Laura Attridge
Laura Attridge is a dynamic maker of opera and theatre with a passion for collaborative creative work, and an artistic vision which aims to balance integrity and innovation.
As a writer, Laura has had poetry published in prestigious magazines and zines including The Rialto and Mslexia, and is featured in the new anthology Introduction X: The Poetry Business Book of New Poets. Her song cycles have been premiered at Glyndebourne, the Royal College of Music (RCM), the National Gallery and Bard College (New York). With First Class Honours in English Literature from Newcastle University and postgraduate training in Vocal Studies from the RCM, her love of the relationship between words and music has led to many fruitful collaborations with composers. Notably, Laura’s ongoing creative partnership with composer Lewis Murphy – as duo Murphy & Attridge – has thus far produced numerous works for the stage: Then to the elements (2018, Scottish Opera), Belongings (2017, Glyndebourne), First Date (2017, Sound Festival), Damsel/Wife/Witch (2015, And So Forth) and Now (2014, RCM and Tête-à-Tête Festival). Their most recent commission, a youth opera entitled A Different Story, premiered in the Linbury Theatre in 2019 year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Royal Opera House‘s Youth Opera Company. Laura is currently working with composer Kate Whitley to write a new oratorio on the subject of climate change, for Buxton International Festival.
Laura has directed new pieces of theatre at venues including the Southwark Playhouse, Arts Theatre, Tristan Bates Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre and Etcetera Theatre. Her opera direction to date includes The Magic Flute (2019) and Don Giovanni (2018) for Waterperry Opera Festival, The Rape of Lucretia for Trinity Laban Conservatoire (2018), Snappy Operas for Mahogany Opera (2018), Jonathan Dove’s The Enchanted Pig for Hampstead Garden Opera (2017) and two France/UK tours for Opera Loki (Così fan tutte, 2016; La Bohème, 2015). She has also been an Assistant/Staff director for companies such as Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Glyndebourne Tour, Opera Holland Park, Blackheath Halls Opera and British Youth Opera. 2020 sees Laura join English Touring Opera‘s Spring season to direct a new production of Cosi fan tutte.
As comfortable in a workshop as in a rehearsal, Laura is also in demand as a facilitator and leader for a whole range of different projects. Work to date with children, young people and communities has included projects with the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne Youth Opera, Opera North, HMDT Music, the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, W11 Opera and Blackheath Halls Opera. In 2018 Laura created and co-led A Manchester Songbook, a new project pairing composers from the Royal Northern College of Music and writers from The Writing Squad, and mentoring each pair through the collaborative process to create a new song.
Laura was also the founder and Artistic Director of And So Forth (2014-18), a company dedicated to interdisciplinary exploration and the facilitation of dialogue between the very best emerging artists in opera and theatre. Laura directed and co-wrote And So Forth’s inaugural production, Damsel/Wife/Witch (2015), for two actors and a mezzo-soprano; other work with the company included the hosting of Q&As with established artists, and the curation and facilitation of a series of development workshops for performers.
Headshot photo credit: Jamie Wright
