10 Questions with Clinton Smith

Meet Clinton Smith, Resident Artist (assistant conductor)

1. What is your sign?
Capricorn - a big one

2. What is your favorite opera?
Too early to tell - I've only worked on/conducted around thirty operas, so there are so many more to discover.

3. If you could have any other job in the world, what would it be?
Good question - I used to be a huge computer nerd, in fact, I applied to nine schools as a computer science major, but changed my major to Piano at orientation, much to my father's horror.

4. What is your favorite dessert?
Apple pie

5. If you had to describe yourself using three words, what would they be?
Musical, Resourceful, and Dedicated

6. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas.

7. What was your first opera?
The first opera I bought on CD is kind of obscure - it's the Phillips recording of Mozart's Il Re Pastore - I was captivated, and this was years before I actually saw my first opera. That happened to be Aida at the Met when I was in NYC with my high school orchestra in April of 1998 playing at Carnegie Hall.

8. If they made a movie of your life, what would it be about and which actor would you want to play you?
The movie could be about pursuing a dream, making opportunities for oneself, never giving up, and finding your passion.

9. Are you a morning or night person?
Definitely a night person - my whole family is. When we get together it's not abnormal for us to all stay up, grandma included, until well after 2am drinking and talking.

10. What’s your favorite thing to do in the winter?
Stay warm! I'm from the beach in Texas - it gets COLD here.