J’Nai Bridges To Star In Damien Sneed’s ‘Our Journey: 400 Years From Africa To Jamestown’ At Carnegie Hall

Composer and pianist Damien Sneed is set to showcase his new opera “Our Journey: 400 Years From Africa to Jamestown,” at Carnegie Hall on Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. The world premiere performance will star mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and baritone Will Liverman alongside the Chorus Le Chateau and the Sphinx Virtuosi Orchestra. The opera highlights the challenges and difficulties that Africans {…}

Jul 12, 2019

Jonas Kaufmann, Plácido Domingo & The Top 7 Opera To see This Weekend Internationally (7/12-14)

(Credit: Gran Theatre del Liceu/Bayerische Staatsoper/Metropolitan Opera) This weekend is stacked with a number of new productions and revivals with some of the biggest stars. Here is a look at seven works we think are unmissable. Guillaume Tell – Chorégies d’Orange, France Nicola Alaimo takes on Rossini’s final opera, a work that has become his signature. He is joined by {…}

May 5, 2019

Matthew Polenzani & J’Nai Bridges Headline ‘Carmen’ At San Francisco Opera

San Francisco Opera’s 2019 Summer Season opens with Bizet’s “Carmen” with an all-star cast. The production by Francesca Zambello is set to star American mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges in her first professional performances of the title role and American tenor Matthew Polenzani in his role debut as Don José. They are joined by Romanian soprano Anita Hartig, who makes her San {…}

Mar 19, 2019

Opera Forward Festival Review 2019: Girls of the Golden West

The 1848 Californian gold rush has an almost mythical place in American cultural history, with its associations of lucky strikes and the pioneering spirit, as well as more negative connotations of lawlessness, hard toil and poverty for those who were not so lucky. It has spawned Hollywood films, documentaries, books and songs, while opera-goers are also likely to associate it {…}

Mar 15, 2019

Top 5 Operas to See This Weekend – International (3/15-17)

This weekend is filled with exciting casts, classic operas, and two rare gems. One is an early work and the other is a new modern opera, which had its world premiere last year. Here is a look at what OperaWire recommends you see this weekend. Tosca – Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi Kristine Opolais makes her Arab debut singing the {…}

Feb 20, 2019

J’Nai Bridges, Brenda Rae & The Six Exciting Debuts Of the Met Opera’s 2019-20 Season

One of the most exciting aspects of a new season is the fact that audiences will get an opportunity to encounter new and exciting artists for the very first time. This is also the case at the Metropolitan Opera, which will feature a plethora of debuts in numerous major productions. Here is a look at six stars that we are {…}

Dec 19, 2018

Carnegie Hall 2018-19 Season Review: J’Nai Bridges

On Dec. 13, 2018, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges made her debut at New York City’s Carnegie Hall, joined by pianist Mark Markham. The evening’s program was a fascinating mix of spiritual and classical selections, which showcased not just Bridges’ artistry, but her passion as well. The First Half Starting the evening’s recital was William G. Fischer’s “I’d Love to Tell the {…}

Nov 17, 2018

Los Angeles Opera 2018-19 Review: Satyagraha

I once saw an evening of Kathakali theater, a kind of folk opera of southern India. I would probably not have understood much of what was going on in “The Killing of Dushasana” had I not read the program booklet beforehand. Even so, after the first scene my regular biases for dialectic drama vanished and I was hooked, overwhelmed by {…}

Nov 15, 2018

Tanglewood 2019 Season To Feature Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, & A Wagner Opera In 2 Days

The Tanglewood Festival has announced its 2019 season. As with other programs of this sort, we will limit ourselves to the vocal and operatic selections on display. For the full program, click here. Verdi’s Requiem will get a performance with Kristine Opolais, Oksana Volkova, Jonathan Tetelman, and Ryan Speedo Green. Andris Nelsons will conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Performance Date: {…}

Oct 27, 2018

Q & A: Mezzo J’Nai Bridges on ‘Satyagraha,’ Basketball & Her Upcoming Carnegie Hall Recital

Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges’ first love was basketball. “It was something I was quite great at, and could see myself going far in,” the Lakewood, Washington native revealed to OperaWire in a recent interview. But eventually, something else took over her life as she grew older and she knew that she had to leave her first love behind to pursue her {…}

Jan 23, 2018

Opera Stars Celebrate Bernstein’s Centennial With Heartfelt Concert

On Jan. 21, 2018, fans of Leonard Bernstein gathered in The Greene Space of Lower Manhattan for a night of songs and celebration in honor of the 100th birthday of the great composer. Hosted by WQXR’s Elliott Forrest, the event was equal parts reminiscence and reverie, in large part due to pianist Laura Downes, who performed much of her upcoming {…}

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