Richard Trey Smagur

American tenor Richard Trey Smagur, winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2017, has been praised by Opera Today for his "attractive lyric tenor" and "vivid presence.” 

This season, Mr Smagur returns to Opera Philadelphia for his role debut of Adorno in Simon Boccanegra, alongside Quinn Kelsey and Ana María Martínez. He reprises the role of Števa in Jenůfa in his debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago alongside Nina Stemme and Lise Davidsen, conducted by Jakub Hrůša. He makes his house debut as Don José in Carmen at Austin Lyric Opera, and sings Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with Vancouver Symphony and conductor Otto Tausk. 

Past operatic highlights include a return to the Metropolitan Opera singing the role of Steuermann in Der fliegende Holländer, role debuts with Houston Grand Opera as Gastone in La traviata, Young Servant in Elektra, and Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Miller Outdoor Theatre. Concert highlights include Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9 with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Filene Center, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde at The Aspen Music Festival & School under the baton of Patrick Summers, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Tucson Desert Song Festival. 

A native of Clarkesville, Georgia, Mr Smagur holds a Performer’s Diploma from Indiana University and Bachelor of Music from Shorter College. Honours and Awards include the Richard Tucker Memorial Award from Santa Fe Opera and being named the 2016 Georgina Joshi Fellow from Indiana University.