Ben Johnson

BMus, PGDip Opera (Adv)

Vocal Studies professor

Acclaimed tenor Ben Johnson represented England in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2013 and won the Audience Prize. Ben is a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, 2008 winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Award, 2011 Wigmore Hall Emerging Talent, and a 2013-2015 English National Opera Harewood Artist.

Passionate about all areas of performance, his career encompasses the concert repertoire, opera and recital as well as conducting and artistic direction. He is the Founder and Chief Conductor of the Southrepps Sinfonia as well as joint Artistic Director of the Southrepps Classical Music Festival.

Highlights of the 2018/19 season included performances as Tamino Die Zauberflöte with Welsh National Opera and as Don Basilio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with The Grange Festival, in addition to a new production of Britten’s The Burning Fiery Furnace with Scottish Opera. Equally active on the concert platform, Johnson recently performed Händel’s Messiah with La Nuova Musica, and Bach’s St John Passion with the Oxford Bach Soloists.

Current releases include Szymanowski's Love Songs of Hafiz and Symphony No.3 with Edward Gardner and the BBC Symphony Orchestra for Chandos, a recording of sonnet settings with Graham Johnson for Champs Hill and a collection of Victorian English songs with James Baillieu for Rosenblatt Recitals, recently released by Opus Arte.

Recent operatic highlights include Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, both for Opera Holland Park, a celebrated run as Alfredo in a new production and subsequent revival of La Traviata, Tamino in a new production of The Magic Flute by Simon McBurney, and Nemorino L’elisir d’amore, all for English National Opera, Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night's Dream for Bergen National Opera, Novice in Michael Grandage's production of Billy Budd at Glyndebourne and Copland's The Tender Land at Opéra de Lyon.

Upcoming engagements include performances of Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia with the Salzburg Camerata at de Doelen in The Netherlands, a return to Grange Festival as Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a tour of South East Asia as Camille in Lehár’s The Merry Widow.

In addition to a busy performing schedule, Johnson will also be recording a selection of Sullivan Songs with Sarah Connolly for Chandos Records.

Photograph: Chris Gloag

Find out more about Ben and the Southrepps Classical Music Festival. Visit website

Faculties / departments: Vocal Studies