“One soloist after another sang beautifully, but the standouts were soprano Julie Liston Johnson and tenors Derek Chester, Eduardo Tercero, and Donald Krehbiel.”
American soprano Julie Liston Johnson is well known for her rich, shimmering timbre, technical brilliance, and diverse repertoire encompassing opera, concert, and recital. Dr. Liston Johnson earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts in voice performance and opera from The University of North Texas and her Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School where she was also a teaching fellow and instructor.
Julie has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall, Teatro Communiale di Bologna, Alice Tully Hall, Moody Performance Hall, Trinity Church Wall Street, and Durham Cathedral in northern England where in 2019 she sang the soprano solos in Verdi’s Requiem. A frequent soloist in the Dallas metroplex, highlights include the soprano solo in Brahms’ Requiem at the Meyerson Symphony Center, a recital sponsored by the Dallas Puccini Society, solos in Handel's Messiah with the Broadway Baptist and Highland Park Presbyterian choir, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, and John Rutter’s Requiem with the composer conducting. She also sang the American premiere of Bob Chilcott’s St. John Passion with Chilcott conducting.
Julie made her Carnegie Hall debut singing the soprano solo in Fauré Requiem. New York performances include singing with The Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, Mark Morris Dance Troupe, Vox Vocal Ensemble, Trinity Church Wall Street, The Voices of Ascension, and the New York Festival of Song. Recordings include Haydn Missa Cellensis with Trinity Church, Wall Street, and Into the Night with Vox Humana. A skillful interpreter of new music, Ms. Liston Johnson premiered John Zorn’s La machine de l’être at the Téatro Comunale di Bologna, and sang the soprano solo in Mario Davidovsky’s Biblical Songs with Continuum, conducted by Joel Sachs. Julie was a member of Dallas-based Orpheus Chamber Singers under the direction of JD Burnett. Dr. Liston Johnson presented the subject of her dissertation, Pieces of 9/11: Memories from Houston, by Jake Heggie at the 2022 NATS National Conference in Chicago.
Mrs. Liston Johnson sang the title role in Madama Butterfly at Opera at Florham. She was a winner in the Aspen Opera concerto competition performing Mozart’s Queen of the Night’s Vengeance Aria, from Die Zauberflöte, which she has also sung in concert with The Minnesota Orchestra. She has performed with American Opera Projects, Bel Canto at Caramoor, Chautauqua, The Minnesota Opera, and North Star Opera.
Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Julie Liston Johnson received her Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School where she was also on the Evening Division Faculty, before relocating with her husband Bert K. Johnson to his home state of Texas. She was on the voice faculty at the University of Texas Arlington before returning to New York City where she resides with her husband, Bert K. Johnson-Bass, and their daughter, Ava.