He is born to a long lineage of Chinese migrants who came to Deli at the eastern coast of Sumatra in 19th century, overlooking the strait of Melaka, at the heart of Southeast Asian multiculturalism, as well as Peranakan culture.
He migrated to Australia few years after the 1998 Anti-Chinese Riot in Indonesia and has ever since called Naarm (Melbourne) his new home.
He had his operatic training at Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Opera Studio of Melbourne. He appeared very regularly in minor baritone roles in Lyric Opera of Melbourne productions under the helm of Pat Miller. He was also a regular artist in AIOC China tours, performing roles such as Sprecher in Mozart’s Zauberflöte and Ramfis in Verdi’s Aida. His official debut as a Bass-baritone was with the role of Zaccaria in Verdi’s Nabucco with The Cooperative, and later, as Falstaff in Nicolai’s Die Lustige Weiber von Windsor.
RANGE (C2) D2 – G4 (Ab4)
PRIMO PASSAGGIO G3 – A3
SECONDO PASSAGGIO C4 – D4
His repertoire crosses over regularly between high bass and dramatic baritone roles. his true passion lies in serious/dramatic roles, dissecting the psychology of a character and finding pathos in what are often seen as one-dimensional supporting roles or stock characters. He has particular affinity for oppressed, marginalised and vilified characters.
He was the founder of Opera Prometheus, which was one of the few earliest chamber opera companies in Sydney, performing rare and new works.
He has been predominantly self-taught since 2013 and hopes to impart some of the information he learned from his journey of countless trial and error to future generations, as a way to demystify vocal technique through a more pragmatic approach.
His long-term goal as an artist is to empower Southeast Asian opera industry to find their own voice and their own take on what opera should be in a 21st century multicultural society.