About

Soprano LEI XU has garnered critical acclaim on both Western and Eastern classical opera and concert stages. As the co-founder of China ’ s first historical performance ensemble, Shanghai Camerata, she produced the country’s first early Baroque CD, Monteverdi in Shanghai. Lei Xu is also a passionate advocate for classical music in China, frequently appearing on national television and social media to promote opera and classical music in general. She has performed many sold-out concerts, including at prestigious venues like the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall and the Shanghai Concert Hall, as well as concert stages throughout China.

 

As a cultural ambassador, Ms. Xu has been performing in the world tour of Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion since 2017, with sold-out performances at Seattle Symphony Hall in 2022, Teatro Comunale Luciano Pavarotti, and the Abu Dhabi Festival in 2023. Ms. Xu has sung numerous leading roles, including as Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO and Norina in Don Pasquale at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in China. Ms. Xu holds a Master’s degree from The Juilliard School, in addition to completing both the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at The Metropolitan Opera and The Juilliard School’s Artist Diploma in Opera Studies. Ms. Xu has also toured in Asia for concert series, including the first Viennese style New year concert with Maestro Martin Sieghart in Macao, where she sung operetta arias.  In 2016, Ms. Xu also made her debut solo concert with Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra in Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall -- one of the foremost concert halls in China. In the same year, Ms. Xu made her appearance in Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Korea. In 2014, She was featured in Houston Grand Opera’s production of BOUND, composed by Huang Ruo, in which she sang the leading role, Diane. She made her Met debut in 2010 as the First Priestess in Iphigénie en Tauride. This performance, part of the Met’s HD broadcast series, saw her on stage alongside Plácido Domingo and Susan Graham. She also performed Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos, conducted by Fabio Luisi, and took on roles such as the Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel, the First Bridesmaid in Le Nozze di Figaro, A Singer in La Rondine, and A Flower Maiden in Wagner’s Parsifal. Additionally, she covered the role of Helena in the Met’s production of The Enchanted Island.

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​Ms. Xu has also toured in Asia for concert series, including the first Viennese style New year concert with Maestro Martin Sieghart in Macao, where she sung operetta arias.  In 2016, Ms. Xu also made her debut solo concert with Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra in Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall -- one of the foremost concert halls in China. In the same year, Ms. Xu made her appearance in Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Korea. In 2014, She was featured in Houston Grand Opera’s production of BOUND, composed by Huang Ruo, in which she sang the leading role, Diane. She made her Met debut in 2009-2010 season as the First Priestess in the Met HD TV broadcast production of IPHIGÉNIE EN TAURIDE, where she performed with artists such as Plácido Domingo and Susan Graham. Since then, Ms. Xu has been involved with a series of roles with the company; Echo in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS under Fabio Luisi; the First Bridesmaid in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO; A singer in LA RONDINE and A flower maiden in the new HD TV broadcast production of Wagner’s PARSIFAL, under the baton of Danielle Gatti, sharing the stage with Jonas Kaufmann and Réne Pape. Ms. Xu sang Barbaria in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO and Papagena in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE with James Conlon conducting the Chicago Symphony at the Ravinia Festival. She made her NCPA (National Center of Performing Arts in Beijing) debut in 2014 as Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO.

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For her European debut, Ms. Xu performed Pamina in legendary director Peter Brook’s production of Mozart’s Une Flûte Enchantée at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris. In 2011, she sang Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Chicago Symphony at the Ravinia Festival, conducted by James Conlon. That same year, she performed the role of Blanche de la Force in Les Dialogues des Carmélites at the IVAI Summer Festival in Tel Aviv. Ontheconcert stage, Lei Xu made her debut at Avery Fisher Hall performing Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’ Été with Emmanuel Villaume. She debuted at Alice Tully Hall in 2010 with a performance of Handel’s Salve Regina (HWV 241), conducted by William Christie leading JUILLIARD 415. She was the soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah with Nashville Symphony, and performed as soprano soloist in Mozart Requiem with Santa Cruz Symphony. . She has also given recitals across the globe, including a performance in Miami with pianist Ken Noda and clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein at the Friends of Chamber Music in May 2011. In 2009, Ms. Xu sang leading role Ilia in Idomeneo at Juillaird; Poppea in L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA at Chautauqua music festival. She also sang the role of Mimì in LA BOHÈME at Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 2005.

 

Ms. Xu has attended top chamber music festivals such as Ravinia Music Festival's Steans Institute for Young Artists and Marlboro Music Festival where she performed with artists like Richard Goode and Mitsuko Uchida. She appeared in "Friends of Chamber Music" concert in collaboration with pianist Ken Noda and Clarinetist Alexsander Fiterstein, a concert reviewed as one of the "top ten concerts of the year" by "South Florida Classical". 

 

A native of Nantong, China, Ms. Xu holds a Master’s degree from The Juilliard School and a Bachelor’s degree from The Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She was a member of The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program from 2009- 2013.