Biography

Named one of CBC Music’s 30 hot classical musicians under 30 in 2021, Canadian baritone Korin Thomas-Smith is carving a place for himself in the North American music scene. Praised for his "imposing baritone" (Wall Street Journal) as well as his "easy physical presence" (New York Classical Review), Korin has established the start of a promising career.

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The 2026-2027 season sees several role and house debuts, beginning with two Rossini works; the first as a Filene Artist at the Wolf Trap Opera, performing the role of Dandini in La Cenerentola, and the second his title role debut with the Edmonton Opera in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Korin makes his Seattle Opera debut as Schaunard in a new production of La bohème. In the Francesca Zambello production of The Little Prince, Korin made his Dallas Opera debut as The Businessman for which he was praised for his “baritone bright and substantive” (Dallas Morning News). 2025 saw Korin performing as Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette with the Canadian Opera Company, and with the Santa Fe Opera, Korin performed as Schaunard in La bohème, Count Ceprano in Rigoletto, and covered Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro.

 

The 2025-2026 season was also an exciting period for Korin in competition: Korin was the winner of the troisième prix at the Concours OSM, the Sung Shin Award winner at Opera Index, and the Donald Gramm Memorial Award recipient, awarded to Apprentice Artists of the Santa Fe Opera. In the Rumbold Vocal Prize Competition at the Edmonton Opera, Korin was the first prize recipient, the Grace Audience Choice Award winner, and the winner of the Yukon Arts Residency. Korin was awarded as one of six laureates of the George and Nora London Awards in New York City in 2026, after previously participating as a finalist in 2025. And in March of 2026, Korin performs on stage of the Lincoln Centre as a Semi-finalist of the Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition at the Metropolitan Opera.

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Korin is a recent graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, in his time performing as Second Apprentice in Wozzeck, Captain in Eugene Onegin, Wagner in Faust, and Malatesta in Don Pasquale. Korin has been a young artist at several esteemed festivals in the United States, including Des Moines Metro Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, where he performed as Argante in Rinaldo, the Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute.

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Korin is alumni of Yale University, during his studies performing as Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia, Raimbaud in Le Comte Ory, and Dottore Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore. Korin is also a graduate of the University of Toronto Opera program, where he won the Jim and Charlotte Norcop Prize in Song, and was a fellow in the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program. Korin is graciously supported by the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation.