Photo by Danny Kornfeld

Mikaela Bennett is a celebrated singer and actress who is garnering praise for her work on stages and in concert halls. She begins the 22/23 season with a return to MasterVoices for Carmen (Micaëla) at the Rose Theater in Jazz at Lincoln Center. Additional engagements include a debut with the Oakland Symphony for Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite conducted by Holly Choe, returns to The Cleveland Orchestra for Holiday Concerts conducted by Brett Mitchell and The Philadelphia Orchestra for Zodiac Suite conducted by Cristian Măcelaru, and her New York City recital debut at Alice Tully Hall.

Last season she made debuts at The Glimmerglass Festival in the new Francesca Zambello production of The Sound of Music (Maria) conducted by James Lowe and Blossom Music Center for performances of Zodiac Suite with The Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Jader Bignamini. Additionally, she recorded Zodiac Suite with Aaron Diehl and The Knights conducted by Eric Jacobsen and returned to Carnegie Hall for MasterVoices’ A Joyful Noise which featured 10-time GRAMMY Award-winning gospel group Take 6.

Mikaela made her Festival Napa Valley debut in Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta) under the baton of Kent Nagano and appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel performing Aurora by Wayne Shorter. She made her debuts with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Slatkin and the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Mikaela 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 is a native of Ottawa, Canada and a graduate of The Juilliard School.