Jennifer Johnson

Jennifer Johnson was named one of five winners in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, one of North America’s most prestigious competitions for young singers. She is now a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, which uses the Met’s unique resources to identify and educate young singers for major careers in opera

Jennifer first developed her passion for opera amid the aisles of the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, where she worked as an usher and watched and studied performances night after night. “I was enthralled with the way that many different components came together for a performance,” Jennifer said. “It was the complex, multilayered quality of opera that appealed to me.”

Jennifer eventually earned a place in the theatre’s apprentice program, through which she honed her vocal skills and participated in voice competitions. She met Rice Professor Kathleen Kaun at one of these competitions and immediately felt a close connection.

“Professor Kaun was the main reason I came to Rice, but I probably would not have been able to come without the fantastic scholarship they offered me. The combination sealed the deal. I would tell anyone immediately that Rice University is a great place to go if you want to have a life in music.”