As a business major at the College of William and Mary, Thomas Smith imagined he would work in the corporate world. But his career path took a different turn when a friend recruited him to play French horn in the college’s opera. After the performance, he agreed to produce next year’s show and soon he had his sights set on a master’s degree in arts administration from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. The new career was a perfect marriage of his love for opera and his training in finance. After four years with the Baltimore Opera Company and eight seasons as director of finance at the Cincinnati Opera, Smith was ready to run his own company – at the same time Jerilee M. Mace, executive director of the Des Moines Metro Opera, decided to retire. He will become her successor in September.

What excites you most about moving to Iowa?

I’m excited about the company. It has a very good reputation in the industry as far as its artistic product, and it has a good foundation in terms of its operations. I’m also excited about meeting people, seeing what makes them tick, and using that to leverage their interest in the opera.

What do you like most about opera?

Being a musician, the music is always what grabs hold of me most strongly. Also the idea that opera as a live art form continues to evolve. You can see 100 “Carmens” in your lifetime, but those “Carmens” are all going to be different in some way. There may be different cast members or stage interpretation – something that is going help it remain dynamic and relevant even though it’s a piece that’s been performed everywhere.

If could accomplish one thing as executive director, what would it be?

Just having scratched the surface of what’s going on here, my goal would be to try to broaden the knowledge of the company. I want to heighten the sense of awareness not only of the company’s existence but also that it’s a product worth trying.

What about you attracted this organization to hire you?

The company in Cincinnati is a larger organization, but it’s still very similar in terms of its presentation style. The Cincinnati Opera is a summer festival as well, so we deal with a lot of the same issues in terms of being a company that operates in a very short period. We’re also a cross-disciplinary environment. My job is not simply to watch the budget. It reaches into education and production issues. I have a lot of the tools that somebody needs to have in this particularly environment to make it work.

Who is your favorite artist?

Armenian soprano Hasmik Papian. She came to sing “Norma” for us in Baltimore. I sat through six performances of “Norma,” and I could very happily have sat through six more. In fact, over the course of the year, I have seen her do that role in a couple of other cities. I guess she probably considers me the most harmless stalker.

One word to describe yourself?

Thoughtful. Being able to approach an idea or issue from all angles and once we get that decision go forward and make it happen. There’s not a lot of time, especially in the non-profit community, for sitting around and talking about something to death.

If you could see one opera performance, what would it be?

I very much prefer the Italian school of opera. If you could find me “Otello,” I would be very happy.

Whom do you most admire?

My parents. My older brother’s 14 years older than I am, so we pretty much had two and a half generations living in the same house. They were able to strike a balance of keeping everything on an even keel, which in some ways probably influenced my style in how I deal with people.

What are you going to miss most about Cincinnati?

For a city its size, it really is quite astounding the breadth and the depth of all the arts organizations they have there. There’s always something going on and something good going on.

Favorite pastime?

Anything outdoors. I have two dogs, which I found on the street – hard-luck cases. That seems to be one of my curses of life.

What’s one dream you have yet to accomplish?

I’ve already planned my mid-life crisis. It’s to take six months off and work my way around the world.

– Sarah Bzdega