Cao Zheng Cao Zheng

Zheng Cao Mezzo Soprano

Zheng Cao holds a Bachelor degree from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and a Master degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and was 1992 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions finalist.

A winner at the 1993 Palm Beach Opera International Vocal Competition, Miss Cao has also covered roles for the World Premiere of Lukas Foss' Griffelkin with New York City Opera and for Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix with the Opera Orchestra of New York. In 1992, she sang the role of Cherubino in Nozze di Figaro at the European Opera Center in Ghent. As a member of Curtis Institute Opera Center, she has performed the role of Carmen in Peter Brook's The Tragedy of Carmen, Amastris in Xerxes and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. During the 1991-1992 season, she made her recital debut at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater in Washington, D.C., and performed Messiah with the National Symphony Orchestra and Warsaw Philharmonic.

Mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao who was personally chosen by Maestro Seiji Ozawa to sing Beethoven's 9th Symphony for the recent Winter Olympic Games in Japan, appeared with him again in the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly for her debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in February 1999. Recent projects include Marguerite in a concert presentation of La Damnation de Faust at the Saito Kinen Festival under Maestro Ozawa immediately followed by her debut with Michigan Opera Theatre as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Idamante in Idomeneo with San Francisco Opera, and will soon be followed by Nicklausse in Les Contes d'Hoffmann for her return to Opera Pacific.

In the 1997-1998 season, Miss Cao sang Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro with the San Francisco Opera and performed her much-acclaimed Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with the San Diego Opera and the Grand Theatre in Geneva.

She made her Los Angeles Opera debut, covering Frederica von Stade in Monteverdi's Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria and was given the opportunity to sing the last performance, with great success.

Other recent engagements include Nicklausse in Les Contes d' Hoffmann and the Page in Salome, as well as roles in Die Walküre, Rusalka and Cenerentola, all with the San Francisco Opera.