Visiting voice professor: Stephen Smith

On Thursday September 5th I attended a vocal performance concert in which a visiting voice professor from Middle Tennessee State University, Stephen Smith and accompanist Lynn Rice-See performed a variety of “arias and art songs”. His selections included “Sonnets of Petrarch” by Franz Liszt, “Nessun Dorma” from Giacomo Puccini’s opera, Turnadot, and songs by Richard Hundley and Richard Strauss—to name a few. My favorites by far were “Nessun Dorma” and all of his Strauss songs. He sung the Puccini aria with such spirit and compassion. When he hit and sustained the highest note in the piece the resonance and tone was so beautiful and full that it gave me goose bumps! Likewise, I could tell that he felt most connected and passionate about his Strauss selections because of his added animation and careful phrasing of each song. It’s hard to explain, but as a singer I sensed that he had an even higher regard and deeper appreciation for these songs than any of the other songs performed. My beliefs were confirmed when I attended his master class the following day because he confided to us that he did in fact like his Strauss selections the most out of the concert repertoire! The rest of his pieces were performed well but did not inspire or affect me in the same way his delivery of the “Nessun Dorma” and the Strauss songs did.
- Brigid Hannon