Zachary Nelson, a native of Annapolis, Maryland, studied vocal performance at The Catholic University of America, and later the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.

This season, Mr. Nelson makes an anticipated role debut as Alberich in Atlanta Opera’s new production of Das Rheingold. Additionally, he sings Mercutio in productions of Roméo et Juliette with Florentine Opera and Opera San Antonio, returns to the role of Leporello in Don Giovanni with North Carolina Opera, and joins the Lubbock Symphony as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. Future seasons include returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago, Atlanta Opera, and Santa Fe Opera.

In the 2021-2022 season the baritone joins the Lyric Opera of Chicago for its production of L’elisir d’Amore, baritone soloist in Santa Fe Symphony's “Night at the Opera”, baritone soloist in The St. Barts Music Festival’s “Opera Spectacle”, returned to Palm Beach Opera as Escamillo in Carmen, and sings Marcello in La bohème with both New Orleans Opera and the Jacksonville Symphony.

During the COVID-19 impacted 2020-2021 season, Mr. Nelson’s engagements included Conte Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Omaha (cancelled), Marcello in La bohème with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (postponed), and the Lyric Opera of Chicago for its production of Le nozze di Figaro (cancelled). In the summer of 2021 he made his awaited debut as Sweeney Todd with Des Moines Metro Opera, which was praised as “incomparable” by Opera Today.

Original engagements during Mr. Nelson’s COVID-19 shortened 2019-2020 season included debuts with New Orleans Operaas Escamillo in Carmen (performed) and Chicago Opera Theater as Doug in Everest (performed). He was scheduled to return to Lyric Opera of Chicago as Donner in Das Rheingold as part of performances of Wagner’s Ring Cycle (cancelled), and also to return to Palm Beach Opera, singing Ping in Turandot (performed). He sang Christmas Concerts with Voices of Ascension in New York City (performed), and during the summer of 2020, was scheduled to make his role debut as Sweeney Todd with Des Moines Metro Opera (postponed).

The baritone’s 2018-2019 season began with a return to Lyric Opera of Chicago as a soloist in their widely attended annual Millennium Park concert, followed by performances of Marcello in La bohème. He joined Arizona Operaas the Count in Le nozze di Figaro and returned to Santa Fe Opera as Marcello in La bohème.

Mr. Nelson’s 2017-2018 included performances of Ping in Turandot with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Semperoper Dresden as the title role in Le nozze di Figaro. He made his Pittsburgh Opera debut as Belcore in L’elsiir d’amore, appeared in recital with Leah Crocetto at New York City’s Morgan Library under the auspices of the George London Foundation, and essayed Bloch’s Sacred Service with Voices of Ascension in New York City.

The 2016-2017 season brought debuts at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Donner in Das Rheingold and Enrico Ashton (cover) in Lucia di Lammermoor, Escamillo in Carmen with Den Norske Opera, and a fourth season with the Santa Fe Opera as Enrico Ashton in Lucia di Lammermoor.

2015-2016 began with a return to the Dresden Semperoper as Figaro in both Le nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia. He performed the role of Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus with the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Nagoya. He made debuts at the Salzburg LandestheaterPalm Beach, and San Francisco Opera in Carmen as Escamillo, and returned to the Canadian Opera Compnay as Escamillo.

His 2014-15 season included the title role of Le nozze di Figaro with the Aix-en-Provence Festival on tour in Manama, Bahrain. Additionally, he made his debut with Canadian Opera Company as Masetto in Dmitri Tcherniakov’s Don Giovanni. He debuted the roles of Paolo in Simon Boccanegra, Escamillo in Carmen, and reprised the roles of Gugliemo in Cosi fan tutte, Belcore in L’Elisir D’Amore, Marcello in La bohéme, and Figaro in both Il barbiere di Siviglia and a new production of Le Nozze di Figaro, all with the Dresden Semperoper.

In the 2013-2014 season, Mr. Nelson joined the ensemble of the Dresden Semperoper, where he performed the roles of Il Conte in Le nozze di Figaro, Marcello in La bohème, Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Guglielmo in a new production of Così fan tutte. He also returned toSanta Fe Opera as Malatesta in Laurent Pelly’s Don Pasquale.

Other notable performances include: Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with Santa Fe Opera, Germont in La traviata with Lyric Opera of Virginia, Angelotti in Tosca and Mandryka (cover) in Arabella with Santa Fe Opera, Quinault in Adriana Lecouvreur with Opera Orchestra of New York, Sciarrone in Tosca with The Glimmerglass Festival, and he was a soloist in Steven Blier’s “Killer B’s” with the New York Festival of Song.

A graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Nelson performed many roles including: Belcore in L’elisir D’Amore, Renato in Un ballo in Maschera, the title role in Falstaff, Michele in Il Tabarro, Sancho Panza in Don Quichotte, Mandryka in Arabella, Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande, and Masetto in Don Giovanni. Mr. Nelson is also a graduate of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Awards Mr. Nelson has garnered are: The George London Award from the 2012 George London Foundation, 1st prize prize from the 2012 Opera Index Competition, The 2012 Liederkranz Foundation Competition (General Opera Division), and the 2012 Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation. Also, 2nd prize from the 2011 Gerda Lissner Competition, the 2011 Giulio Gari Foundation, and the 2011 Loren Zachary Competition.