Marta Johansen, soprano, sings the role of Despina in Così fan tutte. Previous appearances with West Bay Opera include the title roles in Manon, Lucia di Lammermoor, and La traviata, Mimi (La bohème), and Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute in 1997 and in 2005).

Ms. Johansen recently performed the role of Miss Jessel (Turn of the Screw) with Oakland Opera Theater. Other past roles include Marguerite (Faust) with Berkeley Opera and the title role in Stravinsky’s opera/ballet The Nightingale with Cinnabar Opera. She created the role of Evita in Franzetti and Moscovich’s Corpus Evita with the San Francisco Camerata. She sang Gilda (Rigoletto) with North Bay Opera, and other leading roles with Pocket Opera, the Lamplighters, and Townsend Opera.

Ms. Johansen garnered a Best Actress nomination from the Sacramento Area Regional Theater Alliance, won first place in the Fresno Lyric Opera statewide competition, and was a finalist in the National Opera Association competition. Her research into the music of Pauline Viardot-Garcia led to the development of the one-woman show Salon Viardot.