Biography
Kristen Dubenion-Smith (Mezzo-Soprano)
Praised for her “warm alto sound” and voice of “sweet clarity,” mezzo-soprano Kristen Dubenion-Smith enjoys an active performing career in oratorio, opera and recital,
particularly specializing in music of the medieval, renaissance and baroque eras.
Recent engagements include performances with Cathedra, NYS Baroque, the Bach Sinfonia, Chantry, The Evolution Contemporary Music Series, Vivre Musicale, Eya
Medieval Ensemble, the Catacoustic Consort of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Handel Choir of Baltimore, Magnificat of San Francisco, the Boston Early Music Festival, the
Berkeley Early Music Exhibition, the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, the Washington Early Music Festival, the Bach and Baroque Ensemble of Pittsburgh, the
Peabody Renaissance Ensemble and the Peabody Consort.
Ms. Dubenion-Smith’s operatic career spans more than a dozen opera roles performed throughout the United States. Some of her more notable roles have included
Endimione in La Calisto, Hecuba in La Didone and Cupid in Venus and Adonis with American Opera Theater, Humility in Ordo Virtutum with the Peabody Early Music
Department, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Peabody Opera Outreach and La Baronne in Chérubin with New Jersey Opera Theater.
Ms. Dubenion-Smith also has a keen interest in contemporary music. She has had the privilege to work with The Evolution Contemporary Music Series and perform
David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize winning piece The Little Match Girl Passion under the direction of Judah Adashi. Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun wrote of the performance:
“The performance, effectively conducted by Adashi, featured soprano Elizabeth Hungerford, alto Kristen Dubenion-Smith, tenor Lee Mills and bass Michael
Droettboom. These were not typical classical-sounding singers; they had a wonderfully natural sound and style, which enabled them to communicate the texts all the
more compellingly. No wonder the concert room was so still and quiet throughout the performance (save for the inevitable cell phone). “The Little Match Girl Passion”
proved to be quite the spell-binder. It’s still haunting me the morning after.” Tim Smith subsequently named this mesmerizing performance as one of his top ten favorite
performances of 2010 in The Baltimore Sun.
Originally from Michigan, Ms. Dubenion-Smith graduated from Alma College before moving to Baltimore to complete her studies in voice at the Peabody Institute. Still
residing in Baltimore, in 2010, Kristen co-founded the new medieval trio, Eya, alongside sopranos Allison Mondel and Elizabeth Hungerford. Eya is a unique ensemble
seeking to refresh and invigorate the interpretation and performance of medieval music for women. You can learn more about Eya at www.eyaensemble.com
2011-2012 engagements include: Concerts with the Washington Bach Consort, The Folger Consort, Eya Medieval Ensemble, Chantry, Susquehanna Valley Chorale,
The Evolution Contemporary Music Series, The Maryland Choral Society, The Handel Choir of Baltimore, Cathedra of the Washington National Cathedral, The
Countertop Ensemble and Concerto delle Donne, an all female ensemble founded by Ms. Dubenion-Smith in 2011.
Kristen Dubenion-Smith (Mezzo-Soprano)
Praised for her “warm alto sound” and voice of “sweet clarity,” mezzo-soprano Kristen Dubenion-Smith enjoys an active performing career in oratorio, opera and recital,
particularly specializing in music of the medieval, renaissance and baroque eras.
Recent engagements include performances with Cathedra, NYS Baroque, the Bach Sinfonia, Chantry, The Evolution Contemporary Music Series, Vivre Musicale, Eya
Medieval Ensemble, the Catacoustic Consort of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Handel Choir of Baltimore, Magnificat of San Francisco, the Boston Early Music Festival, the
Berkeley Early Music Exhibition, the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, the Washington Early Music Festival, the Bach and Baroque Ensemble of Pittsburgh, the
Peabody Renaissance Ensemble and the Peabody Consort.
Ms. Dubenion-Smith’s operatic career spans more than a dozen opera roles performed throughout the United States. Some of her more notable roles have included
Endimione in La Calisto, Hecuba in La Didone and Cupid in Venus and Adonis with American Opera Theater, Humility in Ordo Virtutum with the Peabody Early Music
Department, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Peabody Opera Outreach and La Baronne in Chérubin with New Jersey Opera Theater.
Ms. Dubenion-Smith also has a keen interest in contemporary music. She has had the privilege to work with The Evolution Contemporary Music Series and perform
David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize winning piece The Little Match Girl Passion under the direction of Judah Adashi. Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun wrote of the performance:
“The performance, effectively conducted by Adashi, featured soprano Elizabeth Hungerford, alto Kristen Dubenion-Smith, tenor Lee Mills and bass Michael
Droettboom. These were not typical classical-sounding singers; they had a wonderfully natural sound and style, which enabled them to communicate the texts all the
more compellingly. No wonder the concert room was so still and quiet throughout the performance (save for the inevitable cell phone). “The Little Match Girl Passion”
proved to be quite the spell-binder. It’s still haunting me the morning after.” Tim Smith subsequently named this mesmerizing performance as one of his top ten favorite
performances of 2010 in The Baltimore Sun.
Originally from Michigan, Ms. Dubenion-Smith graduated from Alma College before moving to Baltimore to complete her studies in voice at the Peabody Institute. Still
residing in Baltimore, in 2010, Kristen co-founded the new medieval trio, Eya, alongside sopranos Allison Mondel and Elizabeth Hungerford. Eya is a unique ensemble
seeking to refresh and invigorate the interpretation and performance of medieval music for women. You can learn more about Eya at www.eyaensemble.com
2011-2012 engagements include: Concerts with the Washington Bach Consort, The Folger Consort, Eya Medieval Ensemble, Chantry, Susquehanna Valley Chorale,
The Evolution Contemporary Music Series, The Maryland Choral Society, The Handel Choir of Baltimore, Cathedra of the Washington National Cathedral, The
Countertop Ensemble and Concerto delle Donne, an all female ensemble founded by Ms. Dubenion-Smith in 2011.
| Last Update 02/16/12 |
