Baritone Lifan Deng, originally from Shenzhen, China and now based in Chicago, is known for his rich tone, stage versatility, and engaging presence across opera, theater, and comedic performance. A proud member of AGMA, he holds a Master of Music in Voice and Opera from Northwestern University and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Music from Case Western Reserve University.

In the 2025–26 season, Mr. Deng returns as a Studio Artist with Madison Opera, singing Schaunard in La Bohème, Drunk 2 and covering Dr. Knapp in the world premiere of Everlasting Faint by Scott Gendel, and performing in the chorus while covering Guglielmo in Così fan tutte. He also joins Cedar Rapids Opera as a Smith Young Artist, covering Frosch and singing in the chorus of Die Fledermaus. He continues his work as a touring artist with Opera for the Young, performing the role of Sergeant Bill Corey in their adaptation of The Elixir of Love.

Recent operatic credits include Schaunard (cover) in La Bohème and Marco in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Company of Middlebury, last-minute fill-ins as Schaunard in La Bohème and Musiklehrer in Ariadne auf Naxos with Chicago Summer Opera, and roles with Madison Opera including Masetto in Don Giovanni, Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Ensemble in María de Buenos Aires. He performed Papageno in The Magic Flute with Opera for the Young, bringing opera to thousands of schoolchildren across the Midwest.

Mr.Deng is a company member of the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company in Chicago, and has also performed with numerous opera companies and festivals, including Thompson Street Opera Company, Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, and the Montefeltro Festival.

As a versatile stage actor, Mr. Deng has appeared in productions with Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Big Noise Theatre in the Greater Chicago area, Convergence Continuum (Cleveland, OH), Renaissance Theatre (Mansfield, OH) and Opera House Arts (Stonington, ME), in addition to various theaters throughout the Chicago and Northeastern Ohio area. His comedic work includes performances in the It’s Almost 24 Hours sketch series and as a house team member in Improv Gladiators with Corn Productions (Chicago, IL).

An experienced choral artist, he has sung with the Grant Park Music Festival Chorus and the Beaux & Belles Carolers, and served as bass section leader for the Chancel Choir at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Evanston, Illinois. He was also on the roster of the Chicago Symphony Chorus for a season. Mr. Deng remains as an active church choir musician in addition to his operatic career.

Lifan is also a dedicated educator. He is a long-time teaching artist with the Global Voices Initiative, where he teaches music and theater in Chicago Public Schools and engages in cross-cultural collaborations with partner schools in Morocco and China. He also maintains a private teaching studio for voice and acting.