Lyric mezzo-soprano Lauren Curnow is a native of Easton, Pennsylvania. Always surrounded by the music of her family, she developed an interest in singing and performing as a small child. She began her training as a classical singer at Muhlenberg College, where she also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts and English. Curnow then continued her vocal studies at both The Juilliard School and The Curtis Institute of Music, in which she earned two masters degrees in music and opera performance.

In addition to academics, Ms. Curnow has also completed apprenticeships with some of the country's leading opera companies, including The Opera Theater of St. Louis, The Santa Fe Opera, The Wolftrap Opera and most notably The Lyric Opera of Chicago, where she recently completed a three year apprenticeship with the Ryan Opera Center.

During her apprenticeship with The Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ms. Curnow performed many mainstage roles including Alisa/Lucia di Lammermoor, Kate Pinkerton/Madama Butterfly, Fox/The Cunning Little Vixen, Clorinda/La Cenerentola and Papagena/Die Zauberflote. She has also performed the roles of La Ciesca/Gianni Schicchi, and Donna Elvira/Don Giovanni with the Ryan Opera Center.

Ms. Curnow's first season with the Lyric Opera of Chicago included the rare honor of being featured in the book Fortissimo, by author William Murray, which gave readers a backstage glance at the lives of young aspiring opera singers and their artistic development.



In spring of 2007, Ms. Curnow was thrilled to make her European debut at the Wexford Opera Festival in Wexford, Ireland, singing the role of Elle in Poulenc's La Voix Humaine.

Ms. Curnow has also frequented the concert stage, having made appearances with the North Shore Choral Society, Chicago Grant Park Orchestra, Washington's National Symphony Orchestra, Haddonfield Symphony Orchestra, Promusica Chamber Orchestra, Midwest Young Artists and the Allentown Symphony Orchestra.

Curnow's scholarships and performance awards include an Encouragement Award from the Sullivan Foundation (2007), a career grant from the Lee Schaenen Foundation (2006), an Anna Sosenko Memorial Trust Scholarship, two scholarships from the Rader-Shieber Foundation for the performing arts, the Rose M. Grundman Award of the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation for 2003, and the Edith Newfield Scholarship (2004) and Lynne Harvey Award (2005) from the Musicians Club of Women in Chicago.