EMILY MICHIKO JENSEN

 Praised for her “theatrical instincts and intriguingly versatile instrument,” Japanese-American soprano Emily Michiko Jensenis an emerging young artist establishing herself as a versatile performer. 

 This season, Emily makes her role debut as Suor Angelica at IU Opera Theatre, and appears as a guest soprano soloist with the Pioneer Valley Symphony in Poulenc’s Gloriaand Dvorak’s Te Deum. She performed Samuel Barber’s song cycle “Despite and Still” with Professor Daniel Overly (IU). She most recently made her role debut as Donna Anna in Don Giovanniat Boston Opera Collaborative, where she made her company debut as Marguerite (Faust) in 2016. 

 Emily was an Apprentice Artist at Sarasota Opera, and a Studio Artist with Chautauqua Opera

During her time at Chautauqua, she sang the role of 2nd Soprano in Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproarand covered Annina in La Traviatawith Maestro Steven Osgood. She returned the following season to cover the role of Soprano 2 in Hydrogen Jukebox.

Previous roles include Blanche in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Foreign Woman in The Consul,Suzel in L’amico Fritz, Governess in The Turn of the Screw, and Tiny in Paul Bunyan. Other engagements included selections as Ilia in Idomeneo, Mimi in La Bohème, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Zdenka in Arabella, Alma in Summer and Smoke, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte.

 Her studies have brought her to the Academie d’été de Nice (France), and Freie Universität in Berlin (Germany), and Centro Studi Italia (Italy). She hopes to return to Europe one day to continue to build her repertoire and fuel her interest in languages.

 Originally from San Diego, California, Emily received a Graduate Diploma & Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music.

Emily is pursuing a Performance Diploma at IU as an Associate Instructor scholarship recipient, and studies with Timothy Noble.