Lini Gong (soprano) was born in 1981 in Zhuzhou, Hunan (China). She began her singing studies at age twelve, and studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with Prof. Xiaoqun Chen, as well as at the Hamburg Conservatory (Hochschule für Musik und Theater) in the class of Prof. William Workman, and the singing class of Prof. Burkhardt Kehring. In 2007 she graduated with honours in „Lieder and Oratorio“ singing.
Since 2006 Lini Gong has been coloratura soprano solist at the Freiburg Theatre. She also appears regularly as guest artist in other European theatres. In 2009 she performed „Blondchen“ („Die Entführung aus dem Serail“, Mozart) at the Lucerne Festival and in the same year she was active as guest performer at the Stadttheater Stuttgart and at the Landestheater Linz.
Lini Gong has been the recipient of numerous international awards and prizes, including
- the special prize at the „Neue Stimme“ competition
- first prize and audience award at the „Robert Stolz“ competition in Hamburg
- second prize at the „Paula-Salomon-Lindberg“ singing competition in Berlin
- and second prize at the „Concours international de Musique de Chambre Lyon“
- In 2007 she was awarded the „Berenberg Kulturpreis“ by the Berenberg Bank Foundation
Lini Gong’s repertoire encompasses roles from Mozart to Ligeti. These roles including
- the Nightingale („Die Nachtigall“, Stravinsky)
- Rosina („Il barbiere di Siviglia“, Rossini)
- Ännchen („Der Freischütz“, Weber)
- the Gepopo („Le Grand Macabre“, Ligeti)
- Queen of the Night („Die Zauberflöte“, Mozart)
- Gretel („Hänsel und Gretel“, Humperdinck)
- Euridice („Orfeo ed Euridice“, Offenbach)
- Zerbinetta („Ariadne auf Naxos“, Strauss)