Bass-baritone

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2017 Lotte Lenya Competition

Top Prize

"Come master"

Nick Shadow, The Rake's Progress

The Pirates of Penzance

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

"Vi ravviso"

Rodolfo, La sonnambula

La bohéme

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

"Madamina, il catalogo é questo"

Leporello, Don Giovanni

"This is The Life"

Sam Cooper, Love Life

Wozzeck

Lyric Opera of Chicago

"Oh, better far to live and die"

Pirate King, The Pirates of Penzance

Headshots

Chicago, IL

me

With a voice of "rich presence and power" (OPERA TODAY), American bass-baritone Brad Smoak has rapidly emerged as one of the stage's most exciting and sought-after talents. Known for his compelling presence on both the operatic and musical theater stages, Smoak continues to delight audiences with his “easy charismatic charm” and unique versatility across a wide variety of musical styles and theatrical characterizations.

A graduate of the prestigious Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, he has performed a variety of roles with Lyric Opera of Chicago, sharing the stage with such operatic legends as Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, and Ferruccio Furlanetto. Mr. Smoak has received critical acclaim for his performances in Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Les Troyens, Carmen, Don Quichotte, and Wozzeck, to name a few, and has made a signature role out of the Pirate King in Gilbert & Sullivan's comedic romp The Pirates of Penzance. He also originated the role of General Benjamín in Bel Canto, a newly commissioned work by Jimmy Lopez and Nilo Cruz that was featured on PBS as part of their Great Performances series. Additional credits include leading and supporting roles with Palm Beach Opera, New York City Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Wexford Festival Opera (Ireland), Michigan Opera Theater, Sarasota Opera, and Omaha Opera, among others, along with concert appearances with Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Grant Park Music Festival.

Equally at home performing musical theater and crossover repertoire, Brad Smoak was awarded the Top Prize at the 2017 Lotte Lenya Competition, showcasing his flexibility while spanning multiple styles and genres. Smoak was also recently named a 2017 winner of The Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation for his work at Lyric Opera of Chicago, as well as the Top Award from the American Opera Society of Chicago in 2016. He was also the inaugural winner of the Marc Blitzstein Award from the 2016 Lotte Lenya Competition, highlighting his performance of musical theater from the “Golden Era”.

In recital, Brad Smoak has been featured in the intimate Beyond the Aria series, directed by pianist Craig Terry and presented by the Harris Theater at Millennium Park in Chicago. He has also appeared multiple times as a guest soloist on WFMT's Ryan Opera Center Recital Series, performing a wide range of repertoire from operatic arias to musical theater anthems, contemporary art songs to neopolitan classics.

Calendar

ERSTER SOLDAT, SALOME
LEPORELLO, DON GIOVANNI
DON PASQUALE, DON PASQUALE
  • John McKeever, conductor
  • James Allbritten, director
  • Piedmont Opera
    Mar 17 - 21, 2023

Travels

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THE 'MOTHER' OF HOME REMEDIES

Let's try an infamous singer's "friend" and find out if it lives up to the hype.

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JUMP IN AT BARD

Nothing like a short-notice gig to get the blood pumping! And there is no shortage of blood in this classic piece by Strauss.

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ONE ROLL TO RULE THEM ALL

While on contract singing Don Pasquale with Piedmont Opera, I found the mother of all cinnamon rolls in Winston-Salem, NC.

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MANAGEMENT INFO