Critically acclaimed soprano, LAURA PORTUNE, has been captivating audiences and critics alike throughout the United States and abroad. Her beautiful sound, powerful delivery, and expressive acting have put her in demand on both operatic and concert stages. She is hailed for her "exceptional stage presence" by the San Diego Tribune, and the Columbus Dispatch calls her "simply outstanding in every way, vocally and in her natural yet convincing character portrayals."

Ms. Portune has moved audiences with her characterizations of VIOLETTA in La Traviata, GILDA in Rigoletto, JULIETTE in Roméo et Juliette, and ADINA in L'elisir d'amore while singing with the Southern Illinois Music Festival, Lake George Opera, San Diego Opera, and Rogue Opera. Her MUSETTA in La Bohème was met with rave reviews by The Chronicle in Glenns Falls, NY: "Especially notable was soprano Laura Portune's rendition of 'Quando m'en vo'. Her portrayal of feminine temptation and desire was beautifully sung and acted. She took over the stage with gusto." Hailed for her performance as Cunegonde in Lyric Opera San Diego's Candide, San Diego Arts writes, "As his elusive love object, Cunegonde, soprano Laura Portune's brilliant coloratura is equally winning, especially in her role's show-stopping 'Glitter and be Gay' aria, which she sings with panache and agility. She can slip into her character's many personae with the ease of changing a pair of gloves." A versatile actress, Ms. Portune has become a regular at San Diego Opera for her successful portrayals of trouser roles, including PEDRO in Don Quichotte, JUNGE HIRT in Tannhäuser, and TEBALDO in Don Carlo.

Equally at home on the comedic stage, Ms. Portune delights in her operetta roles of MABEL in The Pirates of Penzance, YUM YUM in The Mikado, GIANETTA in The Gondoliers, and PHYLLIS in Iolanthe with Dayton Opera, Indianapolis Opera, and Lyric Opera San Diego. She has performed as VALENCIENNE in The Merry Widow over twenty times, showcasing her talent as a dancer. The Dayton City Paper proclaimed, "As Valencienne, the Baron's much younger wife, Dayton native Laura Portune uses her light, supple soprano and effervescent acting to great advantage. She can shake a leg with the best of them as indicated by her appearance as a 'grisette' amid the can-can dancers in Act 3"(Dayton Opera). Ms. Portune has also appeared with the Des Moines Metro Opera as FRASQUITA in Carmen and LAURETTA in a matinee performance of Gianni Schicchi.

An accomplished concert soloist, Ms. Portune has performed with the North Czech Philharmonic, Greek Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra, Southern Illinois Symphony, Heisey Wind Ensemble, and the Central Ohio Symphony, performing such works as Handel's Messiah, Saint-Saëns' Oratorio de Noël, Haydn's Creation, and Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Ms. Portune was the Soprano Soloist in John Rutter's Mass of the Children and Requiem, under the baton of the composer. She has sung with conductors such as Richard Bonynge and Edoardo Müller and worked closely with composers Peter Schickele and John Corigliano.

In 2005, Ms. Portune created and recorded the role of JOHNSY in the World Premiere of Gary Pappach's The Last Leaf with the North Czech Philharmonic (Teplice, Czech Republic) under Maestro Charles Olivieri-Munroe. Ms. Portune was a featured soloist on Joy on Earth (Taize Press) with the Taize Comunaute in Cluny, France, and Broadway in Dayton, OH under the direction of Maestro David Düsing. With the San Diego Opera, she created the role of JULIETTE MOUSE in Animal Opera by Myron Fink, and created solo recordings with composers Kurt Erickson and Paul Johnson. In 2016, Ms. Portune will be the featured soloist on a symphonic world premiere by Mr. Erickson.

Ms. Portune holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame (BA in Music, cum laude), and The Ohio State University (MM and DMA in Voice, Singing Health Specialist), as well as Studies of Language and Culture from the prestigious L'Università per Stranieri di Perugia, Italy. A district finalist for the Metropolitan National Council Auditions and finalist for Chicago Lyric's LOCAA Apprenticeship, Ms. Portune performed as a young artist with the San Diego Opera, Lake George Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria, and the Opera Theatre of Lucca in Italy.

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