(Photo: Daniel W)

Soprano Brittany Renee is a Grammy Award-winner who has built up an impressive international career, performing at the Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Teatro Regio di Torino, Semperoper Dresden, and Teatro Petruzelli, among others.

The soprano is set to launch into a series of concerts in Colorado Springs and is coming off a memorable run of performances of “Porgy and Bess” at the Metropolitan Opera. Before the final performances of the historic run, which also included the final shows performed by mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, Renee sat down with OperaWire to reflect on her journey in opera, the demands of the title role of Bess, and the changing landscape of the art form.

OperaWire: How did you first get into opera?

Brittany Renee: I grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota, just outside of Minneapolis. Music was always part of my life. My mother was a huge fan of Leontyne Price, Marion Anderson and musical theater, while my father listened to a lot of jazz and gospel. I loved it all!

I saw my first opera when I was thirteen. It was “Don Giovanni.” I remember thinking it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I was completely mesmerized by the music, the costumes, the set. That image stayed with me. I sang in a lot of choirs growing up. Minnesota is a big choir state with lots of competitions. When I got to college, my parents encouraged me to pursue what I was passionate about. I remembered that first opera and thought, why not? One of the very first arias I ever sang was from “Don Giovanni.”

OW: You sing a wide range of roles, from traditional repertoire to modern opera. Do you have a favorite?

BR: I always say my favorite role is the one I’m currently singing. Each role has its own challenges and gifts. I love exploring the complexity of each character. What they want, what they’re afraid of, and what story they’re trying to tell. With female leading roles especially, there are so many nuances beneath the surface. The challenge is to make each character feel honest and fully human.

OW: You sang Bess twice this season, with Washington National Opera and at the Met. How do you keep the role fresh?

BR: Bess is incredibly complex. She’s tragic and fearful, but she’s also deeply self-aware and knows how to survive. She changes so much over the course of the opera. The role is physically demanding, and requires constant movement and stamina. I’ve sung Bess before with a touring company in Italy, and coming back to her now, I’m older and more mindful of my body. Staying healthy is essential so I can sing and move sustainably.

OW: How do you take care of yourself during a run like this?

BR: I get frequent massages, I try to eat balanced meals before every performance, and sometimes after as well. I practice yoga and meditation, and the cast is always reminding each other to stretch. I joke that singing Bess is a full-body workout. I wish I could wear my step-counter on stage!

OW: What makes “Porgy and Bess” unique?

BR: The sense of community both onstage and off. In every production, a cast can feel like a family, but with “Porgy and Bess,” the community itself feels like a character. We see the full spectrum of human experience and emotion through people who are often considered outsiders. There’s so much care, support, and joy within the cast, and that energy carries into every performance. With the Met production, I’m returning to the opera with several others who sang in the 2019 production. I was in the chorus then.

OW: Denyce Graves retired from opera after the final performance of “Porgy and Bess.” What was it like sharing the stage with her?

BR: I thank God every day that I had the opportunity to share the stage with her. Never in a million years did I imagine I’d be part of a production with such a legend. She’s incredibly gracious and inspiring, and this experience is something I’ll hold in my heart forever.

OW: Is there a role you’d like to sing that you haven’t yet?

BR: Violetta in Verdi’s “La Traviata.” She’s a woman of incredible depth and vulnerability, someone who lives fully, loves deeply, and ultimately sacrifices everything. Vocally, emotionally, and dramatically, it’s a role that challenges you to be completely exposed, and that’s something I’m very drawn to.

OW: How is the opera world changing?

BR: Contemporary works like “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” and “Champion” have brought in new audiences. People who feel seen and represented on the operatic stage. Opera really is for everyone, and more people are beginning to realize that. It’s also incredibly meaningful to sing operas by living composers and to be part of shaping the future of the art form.

OW: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not singing?

BR: I rest! I also love yoga, Pilates, and hiking. My husband works in the video gaming world, so we often unwind by playing video games together or watching WWE. We’re big food lovers, especially when we travel, and we love trying new restaurants. And we just got a puppy! When I leave the theater, I really try to go home and recover. Finding balance is essential.

OW: What’s on the program for with the Colorado Spring Philharmonic?

BR: I’ll be singing Gershwin, “Porgy and Bess: A Concert of Songs,” arranged by Robert Russell Bennett, and Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915.”