Jermaine Smith is no stranger to theatrics. A world-renowned tenor, Smith stood in the pitch of a sold-out Energizer Park on Saturday, relishing in the opportunity to perform in front of his hometown.
“It’s an opportunity I always cherish,” Smith said, preparing for his anthem performance.”
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Energizer Park is also used to pomp and circumstance. The stadium atmosphere is a selling point for potential players and, despite the record over the past two seasons, the anticipation before kickoff remains positively charged. The lights dim, the music blares, and the players walk out to the heat of the pyro. As the players lineup, the anthem builds more anticipation for kickoff, and the final note cues up one final round of pyro from the roof of Energizer Park.
“It’s a show,” Smith says. “If you think of opening night of any performance and the energy that radiates through the crowd, they’re feeding you that energy, and you just have to take it.”
Smith relished the opportunity. The hometown star, known internationally for his role in Porgy and Bess, prepared like he would for any other role. Smith debated aiming for the high notes or staying in his register, rehearsing until he found his sweet spot.
In many ways, Smith’s training mirrors that of the athletes standing behind him, awaiting kickoff. The hours of training and preparation lead to the opportunity to perform under pressure. The trivelas in training only matter if they lead to a key pass on match day, just as a perfect note in practice must lead to confidence in front of a crowd.
“I tell my students, ‘What we do in the dark will shine in the light’,” Smith said. “Our best moments are often unseen.”
For all of Smith’s accomplishments, he’s most proud of the accomplishments of his students, inspiring a new generation through the arts from his post at Sumner High School. As director of arts and special programs, Smith has used his connections, expertise, and passion to create an award-winning arts program. The program has offered the school an important lifeline, as Sumner was one of multiple St. Louis public schools on the verge of closing. With the partnerships of Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Muny, and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, however, the program brought new life to the historic high school, the first for Black students west of the Mississippi. Through this work, Smith was recognized as the St. Louis Public Schools ‘Arts Educator of the Year’ in 2023.
Smith credits his band teacher at Roosevelt High School for introducing him to the idea of a career in the arts. “He said, “You’re going to be an opera singer,’ and that changed my life,” recalls Smith, who plans to reprise his role in Porgy and Bess at the KC Lyric Opera next February. “I want to be that example in my students’ lives.” He continues to educate the next generation of musicians through the Vera Voice programs.
On Saturday, before CITY’s match against Dallas, Smith delivered a powerful rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, holding the final note as pyro rang out. The thunderous applause gave Smith all the feedback he needed.
