The young Canadian born in Oman offers an undeniable stage presence, a solid, dark, extended, broad voice, capable of hoarseness as well as caresses, velvety and bravado in turn. Articulating its registers with virtuosity, a large dynamic scale and its expressive palette, the voice knows how to be sinuous, serpentine in seduction and scathing like a slap when Carmen wants to be hurtful or to be respected."
Omani-born Canadian mezzo-soprano Deepa Johnny gained recognition in major competitions whilst still studying at Indiana University; she was awarded the Andre Bourbeau Best Canadian Artist award and the ICI Musique People’s Choice award at the 2022 Concours Musical International de Montreal competition and was the winner of the Western Canada District of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She joined LA Opera’s prestigious Domingo-Colburn Stein’s Young Artist Program in the 2022/23season, making her debut there to considerable acclaim in the role of Owen’s daughter in Omar, a world-premiere by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels.
Johnny has already made several notable debuts in North America, including as Meg Page in Falstaff at the Aspen Music Festival alongside Bryn Terfel in the title role and conducted by Patrick Summers, as Cherubino in a new staging of Le Nozze di Figaro at Opera San Jose and, at Los Angeles Opera, Mélisande in Impressions de Pelléas at The Ebell of Los Angeles, under James Conlon. She has appeared as Carmen in Arden Opera’s production of The Tragedy of Carmen, as Suzuki in concert performances of Madama Butterfly with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under conductor Jun Märkl and, with IU Opera Theatre during her studies there, as Rosina in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Sivilgia and as the title role of both Handel’s Xerxes and Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea.
Deepa Johnny excelled in her role debut as the page Cherubino both in the ease of delivery of her delicate instrument and in her complete transformation for the trouser role. She had a great comic timing as well, and the audience loved her cross-dressing antics!
As part of the inaugural cast of The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions, an inspirational ensemble piece created by Ted Huffman and Philip Venables from the seminal LGBTQ+ rights text by Larry Mitchell, Johnny performed at the 2023 editions of the Manchester International Festival, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Bregenzer Festspiele and will be seen in the London premiere at the Southbank Centre in the 2023/24 season. The current season’s commitments open with Deepa Johnny joining Opéra de Rouen Normandie in the title role of Bizet’s Carmen, presented in a staging by Romain Gilbert and conducted by Music Director Ben Glassberg, alongside roles in Der Zwerg and La traviata under James Conlon at LA Opera, a debut with Portland Opera as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro and a return to Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in 2024. Concert appearances include Mozart’s Mass in C minor with l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, conducted by Leonardo Garcia Alarcón and Handel’s Messiah with Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Mathieu Lussier.
We admire the stage commitment, the overflowing sensuality, the wide ambitus, with easy highs and well-rounded lows, as well as the full timbre of the heroine."
Johnny made her Carnegie Hall debut last season at Renée Fleming’s SongStudio Masterclass, was a fellow of the renowned Ravinia Steans Vocal Institute presenting art song repertoire and recently performed with West Virginia Symphony Orchestra as part of their Sounds of the Seasons concerts, guest conducted by Luke Frazier from American Pops Orchestra.