Full Name
Laura Canning
Job Title
General Director and CEO
Company
Opera North
Speaker Bio
Laura Canning’s operatic career spans over twenty-five years on both sides of the Atlantic.
Laura joined Opera North as the new General Director and CEO in October 2023. As General Director, Laura has consolidated Opera North’s position as one of the country’s leading arts organisations by maintaining a full-time orchestra and chorus, growing new audiences over a challenging period for the cultural sector, and developing award-winning community outreach and talent development programmes.
One of the first works Laura programmed after taking over the role of General Director was a concert staging of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra which won the 2025 Sky Arts Award for opera. This commitment to staging lesser-known pieces alongside popular classics has overseen the introduction of more diverse repertoire, including the cult hit Pass the Spoon.
Under her tenure, Opera North has partnered with the Nevill Holt Festival in Leicestershire, giving the company its first foothold in the summer house opera season, while also gaining critical acclaim for the operas staged there.
Until 2008, she was Artistic Administrator at Welsh National Opera. From there, she moved to Houston, Texas (USA), where she was the Studio Director for Houston Grand Opera. While in Houston, she led the highly respected Young Artist Training Programme, created a new Vocal Academy for undergraduate singers and was a key member of the artistic planning team.
Laura returned to the UK in 2015 to become Director of Artistic Administration at Garsington Opera as part of the leadership team of a company which has grown from strength to strength in recent years to become a significant player in the UK’s operatic life.
Laura joined Opera North as the new General Director and CEO in October 2023. As General Director, Laura has consolidated Opera North’s position as one of the country’s leading arts organisations by maintaining a full-time orchestra and chorus, growing new audiences over a challenging period for the cultural sector, and developing award-winning community outreach and talent development programmes.
One of the first works Laura programmed after taking over the role of General Director was a concert staging of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra which won the 2025 Sky Arts Award for opera. This commitment to staging lesser-known pieces alongside popular classics has overseen the introduction of more diverse repertoire, including the cult hit Pass the Spoon.
Under her tenure, Opera North has partnered with the Nevill Holt Festival in Leicestershire, giving the company its first foothold in the summer house opera season, while also gaining critical acclaim for the operas staged there.
Until 2008, she was Artistic Administrator at Welsh National Opera. From there, she moved to Houston, Texas (USA), where she was the Studio Director for Houston Grand Opera. While in Houston, she led the highly respected Young Artist Training Programme, created a new Vocal Academy for undergraduate singers and was a key member of the artistic planning team.
Laura returned to the UK in 2015 to become Director of Artistic Administration at Garsington Opera as part of the leadership team of a company which has grown from strength to strength in recent years to become a significant player in the UK’s operatic life.
Speaking At
