American soprano Janai Brugger, the 2012 winner of Operalia and of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, made her television debut last season when she sang a specially written requiem composed by Laura Karpman for an episode of the HBO series “Lovecraft Country.”
She returned to Mahler’s Fourth Symphony with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and revived a favorite role, Pamina in Die Zauberflote at Palm Beach Opera’s first Outdoor Opera Festival. More recently, she appeared as Michaela in Carmen at Cincinnati Opera and returned to Dutch National Opera for its acclaimed Missa in tempore Belli (Haydn), conducted by Lorenzo Viotti and directed by Barbara Horáková.
She also appeared at the Met as Clara in the celebrated new production of Porgy and Bess, in which she previously appeared at Dutch National Opera. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, she sang the role of Ilia in Idomeneo and at Cincinnati Opera, she appeared as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro. In her artistic home of Los Angeles Opera, she sang the role of Servilia in La clemenza di Tito, a role she previously performed at Dutch National Opera. Brugger traveled to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden for revival performances of Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and sang the role of Liù in Turandot at Lyric Opera of Chicago.
A native of Chicago, the artist obtained a master’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Shirley Verrett. She received her bachelor’s degree from DePaul University. Then she participated in the Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera and went on to become a young artist at Los Angeles Opera for two seasons.
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSOA by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
