Biography

Named one of CBC Music’s 30 hot classical musicians under 30 in 2021, Canadian baritone Korin Thomas-Smith has been carving a place for himself in the North American music scene.

 

In 2024, Korin joins Des Moines Metro Opera as an Apprentice Artist, singing as The Officer in Il barbiere di Siviglia and covering Thomas Eugene McKeller in the world premiere of American Apollo. As a Young Artist at the Glimmerglass Festival in 2023, Korin sings as Argante in Handel’s Rinaldo, singing alongside countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in a new production, and covering Maximillian in Eric Sean Fogel’s mounting of Candide. Korin and other Young Artists joined acclaimed singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant in a concert of her works in the Alice Busch Opera Theatre.

 

Korin returns to the Canadian Opera Company as a member of its prestigious Ensemble Studio in the 2024/2025 season, performing as Wagner in Gounod's Faust, Second Apprentice in Berg's Wozzeck, and singing Captain in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. Korin also covers Valentin in Faust and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly. Previous roles at the Canadian Opera Company include Officer in Puccini’s La Boheme, as well as mainstage performances as Harašto (The Poacher) in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen and Malatesta in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale alongside covering Schaunard in La Boheme and Masetto in Don Giovanni.

 

Making a name for himself in competition, Korin was awarded Third Prize in the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition in 2023, culminating in a Carnegie Hall debut concert performance. In 2024, Korin was a New York City District winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and was a Connecticut District winner and Third Place recipient in the New England region in 2023. He was a finalist in the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio Competition, the Opera de Montreal Atelier Lyrique, and Korin is honoured to be supported by the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation as a scholarship recipient in 2022.

 

Korin is a recent graduate of Yale University, receiving his Master of Musical Arts under tutelage of Adriana Zabala and Gerald Martin Moore. Korin had the privilege to perform roles such as Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia, Raimbaud in Le Comte Ory, and Dottore Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore in his time at Yale Opera.

 

Korin has been a fellow at esteemed institutions such as the Music Academy of the West and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, where he performed and masterclassed with Matthew Polenzani. Born and raised in Toronto, Korin has had the opportunity of creating and working with Toronto companies such as Tapestry Opera, Citadel+Compagnie, and Against the Grain Theatre. Korin is a proud alumnus of the University of Toronto Opera and the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Rebanks Family Fellowship and Residency Program.