BIOGRAPHY
Hailed for his “soaring countertenor voice and magnetic stage presence that brings both spiritual depth and theatrical brilliance” (Opera Now), Zabriel Rivers is a Gullah Geechie countertenor and whose artistry bridges the operatic canon, sacred repertoire, new works, and the vibrant storytelling traditions of the African American South.
He has graced stages from Carnegie Hall to the Perelman Performing Arts Center, appearing as a featured soloist in performances of Margaret Bonds’ Ballad of the Brown King (2024), Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater (2023), and the acclaimed concert work Freedom Song: When Gospel Came to the Empire with the Rochester Oratorio Society. In 2023, he appeared in the world premiere of Watch Night at Perelman Arts Center, followed by his debut with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in the musical drama Jubilee, portraying rich legacies of Black spiritual and folk music with visceral power.
A proud alumnus of the New England Conservatory of Music (M.M.) and Alabama State University (B.M.A.), Zabriel studied with leading pedagogues of the Bel Canto and German Lied traditions and received additional training in diction and vocal pedagogy through masterclasses with Thomas Hampson, Martin Katz, and Florence Quivar. He was a graduate assistant in the NEC Department of Music Education, where he helped lead courses in voice instruction, men’s chamber ensemble, and vocal methods.
Operatic highlights include appearances as Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni, Boston Opera Collaborative), Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore, Mobile Opera), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte, Opera Birmingham), Alfred (Die Fledermaus, NEC Opera Theater), and Fenton (Falstaff, Boston Lyric Opera Outreach). He made his role debut as Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw in 2022 under the baton of rising conductor Chelsea Gallo, and recently portrayed Loge in scenes from Wagner’s Das Rheingold at the NEC Contemporary Opera Festival.
A devoted champion of new and diverse work, he originated the role of Elijah in Cosmic Cowboy at Emerson Paramount Theater and regularly performs in new compositions that explore the intersection of identity, race, and musical heritage. He is currently developing a solo operatic-theater piece centered on Gullah spirituals and storytelling.
In concert, he has sung Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and the Mozart Requiem, appearing with ensembles such as the Northwestern Summer Chorus, Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and the New England Conservatory Symphony. He was recently the tenor soloist in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum.
In addition to his performance career, Zabriel is a respected music educator, serving as a choral and general music teacher in Montgomery Public Schools, where he taught and lead extracurricular programs including the Highland Highlights Concert Choir and the annual Spring Musical. Previously, he taught across grade levels in Elmore County Public Schools and coordinated music technology and curriculum development initiatives.
He has presented research at the Alabama Music Education Association Conference, focusing on student-led learning and collaborative performance practices. From 2017–2019, he served as Collegiate Vice President of the AMEA and has been published and featured in the College Music Society Symposium, where he served on the editorial board for lecture-recitals.
Zabriel is the recipient of the Outstanding Undergraduate in Music Award at Alabama State University and was recognized as an Outstanding & Tenured Teacher in Elmore County. He has appeared with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Wolf Trap Opera, Pacific Symphony, and has workshopped new roles at the Glimmerglass Festival and the American Opera Project’s Composers & the Voice program.
Future engagements include a return to Carnegie Hall for a performance of Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang, a recital of spirituals and art songs for the National Association of Negro Musicians, and a new commission with composer Damien Geter exploring the legacy of Black vocal tradition.
He is a member of the College Music Society, Alabama Music Educators Association, and NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing), and continues to advocate for equity and cultural authenticity in music education and performance.