J鈥橬ai Bridges never aspired to be a professional singer in her early years, which makes her Met Opera debut and the 2022 for 鈥淏est Opera Recording鈥� that followed, all the more impressive.
A gifted basketball player, she was co-captain of her high school varsity team and was considering whether to pursue scholarships for basketball or concert piano.
But through a twist of fate and decision of a coach, she would build a career as a vocalist, and on Feb. 9-10, the mezzo-soprano will perform two Cliburn Concerts alongside pianist Mark Markham.
鈥淛鈥橬ai is one of the 鈥渋t鈥� artists in opera today; at the time we booked her, she had just had her Met debut, where her introduction of Nerfititi in Philip Glass鈥� Akhnaten won her her first Grammy in 2022,鈥� Sandra Doan, the Cliburn鈥檚 director of artistic planning, said. 鈥淪he has a gorgeous mezzo-soprano, a commanding stage presence, and a vast range in repertoire. She is a powerful and important voice in classical music. It鈥檚 our honor to host her at two intimate Fort Worth venues and to introduce her to our audiences.鈥�
The concerts will be the first recitals she鈥檚 performed in Texas.
The first evening will feature a more traditional repertoire, including pieces from Brahms and Ravel. The second night will have a more laid-back and will feature familiar American show tunes, to be announced from the stage.
鈥淚鈥檓 just really excited to come and sing for a new audience鈥� My hope is that they鈥檙e going to be also just some younger people in the audience on the first or and or second night just because I鈥檓 a huge advocate for the next generation,鈥� Bridges said. 鈥淎s a Black woman opera singer, I want to expose as many aspiring opera singers or young people that don鈥檛 know about this art form (to it). I鈥檓 just excited for this moment.鈥�
For years, Bridges sang in her church鈥檚 gospel choir, but it wasn鈥檛 until the end of her junior year that she joined the choir at her school.
The decision was a pragmatic one. She needed the arts credit in order to graduate, but it also was fortuitous. A teacher recognized her natural talent and encouraged her to hone her skills and take in private lessons.
鈥淚 thought, 鈥榃ow, I don鈥檛 really have time for this.鈥� I was so busy between school, piano and I played basketball as well,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淏ut I said, 鈥榃hy not?鈥� I鈥檒l just try to fit it in, so I started to study privately and I just fell in love with it.鈥�
She continued to juggle basketball and music for as long as she was able, but one day she ran into a scheduling conflict. She had choir practice and an away game on the same day.
Bridges recalled telling her coach and getting permission to have her family drive her the two hours to the game after choir practice.
Even though she rushed from practice to the game, making it in time for warm-ups, he sat her on the bench.
She remembers being in tears when the first two quarters went by and she wasn鈥檛 allowed to play. In front of the team, her coach told her she was being punished for letting her team down by choosing music over them, she said.
J鈥橬ai, then 17, was devastated, but 20 years later she is happy where she landed.
鈥淚 like to say this career chose me, and I chose it back,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 really love it and enjoy it and am grateful for that really awful coach.鈥�
The resilience that she developed as an athlete has served her well throughout her musical career. She takes the same approach to rejection after an audition that she did to losing a game.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have time to sulk. It鈥檚 like, 鈥極K, I lost this one. How can I do better next time?鈥� 鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat mentality of always being a student of your craft has stayed with me.鈥�
Marcheta Fornoff covers the arts for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marcheta.fornoff@fortworthreport.org or on . At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
