Lauded for his “pleasantly throbbing tone” (Opera Today), Michael Deshiel, is a young tenor quickly catching the attention of the opera world. A rising presence in the competition circuit, Mr. Deshield was recently recognized by the Wagner Society of New York as a Third Prize winner in their International Singers Competition, a Semi-Finalist in the Butler Opera International Competition, and a winner of the Indiana District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Last season, Mr. Deshield covered the role of Raffaele in Stiffelio with Sarasota Opera and was awarded the Stuart R. Silver Scholarship in Support of a Returning Apprentice Artist. He also made his company debut with Des Moines Opera singing the role of the Second Jew in Strauss’s Salome and covering Walter in Damien Geter and Lila Palmer’s American Apollo. This season, he joins the New Jersey Festival Orchestra as a guest artist in their “Return of the Holiday Tenors” concert and makes his Madison Symphony Orchestra debut as the tenor soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Mr. Deshield is also slated to compete in the Central Region of The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition as well as Houston Grand Opera’s Eleanor McCollum Competition. In the 2026-2027 season, Mr. Deshield will join Opera Philadelphia to cover Radames in Aida.