You know the saying, “A good man is hard to find”? Add the word ‘tenor,’ and you’ll describe Zack Rioux to a T — pun intended.
At 28, which is a very young age for an opera singer, Zachary Rioux — Zack to his friends — is showing great promise, and for good reason. Blessed with a golden tenor voice, boyish good looks, solid training, potent communicative power, and an innate desire to show the opera world what he can do, his future is bright indeed.
I have been following his development for some years. A graduate of the Glenn Gould School where I first heard him in masterclasses, Rioux went on to hone his instrument at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Hugely successful in competitions, he won prizes at Neue Stimmen, the Berlin International Music Competition, and the Vienna International Music Competition, to name a few. I recall how impressive his Tamino was at the Glenn Gould School’s Die Zauberflöte in 2019. He even turned heads as an impossibly young Cavaradossi in Tosca for Toronto City Opera, albeit with piano accompaniment. It still showed off a voice of clarion beauty coupled with an endearing stage persona.
Fast forward to last July in Munich, when I attended a performance of Parsifal at the Bayerische Staatsoper. I was there mainly to catch the great Canadian baritone Gerald Finley as Amfortas. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the supporting role of Vierter Knappe was taken by none other than Zachary Rioux. It turned out that he was a member of Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opernstudio, a prestigious training ground for up-and-coming young singers.
I went on his YouTube page for a quick refresher. Among his video clips was a 2022 concert appearance at the Internationale Meistersinger Akademie, a summer program run by renowned Canadian soprano/pedagogue Edith Wiens. Rioux’s Flower Song from Carmen revealed a beautiful, bright, ringing tenor, used with taste and musicality, demonstrating in no uncertain terms that Mr. Rioux is ready for prime time.
Given our serendipitous Munich encounter, I quickly arranged an interview, found a quiet spot in the opera house for a little catching up. The interview was later completed over the phone.
Zachary Rioux: The Interview
Great to see you doing so well, Zack! Let’s start from the beginning — tell us about your early upbringing. Where’s hometown for you? Do you come from a musical family?
I was born in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, into a family of musicians — mostly rock and folk musicians — so I grew up loving classic rock. I first started learning guitar at the age of four, and by seven, I took my first singing lessons.
Singing lessons at seven? Wow… Who was your voice teacher?
I started studying voice with Myriam Poitras, and when she moved away three years later, I continued lessons with her mother, Léola Dionne. As a kid, I regularly competed in music festivals, singing hymns and art songs. I generally did well, often placing at the provincial level in my age group.
Sounds like you already knew what you wanted to do in life.
I wasn’t truly passionate about it. At one point in my teenage years, I even considered quitting. I was also very active in sports as a kid because I wanted to try everything. At the time, no one, including me, had any idea that I would ever consider a career in singing. In fact, the only reason I was put in voice lessons was so that I’d have the option to play guitar and sing in a band if I wanted to. That changed when I was 15 or 16. Léola’s other daughter, Chantal Dionne — who is also an opera singer — suggested that I apply to the Orford Music Academy, a weeklong summer program. I believe I was the youngest singer to ever attend. At Orford, I had the opportunity to work with François Le Roux, Sanford Sylvan, and Richard Turp. I think they could tell at the start that I wasn’t entirely sure about pursuing singing, but something clicked by the end. It was like a switch flipped, and I realized this was what I wanted to do.
When did you start to seriously contemplate a career in opera?
At that time, I knew almost nothing about opera. I applied to a few music schools across Canada and eventually chose to attend the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto for my undergraduate degree, where I studied with Dr. Joel Katz.
What’s crazy is that I don’t think I had ever even watched a full opera before I was in one! In my first year, I sang in the chorus for Mozart’s Lucio Silla, put on by Opera Atelier. Even then, I still had moments of doubt about whether I truly wanted to be a singer. But as I continued in my studies, I became more and more certain that I was destined to be an opera singer.
Since you’re a tenor, I must ask — do you have a favourite tenor? A role model?
I have several! In my opinion, Franco Corelli is the greatest Italian tenor of all time. I used to listen to him constantly, though I’ve learned not to try and replicate his technique. His voice was so unique that it likely wouldn’t work for anyone else.
I also like Mario Del Monaco — his voice was like a trumpet! Some criticize him for pushing too much, but his voice always rang, his vibrato was clear, and I’m sure he could always be heard at the back of any hall. I also like Giuseppe Giacomini — every time I hear a recording of him, I’m speechless. And I must include arguably the greatest Canadian tenor of all time, Jon Vickers. Not just because of his immense talent, but because his voice is the one mine has been compared to most often. If I can have even half the career he had, I’d be incredibly happy!
Well, as someone who had the good fortune of hearing all four live and in person, I can say you have good taste. You’re still in the early stages of a career, so I want to ask you – what are your dream roles, roles that you hope to sing some day?
At this point in my career, I’m focused on the full lyric and young spinto tenor repertoire. Rodolfo is a perfect example of where my voice is right now. Other roles I’d love to perform at this stage include Pinkerton, Macduff, Werther, Lensky, and the Prince in Rusalka. Looking ahead a few years, I hope to take on Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut), Maurizio, Pollione, Cavaradossi, Erik, Radamès, and Don José.
That sounds like a good plan. I’m glad that you’re going to wait a bit before tackling Cavaradossi on the mainstage. Always be mindful of ‘too much, too soon.’ What are your plans for next season?
I’ve truly enjoyed my time here in the Bayerische Staatsoper Opernstudio. But after conversations with knowledgeable people in the business, like Tobias Truniger (head of the Munich Opernstudio), Edith Wiens (head of Internationale Meistersinger Akademie), Brigitte Fassbaender, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Margaret Honig and others, they all feel that what I need most for my development is stage experience singing larger roles. So next season, I’ll be moving on to focus on guesting or potentially seeking new Fest contracts in Europe.
I’ll also do competitions and role studies, and dedicating more time to creating my own content on social media. After running the International Meistersinger Akademie’s social media for two years, I’ve developed a real interest in it! I really enjoyed working as IMA’s social media manager, but I had to move on this season as I felt I needed to invest more time into my career.
And I understand that now you have professional representation. Congratulations!
Yes, since last season I’ve been represented worldwide by ArteMIS Opera, a European agency run by Julie Martin du Theil and Alice Lapasin Zorzit.
What engagements do you have coming up?
[In] April, I’ll be singing Rodolfo in Manitoba Opera’s La Boheme. I’ll also have a professional role debut at a house in Switzerland, with an announcement to come.
Wonderful that you’re returning to Canada to sing Rodolfo next month. Give us your thoughts on singing this great role.
Rodolfo is one of the most iconic tenor roles in all of opera, and it’s a role I’ve spent countless hours working on over the last few years. I first prepared and performed it while at the Academy of Vocal Arts in 2022, under the direction of AVA’s music director, Christofer Macatsoris. It’s definitely one of the most daunting tenor roles — not only because of its difficulty but also due to the opera’s immense popularity. “Che gelida manina” is one of the most famous arias in the repertoire, and with that comes a certain level of pressure.
However, the environment at Manitoba Opera has made me feel incredibly comfortable. Everyone in the cast and production team is so kind — we all get along very well, and that’s exactly the type of atmosphere you want when making a professional role debut.
Have you worked with Manitoba Opera before?
I’ve been eager to work with Manitoba Opera for some time. I first appeared on their radar when I applied for the inaugural Digital Emerging Artists Program during the pandemic. Since then, we’ve kept in touch, looking for the right opportunity, and I’m so grateful that the timing worked out for this production. I truly feel that Rodolfo is the perfect role for me at this stage in my career.
Thanks for speaking with me — we’re now all caught up. Toi toi toi to you and everyone for a successful Boheme opening night!
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