Up Close with Laura Canning

by Elisabeth Commanday Swim
   photo by Chris Novosad
On any given evening, you may find HGO Studio Director Laura Canning singing her two boys William (age 5) and Chris (age 3) to sleep with Gilbert and Sullivan’s “There grew a little flower” from Ruddigore. “The music of Gilbert and Sullivan is part of my musical heritage and I practically grew up on it,” says Ms. Canning, who cut her theatrical teeth while studying Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge University. She came to Houston after ten years at Welsh National Opera, where she worked in positions including Casting Administrator and Artistic Administrator with HGO General Director Anthony Freud. Now she enjoys the unique satisfaction of nurturing Studio Artists throughout their time here and her passion for opera and musical theater make her especially committed to the Artists’ dramatic training.

Since Ms. Canning’s arrival in August, the HGO Studio has appointed its very first resident drama coach, Todd Waite. “It is crucial to have someone to work with the artists week in and week out on the fundamentals. By the time they leave here, each singer should be prepared to do their best acting in any situation. If a director wants to push an artist forward, the singer must have the faith to stand up to what is being asked of them. On the other hand, the same artist needs a foundation to fall back in case a director does not offer much guidance.”

“Though appearing on the main stage is the reason they come,” says Laura, “that is not necessarily the place where they learn the most.” The annual Studio Showcase, Rienzi Recitals, and the cabaret style Taste This! offer a type of performing experience that is nearly impossible to get in a large opera house. “Being close to the audience means that there can be no excuses and no apologies. They can see everything and know whether you’re being genuine or not; and the artists can tell immediately what works and what doesn’t. Rienzi Recitals and Taste This! offer a chance to try out different repertory — the intimate environment of Rienzi is perfect for art song. At Taste This! Studio Artists sing to people who may have little history with opera, making this new audience realize that opera is just another kind of music, not a totally separate, inaccessible genre.”

“When auditioning potential Studio Artists,” says Ms. Canning, “a good voice and technique alone are not enough. Potential is more important than the current state of each artist. They must show an innate ability and desire to communicate through music. Otherwise, they will get very little out of their time here.” Once they arrive in Houston, the chosen artists are nurtured unconditionally. Their day-to-day needs are often met with the help of loyal HGO Guild members who volunteer as Studio Buddies, and they benefit from regular language training and musical coaching as well as general life mentoring from Canning and the HGO Studio Musical Director Kathleen Kelly.