A Few Questions for the Pirate King

Grammy and Emmy Award winning baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. makes his Seattle Opera debut in October as the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.
Photo © Jiyang Chen

After spending part of the summer at the Interlochen Festival, we had time to speak with baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. In our chat with the Pirate King, we learn about why this role is special, his talented mother, and what he packs for life on the road. 

Seattle Opera: Did you grow up in a musical family?

Reginald Smith: I'm blessed and fortunate that I grew up in a very musical family. I come from a family of musicians, singers, and preaching folk. I grew up in the church, and the music of the church. But I also had classical music all around me. I grew up in Atlanta and surrounded by black excellence—Spelman and Morehouse colleges, Morris Brown College, and Clark Atlanta University. My mother went to Morris Brown College and was part of the Marching Wolverines. She played clarinet from kindergarten all the way through college and participated in the university choir, and she danced.

So yes, I grew up with this great appreciation for the arts in general. I was a choir kid, from second grade all the way through college. I earned a music education degree. Tosca was the first opera I saw. That evening singing Baron Scarpia was Donnie Ray Albert. After hearing a Black man performing so very well, I got bit by the opera bug and pursued a career in opera.

Seattle Opera: But did you ever teach?

Reginald Smith: No, I did my student teaching, and then from there I went right into the program at Houston Grand Opera.

Reginald Smith, Jr. as Porgy in Porgy and Bess at Washington National Opera.
Photo © Washington National Opera

Seattle Opera: What are three roles on your bucket list you’d like to perform?

Reginald Smith: Well, I’ve been fortunate to have performed roles that I've always wanted to do.

Seattle Opera: Oh, really?

Reginald Smith: I've performed the role of Falstaff, which I love doing. Then there’s Porgy from Porgy and Bess, a character I've always wanted to portray. I consider Scarpia from Tosca as my dream role. Mr. Scarpia and I get along very well. My career has been blessed by opportunities to sing pieces that I truly love. Of course, there are always pieces that I want to do, and I don't know if I'll have the chance. I've covered Rigoletto several times. Who knows if I'll get cast to do it somewhere? If it happens, great; if it doesn't, it's all good.

A show that I would love to do is Puccini’s Il tabarro, the first Il trittico. I've looked at Gianni Schicchi as well. That’s another opera that I’d like to do. If I had to pick something completely off the beaten path, it would be Sweeney Todd. Will it happen? Who knows?

Bringing this topic to The Pirates of Penzance is interesting because most of my roles have been bad guys and fathers. I perform them a lot. People know me for those characters. So, when I tell people I'm doing The Pirates of Penzance, they're like, ‘What?’ I love their reactions. I absolutely love it. I will say, I had the same reaction when my manager told me that Seattle Opera was interested in me as the Pirate King. I said, ‘Really, of all the people…me?’

Reginald Smith, Jr. as the Pirate King in the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre production of The Pirates of Penzance.
Photo © University of Kentucky Opera Theatre

Seattle Opera: Knowing that, is this your first time performing as the Pirate King?

Reginald Smith: Well, it is a professional role debut. However, I did perform the role of the Pirate King at the University of Kentucky where I studied. At the time I thought, ‘Well, this is great. I did it. I don't have to do this again.’ I put the score on the shelf, and then almost 15 years later, here we are. In many ways it's like a homecoming. Parts of it are very familiar and other parts I wonder, ‘Have I done this before?’ So, it's like doing it again from scratch. You know, having a little life experience helps and, of course, my voice is in a different place now, so I’m approaching the role differently.

Left to right: Actor Robert Newton as Long John Silver in the 1950 Disney film adaptation of Treasure Island; comical villain Captain Hook, modeled after Charles II of England, from Disney’s 1953 animated version of Peter Pan; actor Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow from Disney’s 2003 Pirates of the Caribbean.
Photos © Walt Disney Studios

Seattle Opera: Of these three pirates, which one will you most align your approach as the Pirate King: Long John Silver from Treasure Island, Captain Hook from Peter Pan, or Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean films?

Reginald Smith: Don’t forget Captain Morgan. Just kidding. I think I’m more like Jack Sparrow. He’s fun and says whimsical, witty things.

Seattle Opera: What are you binge-watching currently?

Reginald Smith: I like to channel surf. I’m a big baseball fan. I’m looking forward to going to a Mariners game—at least one or two while I’m in Seattle. I’m also a huge Disney fanatic. If anything, I’ll watch the Disney Channel.

Seattle Opera: One last question: What is the one item that you travel with? 

Reginald Smith: My Roku TV device so I can watch my favorite channels. And I cook a lot. So, I travel with spices. Most Airbnbs will have salt and pepper, and that’s about it. So, I bring things like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Cayenne pepper, chili flakes, and other things.

The Pirates of Penzance is on stage October 18–November 1, 2025 at McCaw Hall. Learn more and buy tickets at seattleopera.org/pirates.