Laurence Meikle became established as one of Australia’s sought after young opera singers before relocating to the UK in 2008.  In Australia, he performed as a principal artist with Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, and Melbourne Opera, as well as appearing regularly as a guest soloist with many of Australia’s leading orchestras and ensembles.

Opera engagements for the 2012-2013 season include Escamillo Carmen and Marcello La Boheme at the Teatro dell’Opera di Milano, Grech/Borov Fedora for the Bergamo Opera, the three baritone roles in Massenet’s La Vierge for Opera Monte Carlo, Escamillo Carmen (in concert) with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, further performances of Marcello La Boheme for Woodhouse Opera UK and the Soho Theatre London, (Oliver Award – Best Opera Production 2011), Conte Almaviva Le Nozze di Figaro for Wodhouse Opera UK, and Marco Gianni Schicchi, which he will perform as a member of the Opera Holland Park Young Artist Programme in London.

Laurence graduated from the Royal Academy of Music (Opera) in 2010, where his roles included Hercules Il Giasone (Cavalli) and Martino L’occasione fa il Ladro (Rossini) for which he was awarded the coveted Opera Rara Bel Canto Prize. Since his arrival in the UK in 2008, Laurence has performed extensively throughout the UK and Europe, with opera credits including Conte Cepreno Rigoletto with the Southbank Sinfonia, Sciarrone Tosca for Grange Park Opera and on tour, Gamekeeper (cover) Rusalka also for Grange Park Opera, Marcello La Boheme with Soho Theatre, Schaunard La Boheme for Opera Up Close, Ceprano Rigoletto at the Teatro Greco Ischia and Anghiari Festival Tuscany, the title role Don Giovanni for Woodhouse Opera (London) under the guidance of Sir Thomas Allen, and several engagements with conductor Laurence Cummings – Aeneas Dido and Aeneas with the Aestas Ensemble, the title role Handel’s Saul for the Spitalfields Festival 2010 and the Messenger in Handel’s Belshazzar for the London Handel Festival 2010. 

After initial training as an actor, Laurence began performing on stage from a young age, in roles such as Il Carceriere Tosca, Il Commissario Madama Butterfly and Pinnelino Gianni Schicchi, followed by roles such as Angelotti Tosca, Schaunard La Boheme, Masetto Don Giovanni, Guglielmo Cosi fan tutte, Tiny The Obelisk (Easton) and King Melchoir Amahal and the Night Visitors (Menotti).  Working for Melbourne Opera and other companies throughout Australia, Laurence’s repertoire grew to include roles such as Conte Almaviva Le Nozze di Figaro, Demetrius A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Malatesta Don Pasquale.

Quickly gaining recognition for his stage charisma and mature baritone voice, Laurence was invited to sing Littore/Consul 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 OA debut at the Sydney Opera House singing the role of Luiz The Gondoliers.

Recital and concert highlights include a Royal Command recital for HM Queen Elizabeth II, a solo recital for Sir Charles Mackerras’ 80th birthday celebrations, Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn with orchestra at the Melbourne Town Hall, an opera gala tour to Hong Kong with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, a Cadogan Hall concert of Bach and Mozart with Dame Emma Kirkby and the Southbank Sinfonia, recitals at Australia House with soprano Yvonne Kenny and the Salzburg Solitaire with mozzo-soprano Angelika Kirschlager.  Other recitals have included programmes at Kings Place, Canterbury Cathedral, Royal Albert Hall, live recitals for BBC Classic FM, ABC Classic FM, Radio 2 and 3MBS, and at many of London’s historic churches.  European recitals include the Weiner Saal Salzburg, the Normandy Festival, as well as Montreaux Switzerland and performances throughout Italy.   Laurence features on SOMM recordings’ Elgar disk The Fringes of the Fleet, which was named Classic FMs “CD of the Month” for December 2009, and was included in Gramophone Magazine’s “Top Ten” releases for that year.  In 2012, he will feature on the world premier recording of Peggy Glanville Hicks’ opera, Sappho, with a cast that includes Deborah Polaski and Sir John Tomlinson.

Laurence has performed a repertoire of over 25 oratorios with, amongst others, London Handel Players, English Chamber Orchestra, English Concert Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia, Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra, London Festival Orchestra, London Gala Orchestra, Orchestra of the City, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, and Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

Laurence has sung in masterclasses with, amongst others, Sir Thomas Allen, Montserrat Caballe, Jose Carreras, Edda Moser, Ruggero Raimondi, and Dennis O’Neill, and has undertaken more intensive training periods with Sir John Tomlinson, Barbara Bonney, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and Tom Krause.  Laurence is a graduate of Deakin University (Drama/Literature), Victorian College of the Arts (Music), and the Royal Academy of Music (Opera) where he studied with tenor Ryland Davies.

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