“A show-stopping tenor” (Ludwig van Toronto), Canadian tenor Zachary Rioux is an artist whose voice has been described as “excitingly powerful and resonant” (Parterre Box).
He recently concluded a two-year residency as a member of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opera Studio in Munich. His mainstage assignments included Parpignol in La bohème, Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi, Erster Brabantischer Edler in Lohengrin, and Vierter Knappe in Wagner’s Parsifal. In addition to these roles, he was featured prominently in the Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opera Studio scenes concerts, performing as Ruggero in La rondine, Don José in Carmen, and most recently, Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur. Further showcasing his versatility, he also performed as Ctésippe in the Staatsoper premiere of Fauré’s Pénélope, and as the title role in the children’s opera Max und die Superheld:innen.
This upcoming season signals a significant next step in his international career with a series of important house and role debuts. He will perform the role of the Prince in Dvořák’s Rusalka with Nouvel Opéra Fribourg in Switzerland, followed by a return to Canada to cover the role of Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, as well as performing the role for one performance in Ottawa and others in Saskatoon and Whitehorse.
Zachary is increasingly sought after for the lyrico-spinto tenor repertoire. His professional role debut as Rodolfo in La bohème for Manitoba Opera was met with critical acclaim, praised for his “resonant, fully rounded tones, even range and heroic delivery” (Opera Canada). He further deepened his interpretation of Puccini with performances of Cavaradossi in Tosca for Toronto City Opera and as a cover for the same role with Edmonton Opera in the 2022–2023 season.
He is a recipient of numerous awards in international singing competitions. He was a prize winner at the Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition in Germany, receiving a Talent Development Award, a second prize from the Mario Lanza Competition in Philadelphia, and gold medals from both the Rising Stars Grand Prix International Music Competition in Berlin and the Vienna International Music Competition.
His artistic development includes residencies with several elite training programs. As a Resident Artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, his leading roles included Rodolfo in La bohème and Lensky in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. He was also a Young Artist at the Glimmerglass Festival, where he performed the Marquis in John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, and participated in the Internationale Meistersinger Akademie (IMA). His repertoire also extends to the concert stage, with notable performances of Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Zachary holds a Performance Certificate from the Academy of Vocal Arts and a Bachelor of Music in voice performance from The Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
Zachary is represented by ArteMIS worldwide.
