Jennifer Johnson Cano

A naturally gifted singer noted for her commanding stage presence and profound artistry, Jennifer Johnson Cano has garnered critical acclaim for committed performances of both new and standard repertoire. For her performance as Offred in Poul Ruders’s The Handmaid’s Tale she was lauded as “towering…restless, powerful, profound, she is as formidable as this astonishingly demanding role deserves,” by The New York Times. With more than 100 performances on the stage at The Metropolitan Opera, her most recent roles have included Nicklausse, Emilia, Hansel and Meg Page.

Highlights this season include the premiere of Kevin Puts’s The Hours with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Chicago and San Francisco Symphonies, and the New York premiere of Marc Neikrug’s A Song By Mahler at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She performs Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites (Mother Marie) with Houston Grand Opera; the world premiere of Gregory Spear’s Castor and Patience (Celeste) with Cincinnati Opera; Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle (Judith) with Roanoke Opera; and workshops of Gregg Kallor’s new opera, Frankenstein, with Arizona Opera.

Ms. Cano joined The Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at The Metropolitan Opera after winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, and made her Met debut during the 2009-2010 season. Among her honors are a First Prize winner of the Young Concert Artist International Auditions, a Sara Tucker Study Grant, a Richard Tucker Career Grant and George London Award. Cano is a native of St. Louis and earned degrees from Webster University and Rice University.