“Jennifer Johnson Cano, voluptuous and Titian-tressed, moves confidently and seductively, matching her chiaroscuro mezzo to the action. She avoids the pitfall of many Carmens by allowing the music to speak for itself, only coloring the words and refraining from over-interpreting. Act IV was a lesson in how to blend singing and acting to achieve a layered  portrayal."
— Bachtrack  

“Jennifer Johnson Cano brought a dark, Horne-esque mezzo-soprano and an understated insolence to the title role. Her somewhat emotionally distant Carmen holds something back from her lovers, offering all of her body but only bits and pieces of her heart. It’s an atypical take on this hot-blooded siren, perhaps more in keeping with Franz Wedekind than Prosper Merimée, yet not ineffective in this context. Johnson Cano seemed almost haunted at times; lying on the ground facing away from the desperate Don José in Act II, she seemed determined to live in a world all her own, untouched by and perhaps protected from her lover’s frantic pleas.”
— Boston Musical Intelligencer  

“Mezzo Jennifer Johnson Cano did full justice to the title role. After a fine if slightly hesitant Habanera, Cano relaxed, and her voice bloomed. A hair-raising card scene, replete with dramatic chest notes and bold attacks in the upper register, was a highlight.”
— Opera News  

“Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano is a powerful, seductive Carmen.”
— The Tech  

“Cano executed the choreography brilliantly in the title role as Carmen.”
— The Harvard Crimson