After completing a B.A. in Political Science from Davidson College, in his home state of North Carolina, Stephen Smith studied voice at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, completing a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance before continuing on at Eastman to receive a Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance and Literature and a Performer's Certificate in Opera.

Smith has performed leading roles on numerous opera stages with artists such as Renée Fleming, June Anderson, Elisabeth Söderström, Hillevi Martinpelto, Katarina Dalayman, Peter Mattei, and Tom Krause, to name a few, and while residing in Stockholm, Sweden from 1989-98, studied privately with Nicolai Gedda.

Smith made his tenor debut with the Pittsburgh Opera Theater, singing the role of Pinkerton in Puccini's MADAMA BUTTERFLY. During his career he has performed numerous leading tenor roles with opera houses in Scandinavia, as well as in Switzerland, Poland, Britain, and Portugal. His operatic work in the United States includes his performing with opera companies in New Orleans, San Francisco, Houston, Mobile, Tulsa, Sacramento, Austin, Augusta, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Chattanooga, Norfolk, Shreveport, Columbus, Boston, Nashville, and New York.

Smith has recorded with Musica Sveciae and Caprice Records, including the roles of Salvatorre in Franz Berwald's ESTRELLA DE SORIA, Atis in Joseph Martin Kraus' PROSERPIN, and Cardinal Rohan in Daniel Börtz’s MARIE ANTOINETTE. He also appeared as the male lead, Mats, in a full-length, feature film adaptation of Ture Rangström 's opera, KRONBRUDEN, which has been viewed by television audiences throughout Scandinavia, Australia, and Germany.

« Read Less