From Nizhny Novgorod via the Styrian city of Graz to Karlsruhe and finally to the Theater Görlitz: The journey of Chinese tenor Yalun Zhang reads like a musical voyage. 

Already during his studies in Graz, he made a lasting impression as a guest soloist at the local opera house. Whether in demanding Verdi classics such as La traviata and Don Carlo, or in Nino Rota’s sparkling and elegant comedy Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (The Italian Straw Hat) – Zhang demonstrated an early and mature sense of balance between vocal brilliance and dramatic finesse.

His repertoire reflects a great interest in different musical eras and genres. It ranges from Mozart’s Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and the classical role of Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) to Handel’s Jonathan (Saul) and the eccentric worlds of Janáček’s The Excursions of Mr. Brouček. Works of classical modernism, such as the title role in Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, as well as the charm of French operetta (Ta Bouche), suit Yalun Zhang’s warm and expressive tenor voice just as naturally as the Wagnerian repertoire, including the role of the Steersman in The Flying Dutchman.

Since the 2023/24 season, Yalun Zhang has found his artistic home as a member of the ensemble at the Gerhart-Hauptmann-Theater Görlitz-Zittau. The 2026/27 season promises to showcase the full range of his artistry: as Andres in Berg’s Wozzeck, Remendado in Bizet’s Carmen, and Ismaele in Verdi’s Nabucco. One of the highlights of the season for Yalun Zhang will be the title role in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld — a part that perfectly combines French lightness, musical refinement, and intellectual wit.