H. Stephen Smith

H. Stephen Smith
Professor of Voice

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 and Literature before continuing on at Eastman to receive a Master of Music Degree 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 Söderstrom, Hillevi Martinpelto, Katarina Dalayman, 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. Over the past several years 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 America 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.

Smith joined the music faculty at Middle Tennessee State University in August of 1998, where he serves as Professor of Voice.

Listen to Stephen Smith in streaming audio:

1. Una furtiva lagrima by Donizetti - Stephen Smith with MTSU Symphony Orchestra
2. E lucevan le stelle by Puccini - Stephen Smith with MTSU Symphony Orchestra
3. Che gelida manina by Puccini - Stephen Smith with MTSU Symphony Orchestra
4. Ingemisco by Verdi - Stephen Smith with Middle TN Choral Society
5. Proserpin, Scene XIII: Recitative and aria by Joseph Martin Kraus - Stephen Smith with the Stockholm Chamber Orchestra
6. Romans by Franz Berwald from the opera Estrella de Soria - Stephen Smith with Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra (Sweden)
7. Lensky's Aria by Tchaikovsky - Stephen Smith with Janet Gustafson, piano
8. Frederico's Lament by Cilea - Stephen Smith with Caleb Harris, piano
9. Nessun dorma by Puccini - Stephen Smith with Joseph Walker, piano

E-mail Mr. Smith