About the Artist
Mofan Lai, tenor, is an opera scholar, performing artist, and arts advocate.
Artist's Statement
Mofan Lai, tenor, is an opera scholar, performing artist, and arts advocate. He was the first-prize winner of the 2015 International Vocal Competition of China and has appeared in more than sixty opera and concert performances across the United States and China. He has collaborated with major orchestras and ensembles, including the National Symphony Orchestra, and has released five solo albums internationally in the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, and mainland China.
Beyond the stage, Lai is active in music scholarship, education, and cultural leadership. His research focuses on contemporary American opera criticism, opera studies, and cultural communication. He has published multiple academic papers and participated in major research projects in opera studies and music education. He also led the development of the international music curriculum at the Affiliated Music School of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and previously served as China Admissions Officer for the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University.
Lai has held several arts leadership and advisory roles. He served as a Junior Board Member of the Shriver Hall Concert Series in Baltimore, where he participated in concert-season planning, production, and operations for performances by internationally acclaimed musicians. He is also frequently invited to serve as a jury member for domestic and international arts and music competitions, including the Fresco Mélodie Arts Festival, Zhejiang TV’s Yin Wei You Ni, and the national competition Burning Microphone. He is a Blüthner Artist and a Davidoff Friend.
Lai holds a PhD in Opera Studies from the China Academy of Art, where he was a recipient of the distinguished Lin Fengmian Scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with Dr. Stanley Cornett and graduated with the President’s Commendation for Achievement in the Arts.
