Soprano Laura Knoop Very has performed recitals, opera and oratorio throughout the United States. Her operatic repertoire includes the Countess in “Le Nozze di Figaro,” the title role of “Manon,” Antonia in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann,” Vitellia in “La Clemenza di Tito,” Alma in Lee Hoiby’s “Summer and Smoke,” Pamina and First Lady in “Die Zauberflöte,” Rosalinda in “Die Fledermaus,” and Hanna Glawari in “The Merry Widow.” She has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Washington National Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Festival of New Jersey, Washington Summer Opera, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Mobile Opera, Opera Omaha, Arizona Opera and Eugene Opera. She has recorded the world premiere of Robert Moran’s “The Dracula Diary” and appears with Cecilia Bartoli on London/Decca’s video of “La Cenerentola” as Clorinda.
With performance degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music and the Yale School of Music, Very continued her studies and honed her recital skills at the Tanglewood Festival, Ravinia Festival and Norfolk Festival. Her operatic training and apprenticeships were completed at Pittsburgh Opera Center, Santa Fe Opera and Houston Grand Opera. She is a two-time winner of the Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation.
On the concert stage, Very has appeared with the National Symphony, Peabody Symphony, Houston Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony, Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Jacksonville Symphony and Milwaukee Symphony. Her concert repertoire includes Mozart’s “Requiem,” “Regina Coeli” and “Vespers;" Handel’s “Messiah;” Barber’s “Knoxville, Summer 1915;” Mendelssohn’s “Elijah;” Mahler’s “Symphony No 4;” Poulenc’s “Gloria;” and Faure’s “Requiem.”
Very has taught at Point Park’s Conservatory of Theater, Carnegie Mellon School of Music, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Duquesne University Mary Pappart School of Music and West Virginia University. She is a recent graduate of the Duquesne University's School of Education with a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration.
