Los Angeles Times: Soprano Janai Brugger wins three awards at Operalia 2012

Placido Domingo with winners of the 2012 Operalia contest in Beijing. (Operalia / June 11, 2012)

Los Angeles Times
By David Ng

June 11, 2012, 5:24 p.m.

Operalia, Plácido Domingo's annual opera competition, concluded on Sunday in Beijing with three Americans among the roster of winners.

Founded by Domingo in 1993, the competition spotlights young and emerging singers from around the world and takes place in a different city each year.

Soprano Janai Brugger, who recently graduated from L.A. Opera's Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program, took home three awards -- the first-place prize, a zarzuela prize and an audience award. Earlier this year, Brugger was a winner  in the Metropolitan Opera's annual National Council Auditions in New York.

An Illinois native, Brugger appeared this season at L.A. Opera in Puccini's "La Bohème," in the role of Musetta.