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MORGAN SMITH
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Reviews
Starbuck in the World Premiere of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Moby Dick
“Moby-Dick, the opera, is a triumph...Morgan Smith's strong, dense baritone perfectly suits the sturdy Quaker Starbuck.”
-Scott Cantrell DALLAS MORNING NEWS
“Heppner enjoyed great vocal support from...Morgan Smith as Starbuck...Smith took the part of the sensible yet romantic family man, the resistant voice of common sense. The richness and warmth of his singing added to the virility of his role.”
-Willard Spiegelman OPERA NEWS
“[Heggie’s] splendid cast gave him a lot to work with...Baritone Morgan Smith brought mellifluous lyricism and anguish to Starbuck's tuneful arias.”
-Heidi Waleson THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
“Scheer achieved dramatic concentration by pairing Ahab -sung to perfection by Ben Heppner - with first mate Starbuck - stunningly portrayed by Morgan Smith, a baritone at home in top German opera houses.”
-Wes Blomster OPERA TODAY
“‘Moby-Dick,’ opened in a blaze of glory at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House here on Friday night...The Dallas Opera treated Mr. Heggie to a first-rate cast...Starbuck, the moral center of ‘Moby-Dick,’ was handsomely portrayed by Morgan Smith, a sturdy baritone.”
-Steve Smith THE NEW YORK TIMES
“The cast was superb from top to bottom...tenor Ben Heppner...had an intelligent and rich-toned counterpart in the Starbuck of baritone Morgan Smith.”
-Joshua Kosman THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
“There’s something to be said for casting...Heggie makes considerable demands of his leads...Starbuck...was sung by Morgan Smith, a baritone with a strong mid-weight voice and acting ability whom I will be looking out for in future.”
-Anne Midgette THE WASHINGTON POST
Moby Dick debuts spectacularly
“Moby-Dick has a topnotch cast...Morgan Smith as Starbuck (the one character with a grip on reality) was superb.”
-Jerome Weeks ART AND SEEK
Jake Heggie has a whale of a hit with Moby-Dick
“There is an ocean of shimmering sea music, a spraying wall of choral sound (prepared by Alexander Rom) and moving arias for Ahab, Greenhorn (tenor Stephen Costello) and Starbuck (baritone Morgan Smith).”
-Ronald Blum ASSOCIATED PRESS
Moby-Dick, An Extraordinary Musical Experience May Point Opera in a New Direction
“Gigantic roles abound...Morgan Smith, in the role of Starbuck sang and acted with hypnotic power .”
-Wayne Lee Gay FRONT ROW
World Premiere: Heggie’s Theatrically Brilliant, Melodic Moby Dick at Dallas Opera – April 30, 2010
“I found Morgan Smith’s stellar Starbuck to be the evening’s standout performance...“Moby Dick” is the evidence that great American operas are beginning to emerge.”
-posted by William OPERA WARHORSES
“The cast simply could not have been bettered...Morgan Smith as Starbuck made one of the strongest impressions: I found his rich, powerful voice and stage charisma utterly compelling.” The duet between Ahab and Starbuck was “unspeakably eloquent and profound to me.”
-Albert Imperato GRAMOPHONE
“Morgan Smith is arresting as the first mate Starbuck, the only man who foresees the disaster of Ahab's course.”
-George Loomis THE FINANCIAL TIMES
“What keeps him [Ahab] near the edge of reason is Starbuck, played brilliantly by baritone Morgan Smith.” 
-Gary Cogill WFAA-TV
“Morgan Smith gives a richly sung performance as the first mate Starbuck, the opera’s most sympathetic character.”
-George Loomis THE CLASSICAL REVIEW
“The company is possibly the best ever assembled for a new American opera...Smith possesses a terrific baritone and a marvelous stage presence.”
-Charlene Baldridge CURTAIN CALLS
Moby Dick is nothing short of magnificent
“Morgan Smith’s baritone held sonorous gravity as Starbuck.”
-Chris Shull DFW.COM
“[Morgan Smith] sang outstandingly, and passionately conveyed the conflicted emotions of Starbuck, the first mate.”
-James Bash OREGON MUSIC NEWS
LISTEN to the NPR WEEKEND EDITION SUNDAY feature on MOBY DICK
STAY TUNED FOR MORE REVIEWS OF MOBY-DICK
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Title Role in Don Giovanni
“Morgan comes over as a completely believable Don, with a kind of charisma, with a kind of attack that draws people to him automatically.”
