In Conversation with Tom Smith: Discovering the Tenor Voice in Haydn’s The Creation
As Sheffield Chamber Orchestra prepares for its performance of The Creation on 13 June 2026, we’re delighted to introduce tenor soloist Tom Smith, who will be making his debut in this remarkable work.
In The Creation, the tenor takes on the role of the archangel Uriel—a pivotal figure in the storytelling of the oratorio. Uriel often acts as a guide for the audience, illuminating the unfolding events of creation with clarity and insight. His music is elegant, lyrical, and frequently reflective, requiring both vocal finesse and a strong sense of narrative. From moments of quiet beauty to passages of radiant praise, the tenor role is central to shaping the work’s sense of wonder and progression.
Tom Smith brings a thoughtful and expressive approach to this music. An accomplished tenor with a growing reputation in both concert and operatic repertoire, he is known for his clarity of tone and sensitivity to text—qualities that make him ideally suited to Haydn’s detailed and expressive writing.
This performance marks Tom’s first time singing The Creation, and he is relishing the process of discovery: “This will be my first time performing The Creation, and I’m currently studying it as the tenor soloist. What’s struck me so far is how much variety there is in it. You go in expecting something quite grand and monumental, but there’s a lot of lightness, detail, and character in the writing.”
As he works on the role, Tom is particularly focused on balancing scale with intimacy: “At this stage, my focus has been on finding that balance—keeping the sense of scale, while still prioritising clarity and storytelling. It already feels like the kind of piece that reveals more the longer you spend with it.”
Among the many highlights of the work, the opening moments stand out to Tom as especially powerful: “The opening is incredibly striking—that shift into light really lands, both musically and atmospherically. It sets everything up in a very immediate way.”
He is also enjoying the vividly descriptive nature of Haydn’s writing: “I’m really enjoying the moments where the music becomes more descriptive. Haydn gives you so much detail and colour to work with, which makes it very engaging to get to grips with.”
Reflecting on the themes of The Creation, Tom explains what he feels is the work's enduring appeal: “I think the sense of wonder is still very present. Even now, there’s something quite moving about that idea of looking at the world with fresh eyes. The journey from chaos into order also feels very relevant—it’s a simple idea, but it carries a lot of weight.”
For Tom, the connection with the audience is something he particularly values in performance: “I think those moments tend to come in both the big choral sections and the quieter, more intimate passages. The larger moments create a shared energy, but it’s often in the stillness that you feel a real connection—when the audience is completely focused and listening. It feels less like performing to them and more like sharing something with them.”
With his fresh perspective and thoughtful musicianship, Tom Smith brings a sense of discovery and sincerity to the role of Uriel. Audiences can look forward to a performance that captures both the grandeur and the intimacy of Haydn’s extraordinary vision.