Johnny Herford

Johnny Herford performs in opera, song and oratorio, and won prizes in partnership with the pianist William Vann at the Kathleen Ferrier Competition and the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. He was recently made Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. 

As a recitalist, Johnny has appeared at the Wigmore Hall, as well as at festivals including the Leeds Lieder Festival, the Dartington Festival, the Machynlleth Festival, the New Paths Festival, and Lied in London; in collaboration with William Vann and other pianists such as William Vann, James Baillieu, Joe Middleton, Libby Burgess, and Gary Matthewman.

In 2014, Johnny was chosen by Philip Glass to create the role of Josef K in his opera, The Trial, in a collaboration between Music Theatre Wales and the Royal Opera House.  In recognition of his performance, Johnny was nominated for the Welsh Theatre Award for Best Male Performance in an Opera. He returned to Music Theatre Wales for Peter Eötvös’ The Golden Dragon, and Pascal Dusapin’s Passion. 

He made his US debut for Opera Philadelphia in Philip Venables' Denis and Katya, which he reprised for the European premiere of the piece at the Southbank Centre and around Wales, and appeared at Opera di Roma in Deborah Warner’s award-winning production of Billy Budd. Other performances have been for ENO, English Touring Opera, Scottish Opera, the Opéra National de Lorraine in Nancy, Opera North, Opéra de Dijon, Theater Magdeburg, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. This December he will sing the title role in the new opera Pierrepoint by Paul Honey.

He features on various recordings, including The Trial by Philip Glass, the Vaughan Williams disc "Purer than Pearl", Fauré with the Orchestra of St John's, Between Midnight and Sunrise by Paul Honey, and contemporary English songs for Navona Records and Divine Art Recordings.

Updated October 2026