First among those equals is John Henrikson as Pluto, who has at times the biggest voice on the stage, even managing a killer soprano.
T.e. Klunzinger (Guest Reviewer)
That is exactly what I had in mind for that piece!
Jake Heggie – Reacting to Henrikson’s performance of “Friendly Persuasions: An Homage to Poulenc”
Tenor John Henrikson is a tenor currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts at the UMKC Conservatory, where he studies with Dr. Raymond Feener. Most recently, Henrikson performed the title role of Don José in Bizet’s Carmen at UMKC (2026), a performance that marked a definitive transition into the dramatic tenor repertoire. Recent operatic credits include Le Prince Charmant in Viardot’s Cendrillon (2025), Don Basilio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (2025), Docteur Miracle in Bizet’s Doctor Miracle with Lawrence Opera Theatre (2025), Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni (2024), Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (2024), and Pluto in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld (2019), for which he received the Lansing State Journal Thespie Award for Featured Actor. Additional credits include Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro (2016), Dorvil in Rossini’s La Scala di Seta (2018), Dr. Blind in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus (2017), and Abe Kaplan in Weill’s Street Scene (2017).
A two-time first-place winner of the NATS Competition in his division (2016, 2020), with second place in 2017, Henrikson has performed internationally, including an appearance at the Tianjin Concert Hall in China as part of the MSU-China XII Vocal Arts Collaboration (2018). A lifelong theater performer, he brings the instincts of a stage actor to his operatic work, having portrayed diverse characters across dramatic and musical theater productions throughout his career. As a concert and oratorio artist, he has performed the tenor solos in Handel’s Messiah (2017, 2020) and Alice Parker’s Melodious Accord with Musica Vocale (2024), and appeared with the UMKC ensemble in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms (2024).
Henrikson shares a love for the theater, and has portrayed many diverse characters over his tenure, most notably: Turtle from A Year with Frog and Toad (Fall 2022), Mr. Smee from Peter Pan (Summer 2015), Don Pedro from Much Ado About Nothing (Spring 2014), Mr. Halloway from Something Wicked This Way Comes (Fall 2014), Wilbur from Joseph Robinette’s adaptation of Charlotte’s Web (Summer 2013), Zoser from Elton John’s Aida (Fall 2013), and Gollum/Sméagol from The Hobbit (Fall 2012).
