Gershwin!

It is from Italy that he takes his name and the passion concealed within him, which gives him his vibrancy when he is on stage. The passion that overwhelms his audience. Italy sings in him with the colours of its language, so familiar to him, of its Mediterranean exuberance in which his childhood was bathed. But it was in Nice that Philippe Bianconi was born and raised, and it was France that moulded him. Which is why artist and man alike are a blend of poise and ardour, discretion and inner flame, clothed in an elegance and a luminosity that may be read in his presence, in his eyes, and can be savoured when he is at the piano.

As a young man, he progressed by leaps and bounds, propelled into international competitions by Pierre Cochereau as soon as he left the Nice Conservatoire. His career path was marked out from the day he entered the class of Simone Delbert-Février, a student of Marguerite Long and Robert Casadesus. ‘Sing!’, ‘Listen!’: even today, he can still hear the injunctions of that refined, enthusiastic woman, stirred by an inner fire, and he utters them in his turn to the students he trains at the École Normale de Musique de Paris. On the byways of those early years, he met Gaby Casadesus: with her he put the finishing touches to the purity of style, the clarity of musical expression he had cultivated since the start of his musical education. With the Russian pianist Vitalij Margulis, he found that density of sound which is his alone, and drew from the innermost recesses of the text, from the depths of the harmonies, that expressiveness which he always places at the service of meaning. And then: two birds with one stone! Having won First Prize at the Robert Casadesus Competition in Cleveland, then Second Prize at the Van Cliburn Competition, he triumphed at Carnegie Hall, and his American career was launched . . . Then came Europe, France, the world, in recital or alongside today’s most eminent musicians. And, still following in the footsteps of Gaby and Robert Casadesus, but also of Nadia Boulanger, it was only natural that he should succeed Philippe Entremont as artistic director of the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau for five years.

In concert, the vibration of the air when silence fills the hall is precious to him, liberating and inspiring. He sometimes takes on the most incredible challenges, such as playing the two Brahms concertos in one evening. When he returns to his corner of paradise somewhere in the south, between the sea and the mountains, he remembers his youth, his parents who took him to the opera, and the love for the voice that he felt at a very early age and that will never leave him. He remembers Hermann Prey, whom he met at the age of twenty-two, and Schubert, who brought them together on record and, for eight years, on the great stages of the world, the Wigmore Hall, La Scala, Munich, New York . . . Then his piano sings, breathes, becomes body and soul. And Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, not to mention his beloved French masters, Debussy and Ravel, in sublime abandonment, confide the secrets of their treasures to this musician-poet.

Michelle Johnson, a soprano of extraordinary talent and acclaim, has captivated audiences worldwide with her mesmerizing performances. As a Grand Prize Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, she has been hailed by critics as “a clear audience favorite,” lauded for her impeccable breath control and velvety voice that effortlessly transports listeners into a realm of musical splendor.

Michelle continues to grace prestigious stages with her exceptional talent in the 2023-2024 season. She is set to enrapture audiences as Tosca with Madison Opera, return to Chicago Opera Theater in Shostakovich’s The Nose, anticipates her debut with Florentine Opera as Mimì in La bohème, and performs a Love Songs for Valentine’s Day concert with Lyric Fest. Closing out the season brings a return to the role of Turandot with Opera Delaware. 

In the 2022-2023 season, her versatility and artistry was showcased through a series of stellar performances. She portrayed iconic roles such as Tosca with Opera on the James, Mimì in La bohème with Nashville Opera, and Serena in Porgy and Bess with North Carolina Opera and Opera Carolina. Her portrayal of Aida with Opera Grand Rapids and her role debut as Turandot with Opera Southwest further solidified her status as a leading soprano in the opera world.

During Ms. Johnson’s 2021-2022 season, she graced the stage of Boston Lyric Opera, enthralling audiences with her portrayal of Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, had a role debut with Opera Columbus as Tosca, portrayed the title role in Aida with Opera Carolina, performed as Mimì in La bohème with the Columbus Symphony, participated in Fort Worth Opera’s Evening of Black Excellence, and returned to Boston Lyric Opera to cover Emelda Griffith in Terence Blanchard’s Champion. In the summer of 2022, Johnson ventured into new territory, captivating audiences at Des Moines Metro Opera with her portrayal of Bess in Porgy and Bess.

Ms. Johnson has also made a name for herself as one of the most in demand Aida’s in the opera world today, performing Verdi’s tragic heroine with Glimmerglass Music Festival, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Columbus, Knoxville Opera, Opera Idaho, and Sarasota Opera, among others. A favorite of many houses, past opera credits include Madame Lidoine in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Leonora in Il trovatore, Minnie in La Fanciulla del West, Élisabeth de Valois in Don Carlos, the title role in Manon Lescaut, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, the title role in Suor Angelica, Zemfira in Aleko, Leonora in Oberto, the Countess in Capriccio, and Alice Ford in Falstaff.  Adept in verismo repertoire as well, Ms. Johnson performed the title roles in the rarely performed Sakuntala and Fedora with Teatro Grattacielo.

Beyond the opera stage, Michelle shines as a concert artist, captivating audiences with her luminous voice and emotive performances. Highlights include her renditions of Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem, and Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder with esteemed orchestras worldwide. She has also collaborated with renowned conductors for special concerts, including an all-French Opera concert with Maestro Michel Plasson in Montpellier, France, and an all-Verdi concert with The Princeton Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Rossen Milanov.

A distinguished alumna of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Boston University Opera Institute, and New England Conservatory, Johnson’s talent has been recognized with prestigious awards from organizations such as the William Matheus Sullivan Foundation, Gerda Lissner Foundation, and the Giulio Gari Foundation.