J’Nai Bridges, known for her “plush-voiced mezzo-soprano” (The New York Times), has been heralded as “a rising star” (Los Angeles Times), gracing the world's top stages in repertoire ranging from traditional favorites to world premieres to spirituals and standards. Her 2019-20 season includes seven house debuts and two role debuts, including her much-anticipated house debut at The Metropolitan Opera.
Operatic engagements in the U.S. this season include her debut at The Metropolitan Opera, singing the role of Nefertiti in Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, and her house and role debut at Washington National Opera performing Dalila in Samson et Dalila. Bridges will sing the title role of Carmen for the first time in Europe at the Dutch National Opera, and will make her house and role debut with the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence singing Margret in a new production of Wozzeck, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.
Bridges opens her season with her Tanglewood Festival debut, performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She continues to showcase her concert repertoire by making her debut with San Antonio Symphony in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, and performing with the New Jersey Symphony in Handel’s Messiah. Bridges also performs an art song recital with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and closes her season by making her debut at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Chineke! Orchestra and Friends.