Feature: This Summer St. Louis Will Get a Double Shot of Paulo Szot

World renowned opera singer and Tony Award winner Paulo Szot will be spending a lot of time in St. Louis this summer. Szot will make his Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL) debut in The Light in the Piazza and reprise his Tony winning role as Emile de Beque in South Pacific at The Muny.

“You know,” Szot said, “The movies The Light in the Piazza and South Pacific have an interesting connection. The late Italian actor Rossano Brazzi starred in the movie versions of The Light in the Piazza and South Pacific. He played the roles I will be playing in St. Louis. It’s quite a coincidence. I’m following in his footsteps bringing both of his film roles to the stage here.”

“I had to say yes to the invitation from my colleague at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, the dear Patricia Racette, who is now Artistic Director at the theatre.” Szot continued, “I’m very excited to play Signor Naccarelli and work opposite Kate Baldwin and alongside this beautiful young talented cast.”

Immediately following The Light in the Piazza, Szot will move to The Muny to begin rehearsals for South Pacific. Szot made his Muny debut last season with his critically acclaimed portrayal of Juan Peron in Evita. Broadway World said, “Szot’s resonant baritone is filled with warmth,” and called his portrayal honest, vulnerable, and sensitive. Lynn Venhaus of Poplife STL called his baritone rich and powerful.

“I fell in love with The Muny and the city last year when I performed in Evita.” Szot continued, “The Muny is simply enchanting, the team is incredible, and it was a gift to be a part of The Muny season. I was very glad when I was presented with the opportunity to return and perform again this year in South Pacific.”

He credits his Tony winning work in the Lincoln Center revival of South Pacific with creating greater opportunities for him in both Opera and musical theatre. “It was after the run of South Pacific that The Met, La Scala and The Paris Opera offered me lead roles in an Opera.  All these houses opened their doors after South Pacific.”

Szot has sung dozens of roles in some of the greatest Opera palaces around the world. “I love all of Mozart’s characters. My favorite is Count Almaviva from The Marriage of Figaro. I love singing that role. It’s so much fun.”

When asked about Opera roles that are on his bucket list, Szot replied, “I really want to sing Baron Scarpia from Tosca. He’s an evil man and a corrupt politician, plus Puccini’s music incredible. It’s a rewarding experience when you get to play someone so much different than you. He compared it to his experience playing Hades in Hadestown on Broadway.”

Once he started talking about musical theatre, Szot recalled how much he enjoyed playing Billy Flynn in Chicago. He played the role on Broadway and in Brazil. He chuckled, “I had to re-learn the role in Portuguese for the Brazilian run.”

Szot also originated the role of Lance in the Broadway company of & Juliet. He said, It was a blast getting to play Lance and sing those songs. It was like a party every night.”

The songs he is referring to is the music of Swedish pop producer Max Martin. Szot’s character sings Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody,” and other of the pop hits that Martin penned or co-wrote.

Despite all his success, Szot has remained incredibly humble. He confessed that it took him nearly a decade to display his Tony Award on a shelf. “I remember when the awards season started with South Pacific that I had to not think about everything going on. I concentrated on doing a good job.” He said, “I cannot deny that winning the Tony Award was overwhelming. Liza Minelli presented the category. That is something that I will never forget.”

Szot has worked non-stop for more than 30-years. He hasn’t taken a vacation since 2009. “I travel so much for my work that I do the simple things when I get down time. I come home to Brazil and spend time with my family and my dogs. I like to garden and work on the house.”

“Both The Light in the Piazza and South Pacific have beautiful scores with stories that are pertinent and still need to be told,” says Szot. “The message in South Pacific is about people being motivated by love. The topics of acceptance and overcoming racism are so important.”

The Light in the Piazza opens at Opera Theatre of St. Louis on Saturday, May 30, 2026, and plays six performances during their 51st Festival Season. Visit opera-stl.org for more information and the full schedule.

South Pacific will be on stage at The Muny from July 6 – 12, 2026. Visit muny.org for more information on The Muny’s 108th season.