Known for her opera and concert work, Brewer, who lives in Lebanon, Illinois, was named one of the top 20 sopranos of the 20th century by BBC Music Magazine in 2007.
Brewer performed as a soloist on the Grammy-winning "Songs of Innocence and Experience,” a song cycle is based on the poetry of William Blake that was recorded live under the direction of Leonard Slatkin at the University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium in 2004. The album won four Grammys, including Best Classical Album and Best Choral Performance in 2006.
Brewer, 65, is best known for her interpretations of roles by Wagner, Strauss and Britten, including Isolde from the opera Tristan und Isolde.