Laurence Meikle
Representation: General Management
After initial training as an actor, Laurence Meikle became established as one of Australia’s sought after young opera singers. Laurence was offered principal roles, firstly for Melbourne Opera, followed by other companies across Australia. After singing smaller roles in, Madama Butterfly and Gianni Schicchi, Laurence sang Angelotti in Tosca and Schaunard La Bohème, both in Melbourne seasons and on tour. Other roles followed, such as Masetto in Don Giovanni, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, Conte Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. During this time, Laurence also performed Malatesta Don Pasquale for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Quickly gaining recognition, Laurence was invited to sing Littore/Consul in L’incoronazione di Poppea and cover Belcore L’elisir d’amore for Victorian Opera. Whilst still an undergraduate student at the Victorian College of the Arts, Laurence came to the attention of the casting directors of Opera Australia, and at the age of twenty-four, left full time study to become a principal artist with the company, making his Opera Australia debut at the Sydney Opera House singing the role of Luiz in The Gondoliers.
In 2008, Laurence relocated to the UK to continue his studies under tenor Ryland Davies at the Royal Academy of Music, where he appeared as Hercules in Cavalli’s Il Giasone with Jane Glover, and as Martino in Rossini’s L’occasione fa il Ladro, for which he won the coveted Opera Rara Bel Canto Prize. During this time, he came to the attention of Barbara Bonney, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and Sir John Tomlinson, who remain active mentors.
Whilst studying in London, Laurence performed the role of Aeneas Dido and Aeneas with Laurence Cummings and the Aestas Ensemble, an opera gala tour to Hong Kong with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and, with conductor Laurence Cummings, The Messenger Belshazzar at the London Handel Festival and the title role in Handel’s Saul for the Spitalfields Festival. Laurence features on SOMM recordings’ Elgar CD The Fringes of the Fleet, which was included in Gramophone Magazine’s “Top Ten” releases for that year. As a recitalist, Laurence has performed at Kings Place, St. Giles in the Fields, Christie’s Great Hall, Adrian Boult Hall, London Arts Club, London Reform Club, and Canterbury Cathedral, and at the Weiner Saal in Salzburg, as well as venues in Montreaux, Tuscany and Normandy. Recital highlights have included performing at Australia House by Royal Command for HM Queen Elizabeth II and His Highness Prince Phillip, a solo recital for Sir Charles Mackerras’ 80th birthday celebrations, and performing Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn with orchestra at the Melbourne Town Hall. Laurence concert repertoire is extensive and he has performed with, among others, the Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Festival Orchestra, the London Gala Orchestra, Orchestra of the City, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Canberra Symphony. Recent engagements include Marcello La Bohème at the Soho Theatre, Sciarrone Tosca for Grange Park Opera and French Opera Galas with the Israel Philharmonic.
Engagements in 2011/2012 include Marullo Rigoletto at the Anghiari Festival, title role Don Giovanni for Woodhouse Opera, Marcello at the Palais des Festival et des Congrès, Cannes, Sciarrone Tosca at Cadogan Hall, Escamillo Carmen and Marcello La Bohème for Teatro dell’Opera di Milano, Grech/Borov in Giordano's Fedora for Opera Bergamo and Marco Gianni Schicchi on Opera Holland Park’s new Young Artist Programme.
Promoters please note: if you wish to include this biography in a concert programme etc, please contact Hazard Chase to ensure that you receive the most up to date version.
Email: Ruth Connelly
