Lori L'Italien

I believe in working towards a flexible, body-centered technique that allows for full expression and highlights each student's strengths and personality. A healthy technique should be sustainable and should allow for versatility throughout styles.  

Lori L’Italien joined the Conservatory in 2017 as an assistant professor of voice. She works with students in the musical theater program to develop a versatile, flexible, and healthy technique that allows for freedom of expression and storytelling throughout a broad range of musical styles.

A versatile performer in her own right, L’Italien has been seen on both opera and musical theater stages across Boston and New England. Favorite past roles include Magenta in Rocky Horror Show; Lisa in A New Brain; Acid Queen in Tommy; Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, for which she was nominated for both an ARTS IMPULSE Award (Best Actress in a Musical) and an IRNE Award (Best Supporting Actress in a Musical); Lucille Frank in Parade, for which she was nominated for an IRNE award; Gabby/Bobbi in City of Angels; Sally Bowles in Cabaret, and Betty Haynes in White Christmas.

As an educator, L’Italien has served as an instructor and administrator for the Metropolitan Opera Guild and has taught for the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood. From 2011 to 2019 she taught voice, music theory, acting for the stage, and musical theater history for Lasell University, where she also spent some time serving as the performing arts program director, choral director, artistic director, and producer for the theater productions.

L’Italien is passionate about social justice and reform, and about exploring these issues through art and performance. Her work with the Metropolitan Opera Guild focused on bringing music and vocal instruction into at-risk schools. She has taught courses in social justice in the performing arts, and her 2017 graduate thesis, titled “Nevertheless She Persisted,” was a multigenerational performance piece, focused on the struggles of the American woman in every stage of life.

L’Italien received her M.F.A. in musical theater from Boston Conservatory at Berklee in 2018, her M.M. in opera performance from Longy School of Music at Bard, and her M.Ed. in vocal music education from the University of Maine in 2004.