Opera Laurier is a function of the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music, staging two on-campus productions each year. In the fall term, it presents Opera Excerpts, an evening of operatic scenes around a unifying theme, and in the winter term, it performs a full opera, including Canadian and world premieres.
Opera Laurier is made up of voice performance students enrolled in the Practice of Opera course, along with other current students and alumni volunteers. Professionals work with students as stage directors and facilitators. Students gain real-world experience, not only learning the singing, movement and acting inherent in opera but also elements of stagecraft and production, including costume design and prop building, hair and makeup, set building, lighting, stage management and publicity.
Students are also challenged to be creative and resourceful while putting the production together. Time is limited by the academic calendar, while set design, costumes and lighting are governed by a tight budget.