{{Short description|American singer (born 1990)}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = person | name = John Riesen | image = File:John Riesen.jpg | alt = | caption = Riesen in 2020 | birth_name = John Riesen | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|05|29}} | birth_place = Ilion, New York, U.S. | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|actor|performer|musician}} | years_active = 2014–present | spouse = {{marriage|Gillian Riesen|2017}}<ref name="The Times">"The Times," ''Christmas at Home with the Riesens'' Page A1, December 19, 2020</ref> | website = {{URL|johnriesen.com}} | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|piano}} | genre = {{hlist|Classical|classical|crossover|musical theatre|opera|jazz vocal}} | past_member_of = {{hlist|Metaphysic}} | label = {{hlist|Blue Griffin Records}} }}
'''John Riesen''' (born 29 May 1990) is an American singer, actor, and musician best known for his performances as a tenor in musical theater, opera, and concerts. He was a semifinalist on America's Got Talent, has played lead roles in musical productions at Lincoln Center, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and performed in concert at Carnegie Hall.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/television/2022/09/13/americas-got-talent-finalists-the-10-acts-competing-against-mayyas/|title='America's Got Talent' finalists: the 10 acts competing against Mayyas by Evelyn Lau|publisher=The National News|date=September 13, 2022|accessdate=July 3, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Pacific Symphony"/><ref name ="SF Classical Voice"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amaranta-viera.com/schedule/2021/12/musica-sacra-messiah-gf-hndel-ensemble|title=Amaranta Viera - Carnegie Hall|publisher=Amaranta Viera|date=|accessdate=July 1, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Concert Archives">{{cite web|url=https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/john-riesen|title=John Riesen and Kent Tritle|publisher=Concert Archives|date=December 21, 2021|accessdate=July 1, 2024}}</ref>
Riesen was an associate producer on Aaron Lazar's Impossible Dream album released in 2024. The record was nominated for a Grammy Award and charted at #2 on Billboard's Classical Crossover Album chart in 2024.<ref name="People">{{cite web|url=https://people.com/aaron-lazar-impossible-dream-video-exclusive-8699677|title=Aaron Lazar Unites Sting, Kristin Chenoweth, Josh Groban and 75+ Broadway Stars for 'Impossible Dream' Video by David Quinn|publisher=People|date=August 22, 2024 |accessdate=September 23, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list|title= 2025 Grammy Nominations Full List|publisher=Grammy |date= November 8, 2024|accessdate=November 8, 2024}}</ref><ref name ="Billboard">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/classical-crossover-albums/2024-09-07/|title= Billboard Classical Crossover Album Chart|publisher=Billboard |date=September 7, 2024|accessdate=September 23, 2024}}</ref>
==Early life and education== John Riesen grew up in the Detroit area of Michigan. He was an avid baseball player (pitcher) and was awarded All-Region and All-State Academic honors.<ref>"Detroit Free Press," ''Baseball'' Page 31, May 22, 2008</ref><ref name="Times"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://canvasrebel.com/meet-john-riesen/|title=Meet John Riesen |publisher=Canvas Rebel|date=October 13, 2002|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref> He began singing as a teenager and majored in voice performance and opera at Michigan State University where he received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.music.msu.edu/assets/MSU_Music_H4H_final.pdf|title=The College of Music Showcase Series - MSU's Home for the Holidays|publisher=MSU|date=December 1, 2012|accessdate=July 3, 2024}}</ref>
