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Biography

About Korin Thomas-Smith

"Thomas-Smith could not be a better Figaro. He skillfully plays his character with charm, wit, and energy that is constantly bouncing off of his Susanna. His warm rich tones fill the theatre..."

Schmopera

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 2025, Korin spends the summer in New Mexico as an Apprentice Artist with the Santa Fe Opera. Korin covers as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, performs as Count Ceprano in Verdi's Rigoletto, and covers as Schaunard in Puccini's La bohème, taking the mainstage in the final three performances.

The 2025/2026 season sees Korin returning to the Canadian Opera Company to sing two performances of Mercutio in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette. Following, Korin makes his house debut at Dallas Opera to perform in The Little Prince.

 

In 2024, Korin joined 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 performed as Argante in a new production of Handel’s Rinaldo, singing alongside countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, and covered 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. 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.

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