Mikaela Bennett is a celebrated singer and actress who is garnering praise for her artistic versatility on stage and in concert halls across the globe and is a recent recipient of the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists. Equally at home collaborating with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall to West Side Story at the BBC Proms, Mikaela is a skilled cross-genre interpreter. Additional career highlights include her New York City solo recital debut at Alice Tully Hall, premiering an original composition by Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Fransisco Symphony, her Lyric Opera of Kansas City debut for The Sound of Music (Maria), Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath (Rosasharn) with MasterVoices at Carnegie Hall and Handel’s Israel in Egypt with MasterVoices and the Orchestra of St Luke’s at Carnegie Hall.
She begins the 24/25 season with a debut at Festival Musica Strasbourg for Ted Hearne’s contemporary oratorio, The Source. Other season highlights include her debuts at The Baltimore Symphony as the soprano soloist in Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite alongside the Aaron Diehl Trio and the Orlando Philharmonic for Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Additional engagements include a debut with Protoype Festival for In A Grove and returns to The Glimmerglass Festival for the world premiere of Derek Bermel and Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street (Esperanza) and the 92nd Street Y as a guest soloist for their concert Hammerstein and His Sources.
Ms. Bennett made her BBC Proms debut at London’s Royal Albert Hall starring in the John Wilson Orchestra’s concert production of West Side Story (Maria) to critical and public acclaim, and soon returned to the BBC Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra performing music from the Warner Bros film studio. As a featured soloist, Ms. Bennett has appeared under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel with the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing Aurora by Wane Shorter, the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin, with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Slatkin, and with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center for performances of Zodiac Suite conducted by Jader Bignamini. Ms. Bennett has also appeared with the San Francisco Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, and New World Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, for the world premiere of his Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind. Mikaela frequently collaborates with conductor Ted Sperling, most recently at Carnegie Hall performing Gershwin’s Let ‘Em Eat Cake (Mary Wintergreen) with the Orchestra of St Luke’s. Ms. Bennett also appeared in Bernstein on Broadway as part of the Leonard Bernstein centennial celebrations at the Kennedy Center directed by Kathleen Marshall and conducted by Rob Fisher. Additionally, she returned to Carnegie Hall for MasterVoices’ A Joyful Noise featuring 10-time GRAMMY Award-winning gospel group Take 6.
On stage, Mikaela made her professional debut in The Golden Apple (Penelope) at City Center Encores! She originated the role of Norma in Dick Scanlan and Carmel Dean’s new musical Renascence in New York City, made her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in the new Francesca Zambello production of West Side Story (Maria), debuted at The Glimmerglass Festival in The Sound of Music (Maria), starred in the title role of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella at the MUNY in St. Louis, and originated the title role in the opera Acquanetta, composed by Michael Gordon and directed by Daniel Fish at the Prototype Festival. Continuing her collaboration with director Daniel Fish, Ms. Bennett appeared as a featured soloist in his concert conception of The Most Happy Fella at Bard SummerScape. She also went on to make her Festival Napa Valley debut in Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta) under the baton of Kent Nagano. Additionally, Ms. Bennett has performed in some of New York City’s most prestigious cabaret venues including Joe’s Pub at the Public and Feinstein’s 54 Below. Last season, Ms. Bennett recorded Zodiac Suite with Aaron Diehl and The Knights conducted by Eric Jacobsen, returned to MasterVoices for Carmen (Micaëla) at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Cleveland Orchestra for a series of Holiday Concerts conducted by Brett Mitchell at Severance Hall, and Caramoor for Over the Rainbow: The Songs of Harold Arlen conducted by Ted Sperling. Additional debuts include Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite with the Oakland Symphony, and Broadway Romance with the San Diego Symphony conducted by Rob Fisher.
Mikaela is a native of Ottawa, Canada and a graduate of The Juilliard School.
AUGUST 2024
