The Leonie Sonnings Talent Awards are the biggest thing in Danish opera.
This year’s winner, announced this morning, is a young soprano at at the Royal Danish Opera who was the subject of a TV documentary last year. Laura Helene Hansen, 30, was a drug addict from the age of 12 until she was 20, when singing revealed itself as her vocation.
From the prize citation:
Born in the small village of Sandby in central Jutland, music wasn’t her first path. After battling a chronic illness and falling into addiction during her teens, her turning point came in high school when she was given a solo in a school play. She discovered her voice had something special.
After high school, she tried various education paths, but it wasn’t until she was accepted into a musical theatre program in Viborg that she found her footing. There, she met Mariann—an older student who became a mentor and used Laura as a vocal student in her teaching at the conservatory.
Though unsuccessful in applying to acting schools, Laura, with Mariann’s help, gained admission to the conservatory. There, she learned that talent alone isn’t enough—discipline, understanding, and deep focus matter just as much.
Today, Laura is one of Denmark’s most promising young sopranos. With support from the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize, she plans to pursue further studies abroad, refining her technique and artistic identity under some of Europe’s finest teachers, with an international career in sight.
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