Laura Åkerlund
Laura Åkerlund is a Finnish opera-stage director and pianist. In 2019, she was a finalist for the position of Directrice Générale at the Opéra de Lyon, and in 2021, she advanced to the final stages of selection for the same role at the Opéra National de Bordeaux.
Biography
Åkerlund began piano lessons at the age of six and completed her studies privately at the Helsinki Conservatory. She earned a Master of Musicology degree from the University of Helsinki, and later studied opera stage directing at the Sibelius Academy, theater studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, and management and international business at Aalto University. She is fluent in Finnish, English, Swedish, German, and French.
In 2017, she founded Helsingin Koominen Ooppera, Finland’s newest opera house, inspired by the traditions of Paris's Opéra Comique and Berlin's Komische Oper. The institution aims to broaden opera’s accessibility through experimental performances staged in unconventional venues. Under her direction, Comic Opera Helsinki premiered Finland’s first immersive opera, Vixen, in collaboration with Silent Opera and the Helsinki Festival. The production took place in a historic train station.
Productions
2011 – Heta Aho: Himmerrä ja Valo, Musica Nova Helsinki.2011 – Musical: Aallonharjalla, Malmitalo, Helsinki.2015 – Verdi: La Traviata, 3rd International Music Festival Putikon Hovi.2015 – Tchaikovsky: Eugen Onegin, St. Petersburg and Punkaharju Finland.2018 – Moniuszko: Halka, Helsinki Opera Festival, Comic Opera Helsinki.2018 – Sallinen: The Red Line, Kemi City Orchestra.
As assistant stage director and stage manager
2006 – Haydn: L’Isola disabitata, Finnish Chamber Opera.2006 – Sallinen: The Red Line; Pacius: Kung Karls Jakt; Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin.2007 – Kuusisto: Risto Ryti - vapauden vanki.2007 – Pohjola: Kaksi kamarioopperaa rakkaudesta.2008 – Händel: Acis and Galatea, Finnish Chamber Opera.2009 – Haydn: Il mondo della luna, Kulttuuritalo Gloria.2009 – Holst: The Planets.2012 – Wagner: Tristan und Isolde.2013 – Mozart: Don Giovanni.2013 – Hyytiäinen: La Figure de la Terre.2014 – Hyytiäinen: Aikainen 3D Opera.2014 – Bertelsmeier: Querelle.2015 – Strauss: Salome ; Ayres: Peter Pan.2015 – Pohjola: Harrbådan neito; Sibelius: Neito tornissa.2015 – Puccini: Gianni Schicchi; Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle.2016 – Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg ; Halévy: La Juive.2016 – Hoffmann: Ahti Karjalainen: elämä, Kekkonen ja teot.
TV work
2008 – Risto Ryti - vapauden vanki.2009 – Talo Ranskassa.
Other work
2018 – Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe: Wagnerstimmen Singing Competition Final.2018 – Kyiv, Ukraine: Theaterfestival GRA.2019–2020 – Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe: Executive team member and head of dramaturgy.2020–2023 – Theater Dortmund, Academy for Theatre and Digitality.