==Career== Riesen is a singer (tenor), actor, and musician (piano). In high school he excelled in sports as a baseball pitcher then began pursuing a career in opera and musical theatre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://crossovermusicmagazine.com/former-baseball-pitcher-turned-opera-singer-releases-christmas-album/|title=Former baseball pitcher turned opera singer releases Christmas album by Natasha Barbieri|publisher=Crossover Music Magazine|date=November 29, 2020|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref> He has performed with Marcus Hummon and Marina Arsenijevic and released two studio albums, ''What You’d Call a Dream'' (2019) and ''Christmas at Home'' (2020).<ref name="Nashville Opera">{{cite web|url=https://www.nashvilleopera.org/performances/stream-free/favorite-son|title=Favorite Son |publisher=Nashville Opera |date=January 21, 2022|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=488a5nMbefc|title=Nashville Opera Presents Marcus Hummon's FAVORITE SON|publisher=Nashville Opera|date=August 15, 2022|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-f9gjmg7ew|title=We Are The Champions by Emmy nominated Marina Arsenijevic with tenor John Riesen|publisher=Marina Arsenijevic|date=September 20, 2020|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluegriffin.com/cd-catalog/p/what-youd-call-a-dream-john-riesen|title=John Riesen - What You'd Call a Dream|publisher=Blue Griffin|date=|accessdate=July 1, 2024}}</ref>
In 2013, Riesen won 1st place "Tenor" and "Audience Favorite" at the Harold Haugh Opera Vocal Competition as well as being awarded a "Jackson Symphony Contract Winner".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicoperaguild.org/vocal-competition/|title=Harold Haugh Opera Vocal Competition|publisher=Comic Opera Guild|date=|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jacksonsymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/jso-season-brochure-updated-september.pdf|title=Jackson Symphony Orchestra ESCAPE 2017/2018 Season|publisher=Jackson Symphony|date=November 11, 2017|accessdate=July 1, 2024}}</ref> In that same year, playing Frederic, he sang, "When You Had Left our Pirate Fold (A Paradox)", from the ''Pirates of Penzance'', at Ruth Bader Ginsburg's speech on how the "law plays a palpable role in opera."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chqdaily.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/lawyers-and-opera-supreme-court-edition/|title=Lawyers and opera: Supreme Court edition by Jess Miller|publisher=The Chautauquan Daily|date=July 29, 2013|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref> In 2014, he won the "Apprentice Award" by the Chautauqua Opera.<ref name="Times">"The Times," ''Awards'' Page C3, September 11, 2014</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.music.msu.edu/news/vocal-arts-honored-at-chautauqua|title=Vocal Arts Honored at Chautauqua - Vocal arts alumnus earns opportunity, awards through professional opera companies|publisher=MSU Music|date=August 14, 2014|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref> In 2022, he sang, the "American Anthem" at the Patriot Gala Awards ceremony for Medal of Honor recipients, hosted by Gary Sinise in Knoxville, Tennessee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndmngS7oBwQ|title=American Theme Patriot Gala Awards John Riesen|publisher=Craig Riesen|date=September 22, 2022|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref> Riesen has played lead roles in such musicals as ''Sweeney Todd'', ''West Side Story'', ''Glory Denied'', ''La traviata'' and ''Beethoven's Ninth'', performing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, New York City Ballet, and Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/detroitopera/docs/bravofall2019dongiovannisweeneytodd|title=Program: Bravo Fall 2019 Opera: Sweeney Todd - page 11|publisher=Bravo|date=October 10, 2019|accessdate=July 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westsidestory.com/calendar/2018/4/28/boulder-philharmonic-colorado-usa|title=Westside Story - Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra|publisher=Westside Story|date=April 28, 2018|accessdate=July 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://dctheatrescene.com/2020/01/17/opera-review-glory-denied-a-heartbreaking-story-of-the-vietnam-war-and-its-aftermath/|title=Opera review: Glory Denied, a heartbreaking story of the Vietnam War and its aftermath by Susan Galbraith|publisher=DC Theatre Review|date=January 17, 2020|accessdate=July 1, 2024}}</ref><ref name ="SF Classical Voice">{{cite web|url=https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/pacific-symphonys-la-traviata-fills-bill|title=Pacific Symphony's La traviata Fills the Bill by Steven Winn|publisher=San Francisco Classical Voice|date=June 7, 2021|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Pacific Symphony">{{cite web|url=https://www.pacificsymphony.org/_px/_pdf/_files/1715372357pdf_23-24_Beethovens_Ninth.pdf|title=Beethoven's Ninth at Segerstrom Center for the Arts|publisher=Pacific Symphony|date=January 9, 2024|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dallassymphony.org/productions/prohibition-the-music-of-moulin-rouge-boardwalk-empire-and-more/|title=Prohibition: The Music of Moulin Rouge, Boardwalk Empire and More!