Anita Johnson, soprano
Soprano Anita Johnson has been blessed with a voice of unfailingly lyrical grace, impeccable musicianship, and an onstage persona which has been described as “pure,” “charming,” “gorgeous,” “brilliant,” “electric,” and “near magical.” She has achieved an undeniably impressive level of artistry, and continues to enjoy critical and popular success both in the United States and abroad.
Operatic and concert engagements this season include debuts with Music-Theatre Group of New York in Arjuna’s Dilemma, and the Brahms’s Requiem with Anchorage Symphony Orchestra; a return to Opera Memphis in Scott Joplin and Treemonisha, and a Messiah with New York’s New Choral Society. Ms. Johnson is also writing a one-woman show about America’s Black Composer’s to be performed in Memphis the entire month of February. Operatic and concert engagements last season included a return to the Metropolitan Opera to appear in War and Peace, an appearance with Stevie Wonder at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, CA in A Wonder Summer’s Night Tour, the New York Premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s A White House Cantata with New York’s Collegiate Chorale, a spring oratorio concert with New York’s New Choral Society, and a recital and master class as a visiting guest artist at the University of Michigan School of Music.
Additional operatic and concert appearances for Ms. Johnson include Adina in The Elixir of Love, Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro, Javotte in Manon, and the Second Unborn Child in Die Frau Ohne Schatten with the Metropolitan Opera; Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment and Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera with Michigan Opera Theatre; Norina in Don Pasquale, Gilda in Rigoletto, Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment, and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with Florentine Opera; Gilda in Rigoletto with Opera Knoxville; Musetta in La Bohème with Opera Pacific and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra; Pamina in The Magic Flute with Opera Memphis; Clara in Porgy and Bess with New York City Opera, Atlanta Opera, Opera Pacific, Virginia Opera, New Orleans Opera, New York Choral Society, Inc., and Colorado Symphony; Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos with Opera North and New Orleans Opera; the Princess in L’Enfant et Les Sortilèges with New York City Opera; Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia with Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Adele in Die Fledermaus with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Grand Rapids Opera, and Chautauqua Opera; the Mermaid in Oberon with the Collegiate Chorale at Carnegie Hall and the title role in Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha at Alice Tully Hall; Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with the Ann Arbor Symphony; Vivaldi’s Gloria, Poulenc’s Gloria, and the Messiah with the New Choral Society; Cunegonde in Candide with the Wheeling Symphony; and Carmina Burana with the Louisville Orchestra.
Ms. Johnson made her European debut in Spoleto, Italy performing the role of Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail; and for three years she was the resident lyric coloratura soprano in Germany’s Nationaltheater Mannheim. While there she had several operatic and concert appearances as Musetta in La Bohème, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, a Blumen Madchen in Parsifal, Xenia in Boris Godunov, Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera, the Fifth Serving Maid in Elektra, Servillia in La Clemenza di Tito, Mrs. P in The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Sophie in Werther, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Giulietta in I Capuleti e I Montecchi, and Olympia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. She also created, directed, produced, and performed in a main stage concert event called He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand.
Ms. Johnson has also been a frequent prize winner of various vocal competitions and awards, including National Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition; the Arnold Petersen Prize in Mannheim, Germany; the 2001 University of Michigan School of Music Dean Paul Boylan Distinguished Alumni Award; the Opera Index Judges’ Award; the MacAllister Awards; the Palm Beach Opera Competition; and the Liederkranz Competition. A native of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Anita Johnson received a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Southern California and a Master of Music in Voice Performance as well as K-12 Music Certification from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Ms. Johnson became a member of Opera Music Theatre International under the direction of Jerome Hines, performing extensively throughout New Jersey. An elementary school teacher in the New Jersey Public School system and a preK-12 teacher at the Harlem School of the Arts, she has created many performance opportunities for children, including children’s operettas and a multi-media performance of international music. Under the auspices of the Virginia Opera Company, Ms. Johnson created and performed a unique one-woman show entitled “ABC’S: American Black Composers’ Contributions to Our Musical Heritage ©.”