chose this path.”

Every artistic career comes with its challenges. What has been one of the most difficult moments or obstacles you have faced, and what did you learn from it?

Laura Ansaldi: “I believe that every performance is, in its own way, a challenge for a professional opera singer who truly respects the audience. There may be an evening when the voice does not respond exactly as we would wish, or when something difficult in our private life has affected us emotionally. At other times, we may be asked to perform extremely demanding repertoire under challenging conditions, with limited rehearsal time or circumstances beyond our control.

Nevertheless, when we step onto the stage, the audience deserves our complete commitment. They should never have to carry the weight of what may be happening behind the scenes or in our personal lives.
This has taught me discipline, resilience, and humility. It has also taught me to know my instrument profoundly—to understand my voice and body, to adapt intelligently, and to remain emotionally present even when circumstances are not ideal. Professionalism does not mean that we never experience difficulties; it means learning how to transform them into artistic concentration and give the audience the most honest performance possible.”

Looking back on your career so far, what achievement are you most proud of, and why is it particularly meaningful to you?

Laura Ansaldi: “It is difficult for me to choose only one achievement, because certain milestones carry different kinds of meaning in an artist’s life. Three moments have been particularly important to me: receiving the Platinum Medal from the Académie Arts-Sciences-Lettres in Paris, making my debut at Carnegie Hall in New York, and performing for the Vatican.

The Platinum Medal was a profound honour because it recognised not only my work in opera but also my wider commitment to the arts and to interdisciplinary creation. My Carnegie Hall debut represented the fulfilment of a dream shared by generations of musicians. Performing in such an iconic venue carries an extraordinary sense of history and responsibility. My performance for the Vatican was meaningful in a different and deeply spiritual way, reminding me of music’s capacity to reach beyond entertainment and touch something universal. I regard these milestones with gratitude rather than simply as personal successes.

Each one represents years of study, discipline, sacrifice, and the support of many people who have accompanied me throughout my journey.”

If you could step into the role of any character in the operatic repertoire, which role would you choose and what draws you to that character?

Laura Ansaldi: “I would choose Cleopatra in Handel’s Giulio Cesare. She is an extraordinarily fascinating character because she combines intelligence, charisma, sensuality, humour, vulnerability, and political strength. She is never one-dimensional: throughout the opera, we witness many different facets of her personality and a remarkable emotional transformation.
The role is also exceptionally rewarding from a musical perspective.

Handel gives Cleopatra music of tremendous variety, from brilliant and virtuosic arias filled with coloratura to moments of profound intimacy, sorrow, and emotional depth. A singer must possess vocal agility and technical precision, but also a strong dramatic instinct and the ability to move convincingly between these contrasting emotional worlds.

This union of virtuosity, acting, and psychological complexity is exactly what attracts me to a role. Cleopatra allows a singer to explore the full range of her expressive and theatrical abilities.”

What inspires you when selecting and developing your repertoire? Are there particular composers, stories, musical traditions, or personal experiences that influence your choices?

Laura Ansaldi: “The choice of repertoire is inevitably connected first to the nature of one’s voice. Every voice has its own identity, colours, strengths, and natural evolution, and I believe it is essential to respect these qualities. Repertoire should allow the voice to develop authentically rather than forcing it in a direction that does not belong to it.

However, vocal suitability is only one part of the decision. Our roots, personality, and life experiences also influence the music with which we feel the deepest connection. As an Italian artist, I am particularly attached to Verdi and Puccini. Their music speaks to something fundamental within me: the Italian language, our theatrical tradition, and an emotional world that feels closely connected to my own identity and experience.

I am especially drawn to repertoire in which vocal beauty and dramatic truth are inseparable. Verdi’s profound understanding of the human soul and Puccini’s extraordinary ability to express vulnerability, passion, and sacrifice resonate deeply with me. When developing a role, I therefore look beyond the notes. I try to understand the character’s history, emotional motivations, physical presence, and inner conflicts. For me, choosing repertoire is ultimately about finding music in which my voice and my personal truth can meet.”

You will be performing at the IYMC Showcase at the DiMenna Center in New York City. What repertoire are you preparing for this special evening, and what can audiences look forward to from your performance?

Laura Ansaldi: “For this very important performance, I decided to sing something that is more than an aria: a complete scene from Charles Gounod’s Faust, centred on Marguerite and including the famous “Jewel Song.”

I love this opera because it is, in a way, a “story inside a story.” Gounod’s Faust has also found its way into the very well-known musical The Phantom of the Opera, where its music appears through different characters.
When Faust premiered in Paris in 1859, Gounod created something very different from the grand German operatic tradition, choosing instead a more intimate and psychological approach, with Marguerite at the emotional centre.
I chose to perform the Ballad of the King of Thulé together with the Jewel Song as one continuous scene, allowing me to explore the full expressive range of French singing, from intimate storytelling to luminous virtuosity.

This performance is also particularly meaningful because it marks the beginning of an important collaboration with Maestro Carlo Donadio, former Artistic Director of the Rome Opera House. He is now my artistic director and advisor, and is curating the artistic direction of my performance at the DiMenna Center.”

About Laura Ansaldi: