Born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, Zachary is a 2nd Year Resident Artist at The Academy of Vocal Arts where this season he will perform the roles of Michele in Puccini’s Il Tabarro, Mandryka in Strauss’ Arabella, and Masetto in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Last year at AVA Mr. Nelson sang the title role in Verdi’s Falstaff, the Haushoffmeister in Strauss’ Capriccio, and Beniot/Alcindoro in Puccini’s La Boheme. This past summer Mr. Nelson was a Young Artist with Glimmerglass Opera where he sang the role of Sciarrone and covered Angelotti in Puccini’s Tosca, covered Antonio and the title role in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and was a soloist in The New York Festival of Song’s Killer B’s with Steven Blier. Mr. Nelson is a 2009 graduate of The Catholic University of America with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Roles to his credit at Catholic University include: Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, Achilla and Curio in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Martin in Bernstein’s Candide, Belcore in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore, the Painter in Gregg Martin’s World Premier opera Life in Death, Mr. Webb in Rorem’s Our Town, and Marcello in Puccini’s La Boheme. Mr. Nelson made his professional debut with Opera Bel Cantanti in Washington, DC as Antonio in Mozart’s Le Nozze Di Figaro, then as Marcello La Boheme. He was engaged by Summer Opera Theater Company in Washington and performed the roles of Mr. Dashwood in Adamo’s Little Women, Sciarrone in Puccini’s Tosca and Morales/Escamillo (cover) in Bizet’s Carmen. Mr. Nelson was a 2005 Maryland Distinguished Scholar Finalist, the 2008 recipient of The Summer Opera Theater Company Guild Scholarship, and the 2009 recipient of the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music Vocal Performance Award. Mr. Nelson studies with world-renowned teacher, Bill Schuman.

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