Countertenor John Holiday has established himself as “one of the finest countertenors of his generation” (Los Angeles Times). His voice has been praised as “a thing of astonishing beauty” (New Yorker), “arrestingly powerful, secure and dramatically high” (Wall Street Journal), and “timeless” (Washington Post). Holiday’s unique voice and powerful story have been the subject of profiles in The New Yorker, CNN’s Great Big Story, Los Angeles Times, and more.
In the 2025-26 season, Holiday embarks on an exciting journey beginning with a collaboration with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, revisiting the music from Joe Hisaishi’s acclaimed End of the World, after his recent successful debut at the BBC Proms. He will make his long-awaited role debut as Cherubino, in The Washington National Opera’s production of Le Nozze Di Figaro, directed by Peter Kazaras. This performance marks his main-stage debut, following his recognition as the winner of the Marian Anderson Award, in 2017 during his debut at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.
Following this, Holiday will present a one-night-only performance of The Holiday Experience at Christ Church Cranbrook, before taking the stage as the Alto Soloist, in Handel’s Messiah, with his triumphant return to the New York Philharmonic at David Geffen Hall. Next, he heads to his operatic home, across the pond, to the Bayerische Staatsoper for Barrie Kosky’s renowned production of Die Fledermaus, where he will make his role debut as Prinz Orlofsky, in performances that celebrate the New Year. After this, he will return to one of his favorite roles as the titular Akhenaten, this time in the celebrated Phelim McDermott production, at Los Angeles Opera.
The season continues with a recital and concert tour, featuring performances at Susquehanna University, Spivey Hall, Dayton Opera, and more. He will revisit Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, which is a house debut, followed by his role debut as Ruggiero, in Alcina with the Bayerische Staatsoper, during their exceptional Münchner Opernfestpiele. To cap off an incredible season, John concludes with a residency partnership with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Highlights for Holiday's 2024-25 season included a debut in the role of Farnace in Mitridate, re di Ponto at Boston Lyric Opera, under the direction of James Darrah. In March 2025, he will debuted, as the title role of Akhenaten in a new Barrie Kosky production, at Komische Oper Berlin. Holiday returned to the Bayerische Staatsoper in two titles: Le Grand Macabre, as Prince Go-go, in October and as the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas, in July 2025, and embarked on a tour with The English Concert of Giulio Cesare in Egitto, in the role of Tolomeo, at prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and the Barbican. He performed alongside the San Francisco Symphony, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Apollo Chamber Players, in addition to a solo recital, at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. He was also featured, on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series and appeared on an episode of NPR's Amplify with Lara Downes.
Holiday began his 2023-24 season as a featured soloist with the Handel and Haydn Society for a performance of Handel's Messiah. The season continued in January 2024 with Handel's Agrippina with the Dutch National Opera, where Holiday performed the role of Nerone. He performed at Washington Adventist University in a recital alongside world-renowned bass Morris Robinson, as well as Brandie Sutton, Aaron Crouch and more, followed by a solo recital at Pensacola Opera. Holiday was featured at Jazz at Lincoln Center for an American Songbook recital, and joined the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra to perform Pergolesi's Stabat Mater in a program conducted by Jaime Martín also featuring soprano Amanda Forsythe. At PACNYC, in conjunction with Trinity Church Wall Street, Holiday was a featured soloist in the premiere of Luna Pearl Woolf's Oratorio in April, and returned to The Metropolitan Opera to reprise his roles in the restaging of Kevin Puts’s The Hours following last season's acclaimed premiere. Holiday performed at Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) in the role of Prince Go-Go in György Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre, and also appeared at Arizona Opera and the University of Michigan for recitals and masterclasses.
In his 2022-23 season, Holiday was a featured artist with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. He performed as the title role in Claire van Kampen's production of Idaspe, followed by a screening and streaming release of his acclaimed film After/Glow. Holiday also made his return to The Metropolitan Opera as the Man Under Arch and Hotel Clerk roles for the stage premiere of Kevin Puts’s The Hours. He debuted as a featured artist in the world premiere of Four Portraits at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and starred in a production of We Shall Not Be Moved, directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner and Kennedy Center Honoree Bill T. Jones.
“An exceptional vocalist with a strong voice, even in its highest range.”
– The New York Times
An acclaimed concert singer, Holiday has performed at world-renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, London’s Barbican Center, and the Philharmonie de Paris. His career highlights include a tour with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic; the Sorceress in Barrie Kosky’s production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice as Orpheus’s Double at the Los Angeles Opera; the world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s We Shall Not Be Moved with Opera Philadelphia and the Dutch National Opera; title role in Xerxes at the Glimmerglass Festival; and Caesar in Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto at Wolf Trap Opera. In addition to the traditional concert performances and recitals, Holiday has curated The John Holiday Experience (JHE) to showcase his affinity and talent for many different genres that includes classical, pop, jazz, and R&B. He has performed the program on a national scale, bringing it to Dallas, Des Moines, and Dayton, with plans to continue the eclectic evening of song in his upcoming seasons.
Outside of classical repertoire, Holiday excels in jazz, gospel, and pop music having opened for Grammy award winner Jason Mraz in concert. In 2018, Holiday sang the national anthem for his hometown team the Houston Rockets, and in 2019, Holiday performed at the star-studded Ozwald Boateng Harlem Runway Show at The Apollo Theater, in a performance that was covered by Vogue, Forbes, and CNN, and attended by celebrities Jamie Foxx, Idris Elba, Dapper Dan and others. Additionally, in 2019 Holiday performed Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” at the Apollo Theater Spring Gala.
"The voice that rang from the stage that day was unique, powerfully clear with clarion high notes... In the balcony, people exchanged looks of astonishment."
- San Francisco Classical Voice
Holiday has been the recipient of numerous major competitions and award programs such as the 2017 Marian Anderson Vocal Award; the 2014 Richard Tucker Foundation’s Sara Tucker award; first place at the 2013 Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition, the 2012 Sullivan Foundation, and the 2011 Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition; and third place winner in the 2014 OPERALIA competition. In addition, Holiday was selected among WQXR’s prestigious 20 for ‘20 Artists to Watch, named one of BroadwayWorld’s “New York Opera Gifts that Keep on Giving,” nominated for “Newcomer of the Year” by the German magazine Opernwelt, and listed as one of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 100 honorees for 2018. In May 2023, Holiday announced his appointment as an Associate Professor of Voice at the University of Maryland School of Music beginning in Fall 2023.
John Holiday received a Bachelor of Music, in vocal performance, from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he studied with Soprano, Barbara Hill Moore, a Master of Music, in vocal performance, from the University of Cincinnati College – Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Mezzo-Soprano, Karen Lykes, and the Artist Diploma in Opera Studies from The Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied with Mezzo-Soprano, Marlena Malas. Holiday grew up in Rosenberg, Texas, located near Houston, and attended the town’s public schools in Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.
