Zhou enjoys a successful international operatic career, having performed at many leading opera houses. Recent engagements include Valentin in Faust in Chile, as well as Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, and Conte Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. In concert, he has performed Spanish romantic songs and works by Rachmaninoff in tours across China, as well as a Puccini Gala with the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra.

Zhou has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Donald Runnicles, Sir Antonio Pappano, Marin Alsop, Andris Nelsons, Seiji Ozawa, Daniel Oren, Tang Muhai, and Lü Jia. His operatic repertoire includes leading roles in Faust, Carmen, Rigoletto, Roméo et Juliette, Madama Butterfly, Salome, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Bohème, Le nozze di Figaro, Les Pêcheurs de Perles, The Rape of Lucretia, The Rake’s Progress, AI’s Variation, La traviata, la boheme, Tea: The Mirror of Soul, and Die lustige Witwe. He has also given recitals in Singapore, Germany, and London. His performances as Valentin in Faust, Albert in Werther, and Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro particularly have received critical acclaim for his “melodious voice and convincing performance.”

Zhou is recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including First Prize in the opera category and Second Prize in the French art song category at the International Opera Singing Competition of Marmande, as well as Third Prize at the International Singing Competition of Toulouse. He was awarded a scholarship from the Centre National d’Insertion Professionnelle d’Artistes Lyriques, allowing him to undertake a two-year internship in Marseille. He was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at Covent Garden before joining the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Zhou’s lieder repertoire includes Schubert’s Schwanengesang cycle, selected melodies by Duparc, and Liederabendprograms featuring works by Mahler and Debussy. He has recorded Werther for Deutsche Grammophon and Le Portrait de Manon for Opera Rara. Additionally, he has participated in recordings of Anna Nicole, Rigoletto, Tosca, and Madame Butterfly for Opus Arte at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

As a producer and stage director, Zhou has created his ECO-opera series, a collection of cost-effective productions designed for small-scale performances and touring. The company’s repertoire includes Don Giovanni, La Bohème, Rigoletto, and The Poet’s Love—an adaptation featuring the love stories of Rodolfo and Mimì, as well as Werther and Charlotte.