[Janai Brugger (Chester Higgins, Jr./New York Times)]
The New York Times
By
ZACHARY WOOLFE
Published: October 19, 2012
IT can be hard to tell from competitions the kind of artist an unformed
young singer will become. But from the moment she walked onstage at the
finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in March, it
was clear that the soprano Janai Brugger, 29, had a rare confidence and
poise. And when she opened her mouth, in arias from Charpentier’s
“Louise” and Mozart’s “Magic Flute,” it was even clearer.
She was named a grand prize winner of the auditions, and in June took first place in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition. Not long afterward the Met
pounced, announcing that she would make her company debut as Liu in
Puccini’s “Turandot” on Oct. 30, replacing an ill performer. And to top
off a whirlwind year, she is also expecting her first child. “Yes, I
found out I was pregnant three hours before I walked onstage at
Operalia,” she said.
Zachary Woolfe spoke with Ms. Brugger at the opera house about her swift rise, her opera-obsessed mother and overcoming
stage fright. These are excerpts from the conversation.
Q. How did you start singing opera?
A. I started voice lessons the end of my freshman year
of high school. My voice teacher started training me classically, but I
told her, “I’m really not into classical music, I’m into musical
theater.” And she said that classical training is still good for the
voice and keeping yourself healthy. I started entering small
competitions and I entered both categories. And I had more success in
the classical. I was really confused.
So by the time college came around I just felt that maybe this was the
path I was supposed to go down. I never in my life would have thought
I’d be singing opera. It’s not that I didn’t like it, I just didn’t
think I could do it. My mother had taken us since I was little — she’s
an opera fanatic — but I had never tried to sing it.
Q. Did you go straight to grad school?
A. No, I needed a break. What I tell a lot of high
school kids is that you just have to be patient with yourself and I
wasn’t at the time. I was getting frustrated, it was hard, I was tired.
So I took a break. I still auditioned for Chicago Opera Theater and I
got into that program and that was great. When I left I auditioned for
the University of Michigan and got in, and I had Shirley Verrett as my
teacher. And she changed my life. She helped me with my confidence. I’m
not a shy person, but getting out on stage is so scary and vulnerable.
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