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Opera singer Lauren Randolph brought music, storytelling and humor to the North Shore stage during this year’s Susan Marshall ’76 Memorial Concert, introducing students to the world of opera through performances spanning centuries, languages and styles.

A New York-based mezzo-soprano currently studying at The Juilliard School, Lauren recently earned national recognition as a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition — one of the country’s premier opera competitions.

During her Morning Ex performance, Lauren, who grew up in north suburban Libertyville, guided students through a series of arias in Italian, French and German, explaining the stories, emotions and musical traditions behind each piece. Along the way, she invited students into the performance process, connecting opera to experiences they already understood: feeling nervous, falling in love, using imagination and expressing emotion through art.

“Opera is all of these things all at once,” Lauren explained. “Singing, acting, dancing, storytelling — you do all of it.”

Her program ranged from Baroque-era Handel to French and German opera, with Lauren offering context and commentary between performances. Students also had a chance to ask questions, wondering about everything from vocal range and costumes to learning languages and performing on major stages.

Following the concert, Lauren spent time with students in lower and middle school music classes, continuing conversations about music, performance and creative expression.

Head of School Tom Flemma reflected on the impact of the annual program and the importance of the arts in students’ lives.

“The arts and music are central to a good life, an enriched life, a life well lived,” Tom said. “Maybe after today, opera will be one more type of music that students add into their playlists every once in a while just to think and feel in a different way.”

The Susan Marshall '76 Memorial Concert series was established in 1983 by Susan's parents, Irl and Barbara Favill Marshall '46, in memory of their daughter and her lifelong love of music.