-Speight Jenkins SEATTLE OPERA
“Morgan Smith's virile Don was outstanding in Seattle Opera's stellar new production of Don Giovanni.”
-Melinda Bargreen THE SEATTLE TIMES
“Baritone Morgan Smith gave an electrifying performance as Don Giovanni, radiating saturnine power, dark magnetism and cruel charm. His ample, cognac-smooth voice has just enough snarl to give it bite. This young singer already inhabits the role the way James Bond fills a tux.”
-Jack Frymire THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Seattle Opera's Giovanni Fires up MacCaw Hall
“Morgan Smith, who we saw in the title role at McCaw Hall, cuts about as pertinent a modern-day Casanova as classical comic opera can. The standout baritone swaggers like a gunslinger, drinks like a fish and charms women out of their virtue; He may be every adolescent boy's role model...Smith's Giovanni is fun to see in action, and his voice is a thrilling voice to listen to.”
-Dale Burrows THE ENTERPRISE
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Manfred Lewin in For a Look or a Touch by Jake Heggie
“Commissioned by Music of Remembrance, Jake Heggie's song cycle with actors, For a Look or a Touch, is a masterpiece....Smith sang compellingly, Patrick's tired old man rang true, and the balance between musicians and voices always allowed the words to come through. This is an impressive piece of work. It tells the tale musically and vocally without waver or waffle, and deserves many hearings."
-Philippa Kiraly SEATTLE POST INTELLIGENCER
"A moving, superb debut....A sharply poignant, deeply affecting work....Morgan Smith and Julian Patrick take the breath away as Lewin and Beck, in deeply moving music and lyrics that pull no punches."
-Melinda Bargreen THE SEATTLE TIMES
"Have you ever been to a concert where the artists almost embarrassed you with their intensity? Where “blew you away” or “knocked you out” didn’t quite express how totally engaged you became with the performers? Well, that’s what we experienced nearly all evening at this May 7th concert at the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall...Young hunk, baritone Morgan Smith (Don Giovanni recently at Seattle Opera) sang with melting beauty as he begged Beck to remember their joy and profound love...The senior Julian Patrick and dazzling youth of Morgan Smith (not to mention his consummate talent as a singing actor) were perfect for this story of how Beck came at last to embrace his memories.”
-Rod Parke SEATTLE GAY NEWS
“Baritone Morgan Smith makes a feast of the seductive, chromatic lines that Heggie excels at. The singer has the range for the subtleties that help vary the basic stanza forms, as well as for the big emotions erupting in each song.”
-David Baker OPERA NEWS
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Escamillo in Carmen
“Morgan Smith, a strapping Escamillo, has a strong vibrant 
baritone.”
-Leonard Eureka FW WEEKLY
“With some really sexy singing, Morgan Smith made a
dashing...toreador.”
-Rosemary Ponnekanti THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE
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Silvio in I Pagliacci
“Nuccia Focile’s duet with the Silvio of Morgan Smith was riveting. Smith has a delightfully easy sounding baritone that on this occassion was filled with passion: Silvio’s ardor provided extraordinary relief amid the rest of the opera’s meanness and misery. He almost stole the show.”
-John Hulcoop OPERA NEWS
“As Silvio, baritone Morgan Smith made it seem entirely credible that Nedda would want to run off with him. Putting a Don Giovanni in this small but vital role is a great idea; Silvio needs to be vocally and theatrically seductive.”
-Melinda Bargreen SEATTLE TIMES
“Morgan Smith is an incredible singer, and he has one of the best voices that I’ve heard in a long time. His baritone is powerful, yet capable of infinite nuance. It was a pleasure listening to him. If this is any indication of things to come, see him while you can -this guy is the real deal. I heard him sing the title role in Don Giovanni last year and knew right away that he was the genuine article.”
-Igor Keller ARTDISH blog
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Papageno in Die Zauberflöte
“Morgan Smith was outstandingly good as Papageno, singing and acting with complete command, making him lovable, exasperating, and truly funny.”
-Ernest Worthing THE INDEPENDENT
“Baritone Morgan Smith trod the fine line between sympathy and silliness in the role of Papageno, and succeeded brilliantly... But Smith also possesses the untranslatable gift of body language...and an expressive voice of considerable beauty.”
-Greg Hettmansberger SANTA BARBARA NEWS PRESS
“Baritone Morgan Smith, a tall, handsome Papageno, produced some of the evening’s most beautiful singing, cleverest acting, and most understandable diction.”
