Laurel Semerdjian, an American mezzo-soprano of Armenian descent, has been praised for her “deep, velvety voice” and “enchanting” acting (Pittsburgh in the Round). This season, she made her Seattle Opera debut as the Third Lady in The Magic Flute. Ms. Semerdjian also joined Opera Southwest to sing Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, which she has sung with Pittsburgh Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Syracuse Opera to critical acclaim, describing her performances as “gorgeous” and “heartbreaking.” She will also make her West Edge Opera debut as The Witch of Endor in David & Jonathan. Ms. Semerdjian recently returned to Tacoma Opera to make her role debut as the title role in Carmen, sang as the alto soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with Symphony Tacoma, and joined Syracuse Orchestra for their Masterworks Concert Series, and the Winston Salem Symphony as the alto soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
A champion of new and rare works, Ms. Semerdjian sang the role of Ambassador to Space in Derrick Skye’s Song of the Ambassadors at Alice Tully Hall and performed an excerpt of the work to open the 2023 TED conference in Vancouver. She was featured in the filmed project Heroes which was co-produced by Resonance Works and Decameron Opera Coalition in 2021, and has sung the role of Public Opinion in Orpheus in the Underworld with Madison Opera and the title role of Benazir Bhutto in a workshop of Mohammed Fairouz’s Bhutto with Pittsburgh Opera and Beth Morrison Projects. Ms. Semerdjian made her Opera Southwest debut in Bottesini’s rarely performed Alì Babà, in which she “fascinated onlookers with her hijinks and comic timing” (Opera Today). She was also hailed as “a dramatic and musical tour de force” (Pittsburgh Tribune) for her portrayal of Asakir in Pittsburgh Opera’s production of Mohammed Fairouz’s Sumeida’s Song.
In 2023, Ms. Semerdjian returned to Opera Southwest as Ragonde in Le comte Ory and sang Zulma in L’Italiana in Algeri at the St. Petersburg Opera Company. Other recent operatic roles include Geneviève in Pelléas et Mélisande, Bradamante in Alcina, the title roles in Le tragédie de Carmen and The Rape of Lucretia, Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte, Marianna in Il signor Bruschino, Flora in La traviata, Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte, and Tisbe in La Cenerentola. For her performance as Ježibaba in Rusalka, Pittsburgh in the Round writes: “Laurel Semerdjian was outstanding in her truly nightmarish conception of the witch…she crouched and slithered about the stage…her voice has ringing too tones eclipsed only by cavernous, rock-solid lows…and her spitefully hearty laughter at Rusalka’s plight was a demonic thrill.”
In concert and oratorio, Ms. Semerdjian recently joined Syracuse Orchestra for Mahler’s 2nd Symphony. She has sung as the mezzo soloist for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Cape Symphony, Syracuse Orchestra. Washington DC’s Cathedral Choral Society at the Washington National Cathedral, and Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra. As well as Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem with Symphony Tacoma, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War with Syracuse Orchestra and The Cathedral Choral Society, and Bruckner’s Te Deum with Pittsburgh Symphony. She has performed in gala concerts with Syracuse Orchestra, Washington Concert Opera, Missouri Symphony, and Opera Southwest.
Ms. Semerdjian fulfilled two seasons as a Resident Artist with Pittsburgh Opera, and was a vocal fellow at Music Academy of the West under the guidance of Marilyn Horne.
Ms. Semerdjian holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Arts with a minor in Music Industry from the University of Southern California.