Meet the On-line Artist // Laura Ansaldi

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Specifically, we’d love to know about your background.

I am Laura Ansaldi, an Italian soprano and actress with an international career. My musical journey began with rigorous training at esteemed institutions, including the Conservatories of Genoa and Milan, the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, and the TEMA Higher Education Academy in Milan. In addition to opera singing, I hold degrees in piano and performing arts.

Since my debut in 2001 as Tosca, I have had the privilege of performing leading roles in prestigious opera houses across Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. My signature roles include Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Abigaille in Nabucco, Leonora in La Forza del Destino, Norma, and Adriana Lecouvreur. Collaborations with renowned orchestras and conductors, such as Claudio Abbado, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Carlo Maria Giulini, and the Boston Philharmonic, have been instrumental in shaping my artistic path. ​

Beyond the stage, I am deeply committed to social responsibility. Serving as the official patron of the Enrico Charles Foundation, a UK-based organization supporting children with disabilities and their families, allows me to contribute to meaningful causes. Additionally, I support the Stiftung Pro UKBB and other Swiss charitable initiatives through my performances.

As an educator, I have taught young singers in Zurich and served as a theater and singing teacher at the 14youstudio Academy of Arts in Lugano. Currently, I am a professor of vocal technique and acting at the Close Encounters Theatre in Zurich. My goal is to inspire and support the next generation of artists through both teaching and mentorship.​

In 2024, I was honored with the Platinum Medal from the 110 year old French Academy of Arts-Sciences-Letters in Paris, a recognition that celebrates my dedication to opera and the arts. This month, I am set to receive a new honor at Carnegie Hall, another milestone in my ever-evolving artistic journey.

 

 

 

 

 

How would you describe your artistic practice?

I work across opera, theater, and multimedia, creating interdisciplinary pieces that explore vulnerability, truth, and artistic purity. My practice often reimagines classical music in contemporary formats, whether through video, performance installations, or live events, emphasizing emotional connection over spectacle.

What’s the project you’re working on during GlogauAIR’s residency?

During my residency at GlogauAIR, I created “What If It Would Be Enough,” a video installation that challenges the need for extravagant productions in classical music. The project features raw, intimate performances by 12 talented musicians: Luis, Stéphane Decor, Carlo Donadio, Alessandro Fantoni, Aksinja Gioia, Madeleine ImKey, Nawsad Joomratty, Constantin Macherel, Anna Orlik, Romano Pucci, Doryan-Emmanuel Rappaz, and Nicolò Giuliano Tuccia. By stripping away elaborate settings and focusing solely on the music, the project emphasizes that art, in its simplest form, is enough. ​

 

What is your methodology or process for creating a new project?

This project was a new venture for me, blending my background in performing arts with visual arts. I decided to create a video installation because it was the most straightforward way to convey my message. The purpose was to bring music back to its roots, to its real meaning, to enlighten and move people without any unnecessary additions or sophistication. I wanted the video to be as simple and “handcrafted” as possible. I asked all the contributors to record very simple videos with their phones, which I then assembled using iMovie, adding titles and captions with basic iPhone apps. The goal was to produce an impactful yet homemade piece, emphasizing that “music is enough.”​

This collaborative effort wouldn’t have been possible without the talented artists who joined me, and I am deeply grateful for their contributions. My methodology also involved opening up to other people and transforming what was supposed to be a single-artist artwork into a co-creation, a call for action. To all the colleagues who took part, I extend my highest gratitude.

 

Please tell us a bit more about all the friends who collaborated with you on this project.

As already said, this project is not mine, it belongs to all the amazing artists who decided to believe in it and to contribute to the creation. You can find all of them in the website whatifproject.info

I would like in this interview to give voice to some of them, who have a special message.

I want to start from Carlo Donadio from the Rome opera house, who not only contributed with exclusive insights recorded from the opera house, but also composed a piece of music, exclusively for this project. Carlo is a conductor and an artistic director, but also a composer, and his purpose now is to bring contemporary music closer to the interpreters and to the audience: “”What if” is a quest aiming at giving art a direction. How such quest is created, performed, and received, are the three ways to bring closer all the components of artistic communication. Obviously this work ultimately serves to create an expectation around the future piece to be written, which will be born as a consequence of this experience. So much so that it is entitled “What if”.

Constantin Macherel and Anna Orlik, amazing soloists and members of the ensemble “Leman Virtuosi”, liked a lot the message of what if because it mirrors their purpose in this moment: “Unlike most of the chamber ensemble that exists in Europe right now, that survive thanks to the sponsorships and sometimes compromise on their values, we try to go on without any kind of financial aid. We are independent and we make music our way, that is based on the most excellent quality without any compromise.”

Niccolò Giuliano Tuccia, pianist, loved to be part our our project and send us his greetings while preparing his upcoming tournée that starts in New York (Klavierhaus) and while recording his new CD.

Madeleine Imkey, painter, gifted me producing a beautiful painting, exclusively for this project, inspired to her by my interpretation of Cleopatra in the opera “Julius Caesar” of Handel.

Last but definitively not least, a special thank you to Nawsad Joomratty, who is putting his technology expertise to the service of the realisation of the what if video, especially for the future broadcasting live in real spaces. Nawsad is not just an artist — he’s a visionary entrepreneur. He creates at the intersection of art, technology, and humanity.
The Visionary Global League founded by him reflects that same spirit: a bold alliance of creators who believe in meaningful innovation, not trends.