Soprano
ABOUT
Growing up in a small Michigan town of less than 1500, soprano Lauren Auge was fortunate to have parents who believed in the importance of music. Piano lessons and involvement with whatever local music options were available helped quickly develop a passion for performance and expressing deep feeling through song. This love still directs the fervor with which she approaches her projects to date
Until late 2018 Lauren was working as a mezzo-soprano singing the likes of Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Olga in Eugene Onegin and Jan in Everest (covering all roles with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City). With the guidance of trusted teachers and coaches she made the switch to young dramatic soprano repertoire over time and has been preparing roles such as Leonore (Fidelio), Ariadne (Ariadne auf Naxos), Tosca (Tosca), and Lady Macbeth (Macbeth).
Through the recent challenges of the pandemic world Lauren has had the great fortune to be able to continue her musical endeavors in some new formats. In the summer of 2020 she was seen as a Studio Artist with the reimagined Savannah VOICE Festival, working with titans of the industry including the co-founder himself, Sherrill Milnes. Her premiere as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni was unfortunately canceled due to the circumstances. The time allowed Lauren to explore more as a featured recitalist. Live broadcasts of Strauss’ moving Vier Letzte Lieder and Barber’s Hermit Songs were two highlights. She curated two digital recitals with Feminine Lyrique Ensemble which strives to showcase female composers and performers. And a recent recital with Dr. Rachel AuBuchon performing the music of Finnish composer Leevi Madetoja was done to great acclaim.
In competition as a soprano, Lauren has been named a Semi-Finalist in both the Loren L. Zachary National Competition, Premiere Opera Foundation International Opera Competition, SAS Performing Arts Vocal Competition. Most recently she was named 2nd place winner in Piccola Opera’s Opera Idol competition and one of the ten finalists in NYIOP’s International Anonymous Project - a competition judged solely by voice alone.
This summer, Lauren will travel to the Czech Republic to perform as a Voice Fellow with Opernfest Prague and make her premiere in the beautiful Divadlo na Vinohradech.
In 2019 as a featured Fellowship Artist with the Atlantic Music Festival Lauren was seen in numerous concerts across a diverse range of repertoire including two world premieres and collaboration with celebrated pianist, Arlene Shrut. The previous summer she traveled to China as a Young Artist with the iSing International Festival. Though not her first time performing in China, she was happy to return to continue exploring Mandarin as a classical sung language. The festival culminated in Lauren’s premiere performances in Suzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing at the illustrious National Center for the Performing Arts.
Lauren made Kansas City her home in 2017 during her time as a Resident Artist with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. While working with the company she once again was able to explore performances across a wide range of vocal repertoire. Highlights included her operatic debut at the Kauffman Center in Verdi’s Rigoletto, a recital series of American song composers, and a collaboration with the New York Festival of Song presenting the music of Leonard Bernstein. Since her season there, Lauren has been involving herself in the local musical offerings including performing with Kansas City’s newest opera company, Landlocked Opera, in their productions of Mozart’s Die Zauberflӧte (making her soprano debut at the First Lady) and Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedy, Trial by Jury.
Lauren gained her Bachelor of Music from Michigan State University before moving to Chicago where she received her Master of Music from DePaul University under the tutelage of Jane Bunnell. Lauren is an adjunct Professor of Voice at Kansas City Kansas Community College, the music director with Storybook Theatre, and is the section leader and assistant conductor with the St. Andrew’s Episcopal choirs.