LOC Success Stories

Lara Secord-Haid

My name is Lara Secord-Haid, and I’m a soprano from Winnipeg. For the past few years, I’ve been based in Berlin, Germany. Moving to Berlin was a joyful experiment—a chance to see what my career could look like here and to experience life in a city with three major opera houses, each with its own distinct character. Beyond that, Berlin is bursting with institutions that program vocal music and audiences that embrace it with gusto. I continue to work as a freelance opera singer and have had the chance to collaborate with a collective of artists producing operas and recitals across the Berlin area. It was a proper trial by fire—exciting, scrappy, and full of lessons about how to make things happen with little money, passion, creativity, and sheer willpower. My love for music started early. I played the piano from the age of five and always enjoyed singing, though my first performances were with the Chai Folk Ensemble, where I fell in love with the energy of world music. That experience led me to classical singing under the guidance of Diane Berger and even a brief flirtation with jazz singing. I was incredibly lucky to have Diane as my first teacher—she never pushed me but nurtured my curiosity and let my voice develop naturally. Those lessons still guide me today when I wander off track. Being part of productions with the Little Opera Company was instrumental in my performance growth. First and foremost, getting stage time as a young artist is invaluable—there’s no substitute for learning by doing. But just as importantly, LOC showed me what grassroots opera production looks like up close. It made producing opera feel accessible, like, “Well, that’s just what you do.” Because my formative experiences were so community-driven, I’ve carried that ethos throughout my career. I often think back to something I heard in a masterclass years ago. Diane Berger took me along to a session at the Conservatory, where the master teacher—who was the then dean of Boston Conservatory—said something that stuck with me: “Music is like medicine. The smaller cities and rural areas are underserved.” As young musicians, he challenged us to question the instinct to flock to New York, Boston, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Paris and stay there. Music matters in people’s lives everywhere, not just in the most prestigious halls. That challenge resonates with me more and more these days. I am incredibly grateful for companies like LOC, which bring opera to audiences outside the big metropolitan centers. That work is vital, and I’m proud to have participated in it. www.larasecordhaid.com

Lara Secord-Haid

My name is Lara Secord-Haid, and I’m a soprano from Winnipeg. For the past few years, I’ve been based in Berlin, Germany. Moving to Berlin was a joyful experiment—a chance to see what my career could look like here and to experience life in a city with three major opera houses, each with its own distinct character. Beyond that, Berlin is bursting with institutions that program vocal music and audiences that embrace it with gusto. I continue to work as a freelance opera singer and have had the chance to collaborate with a collective of artists producing operas and recitals across the Berlin area. It was a proper trial by fire—exciting, scrappy, and full of lessons about how to make things happen with little money, passion, creativity, and sheer willpower. My love for music started early. I played the piano from the age of five and always enjoyed singing, though my first performances were with the Chai Folk Ensemble, where I fell in love with the energy of world music. That experience led me to classical singing under the guidance of Diane Berger and even a brief flirtation with jazz singing. I was incredibly lucky to have Diane as my first teacher—she never pushed me but nurtured my curiosity and let my voice develop naturally. Those lessons still guide me today when I wander off track. Being part of productions with the Little Opera Company was instrumental in my performance growth. First and foremost, getting stage time as a young artist is invaluable—there’s no substitute for learning by doing. But just as importantly, LOC showed me what grassroots opera production looks like up close. It made producing opera feel accessible, like, “Well, that’s just what you do.” Because my formative experiences were so community- driven, I’ve carried that ethos throughout my career. I often think back to something I heard in a masterclass years ago. Diane Berger took me along to a session at the Conservatory, where the master teacher—who was the then dean of Boston Conservatory—said something that stuck with me: “Music is like medicine. The smaller cities and rural areas are underserved.” As young musicians, he challenged us to question the instinct to flock to New York, Boston, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Paris and stay there. Music matters in people’s lives everywhere, not just in the most prestigious halls. That challenge resonates with me more and more these days. I am incredibly grateful for companies like LOC, which bring opera to audiences outside the big metropolitan centers. That work is vital, and I’m proud to have participated in it. www.larasecordhaid.com

Lara Secord-Haid

Lizzy Hoyt

Nicole Leung

Sara Schabas

Lara Secord-Haid

Lizzy Hoyt

Nicole Leung

Sara Schabas