Veronica Chapman-Smith
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Philadelphia native Veronica Chapman-Smith recently sang Lakme with ConcertOPERA of Philadelphia, Liu with Opera Birmingham’s Turandot and a soloist for Opera Birmingham’s Gala to Celebrate their General Director’s 10th season with the company2008 she won 5th place and audience favorite in the Opera Birmingham’s Vocal Competition. Earlier that year Ms. Chapman-Smith added Gianetta in The Gondoliers (Opera Delaware) and Clara in Porgy and Bess (Opera Birmingham) to her repertoire of characters and well as Lily in Porgy and Bess (Lyric Opera of Chicago).
The summer of 2007 Ms. Chapman-Smith was asked to sing with the Spoleto Festival in Italy. The year began with Opera Birmingham’s Ceneretola where she played Clorinda. The production received five stars and a great review in which Michael Huebner of The Birmingham News said "The role of Clorinda was engagingly sung, Veronica Chapman-Smith..milked the sister's arrogance and ineptitude for all their worth. This was a five star production!" In February of 2007, Ms. Chapman-Smith gave a recital with famed mezzo Marietta Simpson and bass Kevin Maynor. The Birmingham Times said “Veronica Chapman-Smith’s agility and confidence in the upper register created some of the concert's most sublime passages. Her embellishments in 'Ride On King Jesus' were exquisite." 2007 finished with her traveling to Memphis where she sang with the symphony on their televised “Home for The Holidays” concert and to Muskegon, Michigan where she performed with the West Shore Symphony.
During 2006 Ms. Chapman-Smith performing Sandrina in La Finta Giardiniera with Elysium Concert Opera of Philadelphia and Fiordiligi with Delaware Valley Opera Company, in which Michael Caruso of the Chestnut Hill Local called her a “romantic and pearl voiced Fiordiligi”. That summers she also performed several musical theater selection with Bristol Riverside Theater where Anita Donovan of The Trenton Times said “Veronica Chapman-Smith’s…powerful version of ‘Summertime’, ‘I Loves You Porgy’, My Man’s Gone Now’, and (the duet) ‘Bess You Is My Woman Now’ makes one long or a full-scale revival.” During 2006 Ms. Chapman-Smith returned to Opera Birmingham to sing Little Red Riding Hood in Little Red Riding Hood. Ms. Chapman-Smith concluded 2006 with a performance as a solo artist in Bristol Riverside Theater’s Winter Musical.
2005 Ms. Chapman-Smith performed Edith in Pirates of Penzance with Gulf Atlantic Symphony of Florida, Violetta (student matinee performance) and Aninna (main stage production) for Center City Opera Theater’s La Traviata. That summer Ms. Chapman-Smith returned to Ash Lawn Opera Festival and appeared as Dolly Tate in Annie Get Your Gun. She was also chosen to be Gretel in Opera Birmingham educational tour, of Hansel and Gretel. After leaving Birmingham Ms. Chapman-Smith sang Donna Elvira with New York Opera Project, in which Debra Banerjee of the Scarsdale Inquire called her performance of Donna Elvira with the New York Opera Project “very emotional….a very dramatic presence.”
Ms. Chapman-Smith spent most of 2004 away from her Philadelphia home performing with Opera Colorado as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel (outreach ensemble) and Berta (student matinee performance) in Il barbiere di Siviglia. She also performed the roles of Susanna (one performance) and Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Theater of The Rockies in Colorado Springs, and performed with the Colorado Symphony in their “Opera on The Rocks” concert at Red Rocks. That summer she was chosen as an apprentice at the Ash Lawn Opera Festival singing the Boylen Sister in Annie and Berta (cover) in The Barber of Seville.
In 2003 Ms. Chapman-Smith made her professional debut performing the title role in the Savoy Company’s production of Princess Ida, and was in the Young Artist Program at Natchez Opera Festival performing as the Princess in Fair Means of Foul. That same year she also performed at Shaker Mountain Opera as Gianetta in L’elisir d’amore and Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro.
Ms. Chapman-Smith has been a soprano soloist for the Charlotte Symphony, Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, Mendelsshon Club of Philadelphia, Ursinus College, In Clara Voce, and Orquestra Sinfonica Municipal de Caracas to name a few. Ms. Chapman-Smith is known for her very versatile vocal abilities. Because of her great diversity she sang the voice of Joan of Arc (a part that previously was only sung by the well-known group Anonymous 4) in Richards Einhorn’s Voices of Light with Mendessohn Club of Philadelphia and was a soloist in the Monteverdi Vespers 1610 with Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia.
Ms. Chapman-Smith’s upcoming engagements include Nedda with Sycamore Opera, the season opening recital for Opera Birmingham, soloist for Bristol Riverside Theater's Winter Musical, and High Priestess for Opera Birmingham’s Aida.