Soprano ELISSA JOHNSTON has appeared in a wide range of repertory. Her orchestral engagements have included appearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Atlanta Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Santa Rosa Symphony, and the San Francisco Contemporary Players. She has performed numerous times with the L.A. Philharmonic New Music Group, both in Los Angeles and at the Ojai Festival, with conductors Tan Dun, David Zinman, Daniel Harding, and Steven Stucky. She made her Lincoln Center debut in 1999 singing Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes with the New York City Ballet and returned to Lincoln Center in May of 2001, premiering Morgen!, a set of 10 orchestral songs by Richard Strauss choreographed by Peter Martins. Johnston also appeared in the New York Philharmonic's Copland Festival and Lincoln Center's Stravinsky Festival.

Her recital appearances include programs at the Aldeburgh Festival in England and at the Aspen Festival's Winter Music Series with composer Ricky Ian Gordon. Also in Aspen, she sang the role of Pat Nixon in the world premiere of John Adams' concert suite from Nixon in China entitled The Nixon Tapes, with the composer conducting. Upcoming engagements include Mendelssohn's Elijah and Lobgesang with the Fort Worth Symphony and Beethoven's Missa solemnis with the Los Angeles Master Chorale at the new Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Johnston's recent operatic engagements include Pamina in The Magic Flute at the Snape Proms in England, the role of Female Chorus in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia at the Aldeburgh October Britten Festival, and Marzelline in concert performances of Beethoven's Fidelio at the Aspen Festival and with the Wheeling Symphony. With Los Angeles Opera, she has appeared in Il trovatore, The Marriage of Figaro, and The Return of Ulysses. Elissa Johnston also performed the role of Brigitta in concert performances of Tchaikovsky's Iolanta with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Valery Gergiev.