|publisher=Dallas Symphony|date=September 8, 2023|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/John-Riesen-Releases-Visual-EP-What-Youd-Call-A-Dream-20210113|title=John Riesen Releases Visual EP 'What You'd Call A Dream' by Sarah Jae Leiber|publisher=Broadway World|date=January 13, 2021|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref> He played the lead role of Tony in ''West Side Story Suite'' at Lincoln Center<ref name="Stagetime">{{cite web|url=https://app.stagetime.com/organizations/nyc-ballet|title=NYC Ballet Schedule of Events|publisher=Stagetime|date=January 1, 2018|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref> and was a featured tenor in ''Messiah'', conducted by Kent Tritle, at Carnegie Hall.<ref name ="SF Classical Voice"/><ref name="Concert Archives"/> Riesen played a lead role as a tenor and actor in Marcus Hummon's ''Favorite Son'', which premiered at the Nashville Opera in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/life/entertainment/2022/01/20/nashville-opera-debuts-favorite-son-marcus-hummon/6569951001/|title=Nashville Opera to debut distinctly American 'Favorite Son' by Marcus Hummon|publisher=The Tennessean|date=January 21, 2022|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Nashville Opera"/> He is an associate producer on Aaron Lazar's 2024 album release, ''Impossible Dream'', featuring Josh Groban, Neil Patrick Harris, Kristin Chenoweth, and Kelli O'Hara, among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/aaron-lazar-collaborates-with-josh-groban-kristin-chenoweth-leslie-odom-jr-more-on-impossible-dream-album-to-benefit-als|title= Aaron Lazar Collaborates With Josh Groban, Kristin Chenoweth, Leslie Odom Jr., More on Impossible Dream Album to Benefit ALS Network by Margaret Hall|publisher=Playbill|date=June 14, 2024|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref>
Riesen was a semifinalist on America's Got Talent (Episode 1716). The trio (Riesen, Patrick Dailey, and Daniel Emmet) using Metaphysic AI and deepfake multimedia, sang, "Nessun dorma" from Turandot with imagery of Simon Cowell, Terry Crews and Howie Mandel singing together. Riesen performed as Mandel and they received a standing ovation from judges, Cowell, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara as well as Cowell saying that it was "the best act of the series."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZEsKcezTrM&t=1s|title= EPIC! Simon Cowell Sings Duet with Howie Mandel and Terry Crews on America's Got Talent! Metaphysic|publisher=Talent Recap|date=August 30, 2022|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveportbossieradvocate.com/food_and_entertainment/professional-singers-train-with-shreveport-opera-sox/article_85c71094-5bdb-11ee-88b5-b3677e009b7e.html|title=Shreveport's got talent. Did you know professional singers train with Shreveport Opera? by Elizabeth Deal|publisher=Shreveport-Bossier Advocate|date=September 25, 2023|accessdate=June 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://digital.buffalospree.com/buffalospree/january_february_2023/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1846824#articleId1846824|title=This Tenor's Got Talent by Jan Jezioro|publisher=Buffalo Spree|date=|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref>
==Personal life== Riesen resides in Buffalo, New York with his wife, Gillian (née Cotter), their son, Roman, and daughter, Eleanor.<ref name="The Times"/>
==References== <references />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riesen, John}} Category:Living people Category:1990 births Category:American male musical theatre actors Category:20th-century American male opera singers Category:21st-century American male pianists