-Travis Rivers THE SPOKESMAN REVIEW
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Ted Steinert in Frau Margot by Thomas Pasatieri
“Morgan Smith brings a deluxe-sized baritone and old-school masculine resolve to the role of Ted, while Patricia Risley’s mezzo is warm and attractive as Kara. The two strike a real rapport that make the characters’ romance come alive, and they also both look good in their underwear.”
-Kristian Lin FORT WORTH WEEKLY
A World Premiere Worth the Wait
“Morgan Smith, as Ted, is a real find, with chiseled good looks allied to a rich, oiled-walnut baritone.”
-Scott Cantrell THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
“Morgan Smith and mezzo Patricia Risley sang passionately and had nice chemistry as Ted and Kara (Mr. Smith wittily channeled a hint of the young Leonard Bernstein)”.
-Heidi Waleson THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
“Morgan Smith as Ted Steinert, the composer who had set out to complete the unfinished opera in question, is young, handsome and innocent enough to get caught in this spider web of erotic desire without full awareness of what stood before him.”
-Wes Blomster OPERA TODAY
“Baritone Morgan Smith was excellent as Ted Steinert, as he sunk helplessly into the maelstrom created by the two women.”
-Walter Simmons AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
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Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro
“Baritone Morgan Smith was dashing and calculating, and his voice smooth, the anticipated "Non piu andrai" (you know this aria, even if you've never been to the opera) at the close of the first act a deft mix of the singer's strength and comic presence.”
-Robi Polgar AUSTIN CHRONICLE
“Morgan Smith was an agile, powerful Figaro and a gifted comic actor...”
-Melinda Bargreen THE SEATTLE TIMES
Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia
"Morgan Smith's Figaro was impeccably sung in a rich, plummy baritone."
-Rosemary Ponnekanti TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE
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Peter Niles in Mourning Becomes Electra
by Marvin David Levy
“Morgan Smith (Peter Niles) made a manly contrast to Orin,
sounding full-blooded and sane.”
-John Hulcoop OPERA NEWS
Morgan Smith was “an ardent, firmly sung Peter Niles."
-Lawrence A. Johnson SUN SENTINEL
Morgan Smith was “particularly fine” and “moving” as Peter Niles.
-Maggie Larick QUEEN ANNE NEWS
Morgan Smith was “first rate” as “the hapless sibling” Peter Niles.
-Melinda Bargreen SEATTLE TIMES
“Morgan Smith gave a rounded, believable portrait of the normal Peter, the one link Lavinia has to a forgiveness she is destined to renounce.”
-Thomas May ANDANTE MAGAZINE
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Dandini in La Cenenrentola
“The production has young, vibrant singers in all of the roles, but it was Morgan Smith in the role of Dandini, who almost stole the show.” 
-James Bash NORTHWEST REVERB
"Baritone Morgan Smith, the Dandini, is a silky-smooth actor and singer who, in a florid sequence in the Act I finale, articulated the divisions as finely as Niederloh had shortly before.”
-Mark Mandel OPERA NEWS
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Giorgio Germont in La Traviata
“A keystone role in this production is that of Giorgio Germont, sung here by the superb baritone Morgan Smith. His voice is deep, rich and smooth as cognac, and his singing
elevated the entire production to a new standard, lifting the other singers to a higher performance level. He's a big, strapping guy with lots of vigor, but as Giorgio Germont he's tamped that down to affect the movements of a stiff old man. It's a fully realized performance.”
-Mike Murray SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD
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Riccardo in I Puritani
“Morgan Smith was a resonant and menacing Riccardo.”
-Melinda Bargreen THE SEATTLE TIMES
“Baritone Morgan Smith portrayed Riccardo as a lovelorn warrior through his elegant and suave vocalism.”
-Truman Wang CLASSICAL VOICE BLOG
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Harry or Larry in What Next? by Elliot Carter
“Harry or Larry (he answers to both names, and a few others), a bipolar clown whose shifts from menacing to tender – when he's not busy catching 
high-heel shoes with his fishing pole – were portrayed with some of the most forceful acting of the evening by baritone Morgan Smith, whose voice can shift from warm to penetrating in the blink of an eye.”
-Gene Gaudette CLASSICAL SOURCE
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Those Glorious Hollywood Musicals
“With leading-man looks and a rich baritone to match, Smith offered a sultry You Stepped Out of a Dream and, paired with Heide Holcomb, a charming Baby It's Cold Outside.”
-Rick Rogers THE OKLAHOMAN