Bonzo: Zaikuan Song

Zaikuan Song, operatic bass and native of China, is recognized for his resonant voice and strong dramatic presence across a wide operatic repertoire. His roles include The Bonze (Madame Butterfly), Colline (La Bohème), Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Dragon/Dog (The Big Swim), Rambaldo (La Rondine), King and Ramfis (Aida), Timur (Turandot), Commendatore (Don Giovanni), Banco (Macbeth), Sarastro (The Magic Flute), Germano (La Scala di Seta), Simone (Gianni Schicchi), Frank Maurrant (Street Scene), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore), and Mr. Emerson (A Room with a View). He has appeared with Utah Opera, Opera Tampa, Opera Delaware, Opera Orlando, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Carolina, Toledo Opera, Opera Southwest, Opera Grand Rapids, MSU Opera Theatre, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (Gerdine Young Artist Program). A frequent concert soloist, he has performed Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Handel’s Messiah, and Bach cantatas. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University.