Fran Daniel Laucerica, tenor
Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 7:30PM EST
Hailed by Opera News as “a very promising high tenor,” Cuban-American, Fran Daniel Laucerica has been praised for his clarity, agility and musical versatility as a rising star on the operatic and concert stages. Known for his “sweetly shining tenor” (Opera Today) and “heroic vocal intensity” (Pittsburgh Quarterly), as well as his “authoritative stage presence” (Entertainment Central Pittsburgh), Mr. Laucerica is making a name for himself across a wide range of repertoire spanning from Bach, Gluck, and Rossini, to contemporary works.
This season, Mr. Laucerica makes several role and company debuts with Opera Philadelphia, Washington Concert Opera, and Opera Omaha in Il viaggio a Reims, Iphigénie en Tauride and Susannah, respectively. Additionally, he will return to First Coast Opera to perform in The Mikado and Opera Philadelphia to cover in the premiere of Gregory Spear’s Sleepers Awake. In concert this season, Mr. Laucerica will perform Bach’s B minor Mass with the Austin Philharmonie, Madison Bach Musicians and the Conejo Valley Choral Society.
Operatic highlights from recent seasons include: Il conte d’Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia) with Pittsburgh Opera and First Coast Opera, Beppe (Pagliacci) with The Glimmerglass Festival and Pittsburgh Opera, Rinaldo (Armida) with Pittsburgh Opera, Pylade (Iphigénie en Tauride) with Pittsburgh Opera, Alfredo (La traviata) with Virginia Opera, Miles Zegner (Proving Up) with Pittsburgh Opera, Ferrando (Così fan tutte) with Toledo Opera, and Thomas in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Woman With Eyes Closed with Pittsburgh Opera. Additionally, Mr. Laucerica has covered the roles of Goro (Madama Butterfly) with Pittsburgh Opera, Arcadio (Florencia en el Amazonas) with Opera San Jose, Timothy Laughlin (Fellow Travelers) with Virginia Opera, Adolfo Pirelli (Sweeney Todd) with Wolf Trap Opera, and Der Steuermann (Die fliegende Holländer) with Pittsburgh Opera.
On the concert stage, Mr. Laucerica has performed as a soloist in varied works including: Christmas Oratorio and St. Matthew Passion with the Madison Bach Musicians, Carmina Burana with Lexington Symphony, Handel’s Messiah with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra and the Callipygian Players, Hailstork’s I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes with Glencoe Union Church, as well as Mozart’s Coronation Mass, and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria as a guest soloist with the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra. A passionate advocate for new music, Mr. Laucerica has premiered several works including Samuel Carl Adams’ Light Readings with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra MusicNOW initiative and David Lang’s a house with the Bienen Contemporary Vocal Ensemble.
Mr. Laucerica is an alumnus of several young and resident artist programs including Pittsburgh Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Virginia Opera and Wolf Trap Opera. He is also a recent Encouragement Award Winner in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, as well as the Third-Prize Winner in the 2023 Handel Aria Competition, and semi-finalist in the SAS Performing Arts, Camerata Bardi and Music International Grand Prix competitions. He graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a Master’s in Opera Performance and a Bachelor’s from Northwestern University.
Heinz Chapel Choir
Spring Concert
Friday, April 17 2026 at 8:00PM EST
The Heinz Chapel Choir, founded in 1938, is a well-noted and internationally recognized mixed a cappella choir from the University of Pittsburgh. Membership is drawn by audition from Pitt's student body and campus performances are sung in the historic Heinz Memorial Chapel. HCC is currently under the direction of its 10th conductor, Dr. Susan Rice.
HCC rehearses in the Bellefield Hall Auditorium every Tuesday and Thursday from 4-6 p.m. Members are expected to sing in the Choir for both semesters of the academic year, although exceptions are generally made for those studying abroad and planning to return. In addition to the four hours of rehearsal each week, the Heinz Chapel Choir members also attend two choir camps, one in the fall and one in the winter. During these times, HCC members get to know each other and become closer as a group, all while rehearsing the music to be performed at concerts throughout the year. Additionally, once every three years, the Choir tours internationally.
About the Series
The Joan Chambers Concert Series is possible through the generous support of President Emeritus George F. Chambers. It brings local, national, and international artists to our campus for performances of the highest professional caliber. It has featured international opera star Andrew Zimmerman, cello/piano duo Antonio Lysy and Patricia Hoy, soprano Julie Wyma, pianist Pablo Amorós, the Swara Sonora Trio, Shana Mashego, North Sea Gas, the Tucson Girls Chorus, thingNY, tenor Chris Carr, contralto Emily Marvosh, and it has proudly presented some of Pennsylvania's finest ensembles and artists, including the Pittsburgh Camerata, Voces Solis, Kassia Ensemble, Heinz Chapel Choir, Pittsburgh Trombone Project, Elizabeth Lins Shonfelt, Skip Napier & Tim Heavner, Blue Mile Jazz, PM Woodwind Project, Zach Rohlwing, and the Penn State Chamber Singers.
The series is named in honor of Joan Chambers, late wife of President Chambers, who was an ardent supporter and representative of Pitt‐Greensburg in the community for many years. While her interests were widespread, she especially enjoyed participating in book‐discussion groups, attending cultural events, hosting themed luncheons at her home, and spending winters in southwest Florida. The Children’s Literature Collection in Millstein Library, another of her passions, was developed and named in her honor.
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