Jennifer Johnson Cano

Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano is a “matchless interpreter of contemporary opera,” recently earning acclaim for her “riveting” world premiere of Gregory Spears’s The Righteous at Santa Fe Opera. A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, she has performed over 100 times at the MET, with her 150th appearance occurring in her 2025–26 role debut as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly. Her career spans major roles like Donna Elvira, Carmen, and Offred, plus the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ The Hours. Cano’s 2025–26 season features engagements with the Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle Symphonies, and a new song cycle premiere at the Tucson Desert Song Festival. She has collaborated with conductors including Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Gustavo Dudamel, and Riccardo Muti. Cano’s honors include the George London Award, Richard Tucker Career Grant, and Young Concert Artist International Auditions. A graduate of Rice and Webster Universities, her recordings include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and her debut recital, Unaffected. She currently balances a prolific schedule of orchestral, opera, and chamber music performances.