Mikaela Bennett is a celebrated singer and actress praised for her artistic versatility on stage and in concert halls around the world. Equally at home performing with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall or starring in West Side Story (Maria) at the BBC Proms, Mikaela moves fluidly between opera, musical theatre, and concert repertoire. She has premiered new compositions by leading composers including Sarah Kirkland Snider, Derek Bermel, Michael Gordon, and Michael Tilson Thomas. Additional career highlights include her New York City solo recital debut at Alice Tully Hall; her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in West Side Story (Maria); Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath (Rosasharn) with MasterVoices at Carnegie Hall; and Handel’s Israel in Egypt with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall. Mikaela is a recipient of the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists and was also named one of WQXR’s “40 Under 40: A New Generation of Superb Opera Singers.”
In the 25/26 season, Mikaela makes her LA Opera debut in the world premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Hildegard (Richardis von Stade), followed by a return to the Prototype Festival in the same production. She also returns to Bard SummerScape for the world premiere of Courtney Bryan’s Suddenly, Last Summer (Catherine), an opera written for her. On the concert stage, she debuts at Emerald City Music in a solo recital featuring the premiere of a new Molly Joyce song cycle and excerpts from Snider’s Penelope, and appears with MasterVoices in Fauré’s Requiem and the world premiere of Sins and Grace at Alice Tully Hall. In December 2025, she appears in Holiday Pops programs with the Grand Rapids, Cincinnati, Toronto, and Edmonton Symphony Orchestras.
In the 24/25 season, Mikaela made her debut at Festival Musica Strasbourg in Ted Hearne’s contemporary oratorio The Source. Additional concert appearances included debuts with the Orlando Philharmonic for Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 under Eric Jacobsen; Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra in an all-Gershwin program; Kansas City Symphony for their Memorial Day concert, and the Baltimore and Nashville Symphony Orchestras in Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite with the Aaron Diehl Trio. Operatic engagements included her debut at the Prototype Festival in Christopher Cerrone’s In a Grove (Leona Raines/Leona’s Mother) and a return to The Glimmerglass Festival for the world premiere of Derek Bermel and Sandra Cisnero’ The House on Mango Street (Esperanza), written with her voice in mind.
Ms. Bennett has made multiple appearances at the BBC Proms debut at London’s Royal Albert Hall including the John Wilson Orchestra’s concert production of West Side Story (Maria), a concert featuring music from the Warner Bros. film studio with the same orchestra. She also performed Zodiac Suite with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. She appeared as a featured soloist under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel with the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing Wayne Shorter’s Aurora; with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin; with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Slatkin; and with The Cleveland Orchestra under Jader Bignamini. She also performed with the San Francisco Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, and New World Symphony—conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas—in the world premiere of his Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind. Mikaela frequently works with conductor Ted Sperling with works including Let ’Em Eat Cake (Mary Wintergreen), Handel’s Israel in Egypt with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and A Joyful Noise featuring 10-time GRAMMY Award-winning gospel group, Take 6, all at Carnegie Hall. She has also appeared at the Kennedy Center and San Diego Symphony under Rob Fisher.
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 musical Renascence, and made her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in Francesca Zambello’s production of West Side Story (Maria). She also appeared in The Sound of Music (Maria) at The Glimmerglass Festival and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, starred in the title role in Cinderella at The MUNY, and created the title role in Michael Gordon’s Acquanetta, directed by Daniel Fish. She made her Festival Napa Valley debut in Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta) under the baton of Kent Nagano.
Mikaela is featured on the GRAMMY-nominated recording of Zodiac Suite with Aaron Diehl and The Knights, conducted by Eric Jacobsen, and on the first complete recording of Carousel (Julie Jordan) with the Sinfonia of London under John Wilson.
Mikaela is a native of Ottawa, Canada, and a graduate of The Juilliard School.
2025-2026
