Baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. Reveals 2026-2027 Season Highlights
Smith's 2026-2027 season includes his house debut at the Canadian Opera Company in Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata.
GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. has announced his 2026-2027 season, filled with notable operatic highlights, including multiple role and company debuts, as well as concert performances.
Performance Information
Smith's 2026-2027 season includes his house debut at the Canadian Opera Company in Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, before he makes his company and role debut at Anchorage Opera in the title role of Verdi's Macbeth. In the new year, he debuts with the Montgomery Symphony as Marcello in Puccini's La Bohème, with the Symphony of Southeast Texas as bass-baritone soloist in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, and with the Waco Symphony as bass-baritone soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. In spring, he makes his company and role debut as Jochanaan in Richard Strauss's Salome with Kentucky Opera. He also returns to The Phoenix Symphony for his celebrated annual holiday performances.
From September 18 to October 17, 2026, Smith makes his Canadian Opera Company debut, performing as Giorgio Germont, alongside Russell Braun, in Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata. Conducted by Paolo Carignani and revived by Mo Zhou, this production features an exciting cast including Kathryn Lewek and Andriana Chuchman (Violetta Valéry), Long Long and Luke Norvell (Alfredo Germont), Ariana Maubach (Flora Bervoix), Emma Pennell (Annina), Peter Barrett (Baron Douphol), Nick Murphy (Marchese d'Obigny), and Alex Halliday (Dr. Grenvil).
From October 23 to November 15, 2026, at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Smith makes his Anchorage Opera debut in Verdi's Macbeth, conducted by Gregory D. McDaniel. He is joined onstage by Christina Major (Lady Macbeth), Zaikuan Song (Banco), and Ben Gulley (Macduff) in one of Verdi's most gripping and theatrically inventive operas.
Smith returns to The Phoenix Symphony for Holiday Pops Spectacular!, an annual festive concert celebrating carols and hymns from diverse traditions, from December 4 to 6, 2026. Led by Daniel Wiley, Smith performs alongside soprano Katherine Henly and the Phoenix Symphony Chorus, conducted by Chorus Master Dr. Thomas Bookhout.
In the new year, Smith makes his Montgomery Symphony debut in Puccini's La Bohème on February 12, 2027, conducted by Music Director Jamie Reeves. Smith performs the role of Marcello alongside a stellar cast including Lydia Katarina (Mimì), Jasmine Habersham (Musetta), Daniel O'Hearn (Rodolfo), Eleomar Cuello (Schaunard), Wei Wu (Colline), and Paul Houghtaling (Benoit/Alcindoro).
Smith goes on to appear at the Symphony of Southeast Texas for a performance of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess with the Symphony of Southeast Texas Chorus, conducted by Chelsea Tipton II on April 3, 2027. The program also includes Gershwin's Overture to Crazy Girl and Zhou Tian's Transcend.
On April 15, 2027, Smith makes his Waco Symphony debut in the orchestra's 2026-27 season finale concert, conducted by Music Director Lawrence Loh. The concert honors the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death, bringing the season to a breathtaking conclusion with a program that features Dallas composer Jon Cziner's Rear-View, a work inspired by road trips and the nostalgic memories they evoke, and Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Smith performs the bass-baritone solo in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, alongside Katherine Whyte (soprano), Jamie Van Eyck (mezzo-soprano), Jack Swanson (tenor), and the Central Texas Choral Society.
On May 7 and 8, 2027, Smith makes his house debut at Kentucky Opera, performing as Jochanaan for the first time in Richard Strauss's Salome. Conducted by Teddy Abrams and directed by Ben Robinson, this co-production with the Louisville Orchestra features Jessica Faselt (Salome), Chad Shelton (Herod), Lindsay Ammann (Herodias), and Omar Najmi (Narraboth).