Biographical info

  • Born in Bessemer, Michigan, on April 18, 1991

  • Graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2009

  • Artist Diploma in Opera Studies; BM and MM in Vocal Performance at the Juilliard School

  • Received additional training from the Marlboro Music School, Franz-Schubert-Institut, and young artist programs at Wolf Trap Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis

  • Is based wherever the suitcase lands!

Season Highlights

  • House debut at Bayerische Staatsoper in Die tote Stadt

  • New Barrie Kosky production of Die Fledermaus for house debut at Dutch National Opera

  • World premiere of We Are The Lucky Ones at Dutch National Opera

  • Return to Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to sing first Beethoven Missa Solemnis

  • Korean debut in Britten War Requiem with Tongyeong International Music Festival

  • Returning to Cleveland Orchestra for role debut as Števa in Jenůfa

Career Highlights

  • Singing “Marry Me a Little” for Stephen Sondheim

  • Debuting at London’s Royal Opera House alongside Bryn Terfel as The Flying Dutchman

  • Appearing on Renée Fleming’s “American Voices” in a Sutton Foster masterclass on PBS

  • Singing the title role of Candide at Tanglewood on Leonard Bernstein’s Centennial

  • Making cabaret debut at the legendary Joe’s Pub

  • Winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions

  • Performing “Happy Days Are Here Again” for Gretchen Witmer’s reelection campaign announcement

  • Singing lead tenor role in the American premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s Innocence at San Francisco Opera

  • Founding the Emberlight Festival in 2021

Critical Acclaim

“How satisfying it is to attend an opera and find a ‘discovery’ in the cast. Here, it was Miles Mykkanen, a singer of vast power and lyricism who convinced us that the Steersman is really a vital cog in the machine…whose dramatic abilities match his fine vocal apparatus.”
Opera Today

“Mykkanen was a knockout... The lyric intensity of his singing made each moment count, and the duel-scene aria was a stretch of sheer vocal gold.”
Opera News

“Mykkanen managed to turn the Steersman into a principal character, so striking and brilliant were his forthright timbre and clear diction.”
Opera Magazine

“Mykkanen displayed a lovely lyric voice with an appealing honeyed sweetness in the timbre, which he employed with intelligence and humor.”
Opera News

“Mykkanen sang and spoke feelingly and superbly, with crystalline diction, a powerful lyric sound seemingly capable of infinite dynamic gradations.”
Opera Magazine

Anecdotes

  • While a student at Juilliard, served as a backstage handler for Liza Minnelli, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, and Donna Murphy – living out so many childhood dreams

  • Is an obsessive musical theater fan, having seen the Mamma Mia! stage production over 40 times

  • Loves reading autobiographies and memoirs

  • Also a big fan of The West Wing and other political dramas

  • His operatic debut was actually as a dancer – he appeared as a bearded ballerina in Smetana’s The Bartered Bride and landed on the front page of the New York Times!

  • The child of two high school band directors, he was the Michigan State euphonium soloist in his sophomore year of high school

  • Musical theater dream roles include Bobby in Company, Tateh in Ragtime, and Tony in West Side Story…and maybe a show that hasn’t yet been written!

  • Dream collaborators include Patti LuPone, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Renée Fleming, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Cynthia Erivo, Dianne Reeves, Audra McDonald, Alex Newell, and Chappell Roan