Crimson and Gold Connection; Robert Deane Smith

—積 доط einf auntie — Sieg, un taisik, un sieg, unît behind. Be Sheucki, si schirnt, Has zaglo, si chi halde, Hawntie per hísir, Hís i hüxte, no, heatfent híşes ain– This is the Crimson Ant Gold Connection on 89.9 K.R.P.S. I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro. That incredible voice you just heard is none other than Pittsburgh State alumni Opriotic Tenor Robert Dean Smith, performing with a slow-walk radio symphony orchestra in 2000. The Opriotic Tenor is originally from Southeast Kansas and now resides in Switzerland. He's performed all over North America, Europe and Asia in a career spanning four decades. He is returning home for a one-night only performance at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, along with the Southeast Kansas Symphony Orchestra Thursday, October 17.

I recently spoke with Robert via Skype from his home in Switzerland. According to Robert, he is a career performing as a singer didn't take off until he was in his mid-20s. And he calls it a dream to return to his alma mater and to perform at the Bicknell. Oh, the typical story, but it's really isn't because I'd never dreamed that something like this would have happened to me, at least until I was 25 mid-20s, 25-26. So, to have all of this career that I've had behind me and now be able to come back and share what I do with my old alma mater, the Pittsburgh State University, and a lot of people and friends and family that I still have and know around in the area, it's quite an honor for me, actually. As a brother, I'll never bring him back to life, so I'm happy to see him as soon as possible. As he always wanted to work in something, music related, but he wasn't convinced that he could sing professionally

until he landed his first job at the age of 26. Well, I always seemed to take just one step at a time. I think I had the courage, plus what I think is very important, curiosity. I always wanted to see just how far I could take my art. How far I could get with that. I knew I wanted to do something in music, whether that was teaching, selling it, producing it, or performing it. I really didn't know until the point where I got my very first job. And that was at 26 after I left then, my master's studies at Julia. But I always had the curiosity to how far could I go? And I kept going to school and kept learning until it led me to my first professional job. It was his everlasting persistence and love of music and kept him working towards his goal of singing professionally. And on March 22nd of 2008, Smith made his Metropolitan Opera debut as lead role in Tristed and Isle,

which was broadcast throughout the Met Live in HD series. Into movie theaters throughout the United States. I did some auditions and was offered a job. That's how all of that started. I just kept wondering how far I could go. And of course, at some point, if I hadn't gotten that job, I would have ended up doing something else probably. But it would have been in music, I'm sure. Something to do with music. If that's the case, I would have been like that. If my dream had been for the rest of the world. I would have been like that. If my dream had been for the rest of the world. If I hadn't gotten that job, I would have ended up doing something else. And on March 22nd of 2008, Smith made his Metropolitan Opera debut as lead role in Tristed and Isle,

which was broadcast throughout the United States. And on March 22nd of 2008, Smith made his Metropolitan Opera debut as lead role in Tristed and Isle, and I would have ended up doing something else. The concert at the Big No Family Center for the Arts on Thursday, October 17th at 7.30pm, is one of two that Robert will perform with the Southeast Kansas Symphony Orchestra. There will be an encore concert at Hertzberg Hall at the Coffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday, October 20th, beginning at 5pm.

He gave us some insight into what he will be performing at the upcoming concerts. Well, there will be some songs by Richard Wagner. Some of his a couple of songs from his vase and don't leader. There will be some orchestrated songs by Richard Strauss, which are lush, romantic, yes. Nice big numbers. There will be a Wagner Aria from probably his re-ency, a nice Verdi Aria, and so there's a lot of different things in there. We've been listening to Robert Dean Smith's performance with the Paris National Opera Bastille in 2013.

The Pittsburgh State University Alumni Operatic Tenor was speaking about his performances. They're scheduled to take place at the Big No Family Center for the Arts on Thursday, October 17th, with an encore performance three days later on October 20th in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Coffman Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets and information, visit BigNoLcenter.com and to hear this interview again and to learn more about Robert Dean Smith, visit our news blog, krpsnews.com. Join us for Crimson and Gold Connection Wednesdays at 8.50 and Fridays at 350.