Opera singer Jeanine De Bique is supposed to be resting her voice when she answers our video call from sunny Barbados. “Giving myself to the people in the audience is healing, but it can be very draining as well,” she explains. “I try to find pockets of time where I can recuperate and be in nature and hike.” It’s no wonder she needs a pause: The formidable Trinidad-born, Manhattan-trained soprano is a rising force in the classical world, in high demand for her celebrated performances of Baroque composers like Handel. 

Tara Joshi: Trinidad is a famously musical place. How did that impact your journey as a vocalist?

Jeanine De Bique: Our culture is rich with heritage, folklore, music and dance; its vibrancy lives in the blood of the people. My family is no different. My sisters took dance lessons and we all played the piano. My earliest memories are of my grandmother rocking me as a baby and singing me to sleep, and of attending church, latched around her hip while she sang hymns. 

TJ: What are your plans for the rest of the year?