Cuban soprano goes steampunk

Laura León tackles four roles in Opera Orlando’s “Tales of Hoffman,” opening today.

Laura León is ready for her role. Make that four roles. All in the same show.

“It’s definitely a challenge from an acting point of view to immerse yourself in so many personalities,” says the Cuban soprano before a rehearsal for Opera Orlando’s steampunk-styled “Tales of Hoffman.” The show opens Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

“Tales of Hoffman” finds inspiration in four stories by German author E.T.A. Hoffman; he’s best known for “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” which inspired the famed ballet, but that tale plays no part in the opera.

Metropolitan Opera tenor Won Whi Choi plays Hoffman, who serves as the opera’s lead character. León plays a different leading lady in each tale. That sort of casting is not typical of the show, says artistic director Gabriel Preisser — in part because it’s difficult to find a soprano capable of singing all of the demanding parts.

“That’s what attracted me to Laura,” Preisser said. “She has the high notes — the fireworks — but she has the warmth of the lower notes.”

León has placed first in multiple vocal competitions, including the Metropolitan National Council Competition for the District of Florida 2018. She has music degrees from Miami Dade College, Nyack College in New York and a master’s in voice performance from Florida International University.

She and her mother left Cuba for Florida when she was 17. Her first big break came when she was selected for the young artist program of Florida Grand Opera of Miami. “I learned so much,” León recalls. “It was a wakeup call.”

Among her favorite roles is the Queen of the Night in “The Magic Flute” but she’s not all about opera – you might find her singing karaoke, preferably Whitney Houston or Selena songs.

“The only thing I don’t try is country,” she jokes. “I know my limits. A Cuban singing country is not a good idea.”

She’s grateful for the chance to tackle “Hoffman.”

“I’m very glad that nowadays companies are hiring more diverse singers,” she says. “There are a lot of people who want to see diversity in the opera world. Let’s break the mold in every way possible.”

As for the steampunk vibe planned for the production, “it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” León says.