biography
Ms. Zhou has brought her characteristic vivacity, natural storytelling ability, and vocal dynamism to leading and supporting roles in over 400 performances across the US and internationally.
As a proud Asian American performer, Ms. Zhou was immensely pleased and privileged to tell two Asian-specific (and more specifically, Chinese-American) stories onstage in 2023-24. She originated the role of Mrs. Lee in Greg Youtz and Zhang Er’s Tacoma Method, put on by Tacoma Opera and telling the harrowing true story of Chinese expulsion from Tacoma in 1885. She also originated the role of Ming (and others, including her favorite, Fortune Cookie Monster!) with Nashville Opera in Byron Au Yong and Aaron Jafferis’ Stuck Elevator, a “comic-rap-scrap-metal opera” telling the unbelievable true story of an undocumented Chinese food delivery man, stuck for 81 hours in a Bronx elevator. In addition to these engagements, Ms. Zhou also made her company debut with Opera Bend as Fraulein Silberklein in Mozart’s Impresario. An avid performer of new music, she also sang several roles in concert for Seattle Opera’s Creation Lab, a program for developing young opera composers and librettists.
In fall of 2022, she was thrilled to exercise her comedic chops as stepsister Tisbe in La Cenerentola, in a return to Opera Columbus, and Adina in The Elixir of Love with Opera Unbound. Earlier that year, she made her debut with Nashville Opera as a Mary Ragland Emerging Artist, singing Countess Ceprano and the Page and covering Gilda in their production of Rigoletto Noir.
In 2021, she made a tour-de-force role debut as Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) at Pacific Lutheran University, which she later reprised at Duke Opera Theatre. Ms. Zhou also made a splashy company debut with Opera Columbus in 2021 as Musetta in La Bohème.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Zhou remained active during the 2020 season, which saw her as Kenzie in Seattle Opera’s filmed production of Earth to Kenzie, the Voice in Ricky Ian Gordon’s chamber piece Orpheus and Euridice with Dacha Theater, and featured in various virtual recitals with organizations such as Wear Yellow Proudly and Capitol Arts Workshop.
Other roles performed include the Rose (The Little Prince), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Mabel (Pirates of Penzance), Chloe (Princess Ida), Cinderella (Cinderella en España), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Rosa (Angel of the Amazon), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), and Adele (Die Fledermaus).
A versatile vocalist, Ms. Zhou has also been fortunate to sing in excellent vocal ensembles, including the premier choral program at Epiphany Parish of Seattle (current), where she is a soprano 2 section leader, cantor and soloist. In addition to 3 weekly sung services at home in Seattle, the choir at Epiphany has served as the choir in residence at several prestigious cathedrals in the UK and Ireland, including St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Durham Cathedral, and in summer of 2027, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin and Canterbury Cathedral. Previously, Ms. Zhou served as a section leader at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Portland, the Protocathedral of St. James the Greater in Vancouver, WA, and a member of Portland’s acclaimed Resonance Ensemble, which presents socially conscious programming.
Ms. Zhou received a Metropolitan National Council encouragement award in 2017 and was a finalist in the Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition in 2018.
In addition to her performance schedule, Ms. Zhou also maintains an active voice studio of 25+ singers, from age 4 up to adults. She teaches through her private studio as well as in partnership with Roosevelt High School, Lakeside School, and Epiphany School. She loves passing on the joy of musical storytelling to young singers. Her studio focuses on age-appropriate repertoire ranging from classical to Broadway to contemporary pop, with an emphasis on musical literacy, healthy vocal technique across genres, and dramatic performance skills.
Originally from the East coast, Ms. Zhou received her Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College, under the tutelage of Laura Brooks Rice. Aside from singing, Ms. Zhou enjoys flowers, art museums, antique jewelry, cats, and good food. She lives in Seattle with her husband, baritone Zach Martin, and their three cats, Berlioz, Josephine, and Mr. Spicy.
The 2025-26 season saw her make several triumphant role debuts, amply displaying her range of musical and dramatic ability. In September, she made her role and company debut as Marie in La fille du regiment with Kitsap Opera. In April, she made her concert soloist debut with Music at Epiphany (where she also serves as a soprano section leader) as the 2nd soprano soloist in Mozart’s C Minor Mass. In June, and in a significant departure from previous acting assignments, she returned to Eugene Opera to play Beatrice in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers.
In 2024-25, Ms. Zhou toured Washington State as the title character in Earth to Kenzie, a youth opera co-commissioned by Seattle Opera and Chicago Lyric Opera. She originated the role in Seattle in 2020, prior to the pandemic shutdown. She also sang the third Gretel of her career, making her debut with Eugene Opera. Additionally, Ms. Zhou made several concert appearances, including as a guest star with Opera Unbound and The Drunken Tenor’s Galapalooza, and in Tacoma Opera’s Capriccio Gala.
