Recounting the All-State Choir competition against students from larger campuses, the Muleshoe, Texas native aspired to prove his worth beyond the quiet life his small town offered.
With an endowed connection to music, he continued to explore and return to the feeling singing offered–ultimately earning a spot in an acclaimed opera program years later.
Selected as one of 28 artists in a pool of more than 1,500 applicants, Ryan Bryce Johnson, 31, is set to join the 2026 Merola Opera Program in San Fransicso, California.
“To describe the feeling music gives is hard,” Johnson said. “Inspiration, curiosity, aliveness and connection. We live in a world actively working against connection … but ultimately, most people find connection in music.”
Founded in 1957 and named after the San Francisco Opera’s first general director, Gaetano Merola, the Merola Opera Program aims to nurture the future of opera stars.
“This year will mark a summer of transformative growth in San Francisco for this remarkable group of artists,” Merola Executive Director Sean Waugh said in a press release. “Once they have completed this program, they will join a vibrant community of distinguished alumni who have gone on to thrilling careers with major opera houses around the world. They take with them the support of Merola’s vast network of dedicated members and supporters, all focused on a commitment to opera’s future.”
Long before celebrating this milestone, Johnson’s connection to music began the moment he sang in church. This newfound feeling made him feel at home.
“There are times when you’re singing for people and things really connect,” Johnson said. “People are either comforted or inspired by what you have to say. Those moments added up for me.”
From there, Johnson quickly became immersed in choir, orchestra and musical theater.
Johnson’s introduction to opera came through hearing a singer perform “Nessun Dorma.” Until that moment, Johnson said he had never listened to opera or classical music.
“It took my breath away because I didn’t know people could sing like that,” Johnson said. “It was one of those moments where I was like, ‘Man, I want to learn more!’ I didn’t know what that meant, but I knew I wanted to study music.”
Throughout these early stages, Johnson’s parents, Chris and Adena Johnson, remained supportive.
“My parents weren’t really into classical music,” Johnson said, “but I wanted to go to music school, and they were willing to go on that journey with me.”
Johnson remained faithful to his dream and pursued a vocal performance degree at Texas Tech University, and earned a master’s degree in the same area of study at the University of Illinois.
Thereafter, he participated in several musical programs, including the Opera Theater of Saint Louis and Santa Fe Opera, and sang at the Glimmerglass Festival.
Notably, Johnson earned the Santa Fe Opera Award of Excellence in 2025.
However, navigating the industry conjured a few setbacks.
The pandemic posed limited opportunities, and Johnson felt pressured to meet a timeline for milestones he originally anticipated achieving. Moreover, he auditioned for the Merola Program consecutively in 2022 and 2023 to no avail.
“Things just didn’t line up in those years,” Johnson said.
Despite this, the opportunity presented itself oncemore a few years later. Johnson received word of the auditions, submitted recordings in August of 2025 and sang in front of Merola panelists in October. This time, Johnson’s authentic approach to his audition secured him a spot in the program.
“ After I sang the first piece, (the panelists) were like, ‘Ryan, you sound so good, what’s the difference?’ I was singing things to express myself, and it made an impression on them,” Johnson said.
In an age of rapid technological growth interfering with human interaction, Johnson said music is a crucial form of communication that champions the connections people crave.
“There’s something almost otherworldly when someone sings or plays a note in a certain way that says all the things you can’t usually say with words,” Johnson said. “I think that’s when you connect to the music.”
A prime example of this is singing at funerals, Johnson said.
“Some of the most cherished moments in my life have been singing for funerals,” Johnson said. “You get to sing about hope and mourning for people who don’t quite have the words, and who aren’t ready to say anything. They’re grieving, and you give them this opportunity to feel this through the music.”
Between moments like funeral performances and singing to crowds for entertainment, the notion of human connection widely motivates his pursuit of music.
Ironically, for Johnson, this sentiment is more prevalent in preparation for performances rather than the performances themselves.
“Funny enough, after you really put all your energy into it and you finally have a performance, there can be a kind of letdown once you settle in,” Johnson said. “I enjoy performances, but they’re not the best part for me. The best parts are the rehearsals and having that creative space and that motivation to create something special.”
Another avid supporter of his ventures is his wife, Belinda Johnson. Together, the two have a one-year-old named Julian, who is already growing up listening to his father practice his singing at full volume.
“ My wife and I have thought, ‘How are we going to teach him how to use his inside voice, because I’m pretty loud,’” Johnson laughed.
With his sights set on expanding his skillset and network, Johnson is eager to utilize his time in the Merola Program. Johnson is one of two Texas artists selected from the entire program.
Reflecting on the events leading to this moment, Johnson revealed the reassurance he wished to provide his undergrad self.
“Don’t put a timetable on anything,” Johnson said. “Enjoy what you’re doing now, don’t wait to enjoy something later. I spent so much time in my younger years stressing a lot.”
“ Express yourself; be yourself,” Johnson added.