Laura Canning is the General Director and CEO of Opera North, a post she took up in December 2023. Before that, she was Director of Artistic Administration at Garsington Opera for nine years, presenting the first public opera performances after the pandemic in September 2020 as well as spearheading the creation of the company’s new on-site Studios. Earlier positions include six years as Studio Director at Houston Grand Opera in Texas, where she managed the world-renowned young artist programme and created the new Young Artists Vocal Academy, as well as ten years at Welsh National Opera and positions at Glyndebourne and Harold Holt Ltd.  

Laura has a modern languages degree from Trinity College Cambridge. She served on the board of Outland Opera and Chapter Arts Centre and has been a regular adjudicator of singing competitions on both sides of the Atlantic. She has two sons and lives in Leeds with her husband.