Chad A. Johnson, Tenor

Next Engagement:

July 2-6, 2008

27th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition

Chad A. Johnson is quickly making a name for himself in the world of opera. Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Chad began his musical studies in the vocal music department of Mona Shores High School. He then went on to Western Michigan University, The University of Kentucky and the American Institute of Musical Studies, Opera Studio in Graz, Austria. He is a student of renowned soprano, Virginia Zeani.

In 2001, Chad joined the young artist program of the Chicago Opera Theater. Over the next two seasons he performed in the operas ensembles and covered the role of the Male Chorus in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. That May, Chad joined the Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Artist Program for Singers and was then invited to join the Young Artist Ensemble at the Florida Grand Opera. During the 2002/03 and 2003/04 seasons Chad sang many roles including the Second Jew in Salome, Benvolio in Roméo et Juliette, Gastone in La Traviata, Joszef in the North American premier of Ede Donath’s Szulamit and Pong in Turandot. The following summer, Chad sang the role of Harry, the miner in La fancuilla del West at Glimmerglass Opera, as a member of the Young American Artists Program.

Chad has also been active as a concert soloist. He has performed with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra and Master Chorale, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, AIMS Festival Orchestra, the Symphony of the Americas and the New World Symphony. He has been a featured soloist in such works as Handel's Messiah, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Missa Brevis, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, Bach’s Magnificat, Orff's Carmina Burana and numerous recitals and concerts.

Chad has received prizes from the Young Patronesses of the Florida Grand Opera Vocal Competition, NATS regional and state vocal competitions, the Anna Sosenko Artist Assist Trust and the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. Most recently, Chad won the Four Cities District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was the Second Place Winner of the Great Lakes Region Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and first prize in the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Competition.

Chad has worked with numerous directors including Peter Sellars, Mark Lamos, Bernard Uzan, Diane Paulus and Renata Scotto. He has also worked with many of today’s great conductors such as Stewart Robertson, Yves Abel, Richard Buckley and Robert Spano.

Recently, Chad sang Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte with Connecticut Opera and with the Tanglewood Music Center under the batone of Maestro James Levine. He appeared as Camille in The Merry Widow with Lyric Opera San Diego and Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Glimmerglass Opera. Other past engagements include Alfredo in La Traviata with Spokane Opera, Arminio in I masnadieri and Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Sarasota Opera, Arthur in Lucie de Lammermoor and the Glass Maker in Death in Venice with Glimmerglass Opera, Nanki-Poo in The Mikado with Wichita Grand Opera, Hot Bisquit Slim in Paul Bunyan with the Florida Grand Opera and Opera Omaha, Count Tassilo in Countess Maritza with Lyric Opera San Diego and Tenor soloist in Orff's Carmina Burana with Opera Omaha. Chad has also been heard on NPR's World of Opera as Harry, the Miner in La fanciulla del West, Arthur in Lucie de Lammermoor and the Glass Maker in Death in Venice all from Glimmerglass Opera.