E. Lukas Schmidt

Lukas Schmidt is a highly skilled and accomplished performer and arts administrator from Fairfax, VA. He holds a master's degree from the prestigious Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, where he was honored with the George Castelle Prize in Voice, and a bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance from Bowling Green State University.

Mr. Schmidt's recent performances have included standout portrayals of Dr. Osborn in John Musto's opera Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt and Frederic in Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance with the Young Victorian Theatre Company in Baltimore. Other notable roles include Prunier in La rondine, Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw, The Prince in Rusalka, Jupiter in Semele, Herman in The Most Happy Fella, Tenor in The Four Note Opera, and Babolet in The Lantern Wedding. Moreover, he has worked with Peabody Opera Theatre on the world-staged premiere of Kirke Mechem's Pride & Prejudice, where he interpreted the role of Charles Bingley in their 2019-2020 season.

Mr. Schmidt's musical expertise extends to concert work and oratorios, including Bach's Cantata 184 with Bach in Baltimore and Händel's Messiah with churches and orchestras throughout Northern Virginia and Maryland. His passion for Swedish "Romanser" is evident in his performances, where he has sung songs and arias by famed Swedish composers such as Wilhelm Peterson-Berger, Helena Munktell, and Wilhelm Stenhammar in recitals and masterclasses. While at Peabody, he studied Scandinavian lyric diction and worked tirelessly to bring this repertoire to a larger audience. Mr. Schmidt is also a proficient singer in Russian and Czech.

Mr. Schmidt leads the tenor section of the prestigious National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, under the direction of Dr. Mike Denham and was a district NATS winner in 2022. He has received instruction from respected vocal pedagogues such as Dr. Stanley Cornett, Christopher Scholl, and Dr. Sean Cooper. Lukas has worked with esteemed coaches such as Eileen Cornett, Laurie Rogers, Joann Kulesza, and Arleen Shrut and performed under the baton of highly acclaimed conductors such as Antony Walker, James Meena, and J. Ernest Green. His extensive education includes masterclasses led by legendary singers and pedagogues such as Dawn Upshaw, Karita Mattila, and Neil Shicoff. Currently, he is a student of the renowned instructor Elizabeth Daniels.

Beyond opera, Mr. Schmidt is a passionate enthusiast of barbershop quartet music and was a member of the 6th-place youth quartet at the 2017 international convention, "The Tune Squad." When he isn't performing, he is immersed in literature and spending quality time with his fiancée, Soprano Tess Ottinger, and their furry companions.