Chinese-born bass-baritone Zizhao Wang has enchanted audiences with his elegant singing and remarkable vocal flexibility in the operatic and classical repertoires. A graduate of the New England Conservatory, Zizhao honed his craft under the guidance of Bradley Williams. He joins the Boston Lyric Opera for 2024-2025 season as a Jane & Steven Akin Emerging Artist.
He won the 1st prize at the 2013 Singapore Chinese Vocal International Competition. In 2019, he was awarded the 2nd place in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition New England Regional Finals and was named the Boston District Winner the same year. He was selected to join the Santa Fe Opera’s prestigious Apprentice Program in 2020. In the summer of 2025, Zizhao is returning to the Glimmerglass Festival after a successful 2024 summer festival season. He debuts the role of Bum Man in the world premier of The House of Mango Street.
The 2022-2023 season marked a milestone in Zizhao’s career with his compelling debut as Bartolo in the season finale production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro at Knoxville Opera. His versatility was further showcased in the 2023-2024 season opener with Opera Southwest’s production of Rossini’s L’occasione fa il ladro, where he delivered a memorable performance as Martino. Returning to the New England Conservatory as a Guest Artist in 2024, Zizhao breathed new life into the role of Colline in Puccini’s La Bohème. His house debut with Virginia Opera in Puccini’s masterpiece Madama Butterfly, where he portrayed the Imperial Commissioner and covered Bonzo, was met with critical acclaim. In the 2024 Glimmerglass Festival season, he covered Giove in La Calisto and Uncle/Witness #9 in Elizabeth Cree. As he joins the Boston Lyric Opera for the 2024-2025 season, he will enchant audiences at the Boston Public Library’s “Concert in the Courtyard” event and cover the role of Cosmic Weatherman in the world premiere of Sarah Ruhl and Vivaldi’s The Seasons, starring the renowned countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. In 2025, Zizhao will embody the characters of Tiger & Rooster in the revival of opera The Big Swim with Houston Grand Opera and Asia Society of Texas.
Zizhao’s early career highlights include his stellar performance as Alidoro in Rossini’s La
Cenerentola and a soloist role in “Bernstein Mass” under the baton of Keith Lockhart at the Janiec Opera Company & Brevard Music Center in 2018. His triumphant return to his hometown with an all-star cast for the world premiere of Country & Home with the Tsingtao Opera Theater at the 2021 Chinese National Opera Festival was a crowning achievement. The Peninsula City News lauded his Tsingtao Concert Hall recital, “Love to Hometown,” for its profound impact on the local cultural scene.
“This recital attracted many people in the city during the best touring season and pushed the classical music and opera to the public in a brilliant way.”
His other notable operatic roles including, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Bass in Postcard from Morocco, Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Elviro in Serse, La Voce in Idomeneo, and King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors.