He also gained some of his initial stage performing experiences, as a principal tenor with the Brisbane Gilbert & Sullivan Society and the Queensland Light Opera Company (QLOC), in the musicals Iolanthe, The White Horse Inn and No No Nanette.
While at the London Opera Centre, Robin also studied and sang with the New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa in their production of Così fan tutte.
Here Robin sang the roles of Rinuccio in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, and 'Walther von der Vogelweide' in Wagner's opera Tannhäuser.
He performed and remained with that company singing a variety of principal tenor roles, including Rodolfo in La bohème, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Gabriel Adorno in Simone Boccanegra (under the baton of Sir Edward Downes), Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana (with Carlo Felice Cillario), and singing both the tenor roles of Eric and The Steersman in Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, and Alfredo in Johann Strauss's opera Die Fledermaus, for over ten years.
Throughout 1974 Donald and Robin also performed together in their famous concert series of "Smith & Son" throughout Australia and in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.