Cassidy Smith

Mezzo-soprano Cassidy Smith is a versatile and committed presence in the Chicago classical music scene, equally at home on the opera stage, in the concert hall, and in the choral loft. She is a regular member of the Grant Park Chorus and Chicago Symphony Chorus, and sings regularly with Music of the Baroque, William Ferris Chorale, Choir of the Ascension, and Schola Laudis at the Monastery of the Holy Cross. Across these ensembles and more, her choral repertoire spans an exceptionally wide range – from Renaissance polyphony by Byrd, Palestrina, and Josquin, to sacred works by Bach, Mozart, and Fauré, to contemporary choral works by Ayanna Woods, James MacMillan, and Caroline Shaw.

On the opera stage, Cassidy’s Chicago credits include the Drummer in Ullmann’s The Emperor of Atlantis, the Third Witch in Bloch’s Macbeth, and Isolde’s Mother in Frank Martin’s chamber opera Le vin herbé, all with Chicago Opera Theater. Other favorite roles include Marchesa Melibea in Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, and Mercédès with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s semi-staged production of Carmen. Passionate about bringing opera to new audiences, she has performed outreach productions with Opera Colorado and Opera for the Young, including the title role in Carmen, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, and Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance.

As a concert soloist, Cassidy has performed works including Bach’s Magnificat and Handel’s Messiah, and recently joined the William Ferris Chorale as alto soloist in David Lang’s The Little Match Girl Passion. She holds a Bachelor of Music and Performance Certificate from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music and a Professional Diploma in Opera from Chicago College of Performing Arts. A former Young Artist of both Chicago Opera Theater and Opera Colorado, Cassidy brings to every performance a wealth of training across the full breadth of the classical tradition.