MDI: Lan Rao

Soprano Lan Rao was born into a literary family in Guangzhou. Her father, Bing Cai Rao, a linguist at Ji Nan University, and her mother, Zhi Ying Zhou, a music teacher and librarian, encouraged her talent in music and literature. When she was 16, Ms Rao started receiving formal vocal training from Chau In Ha. By 19, she had been on her first concert tour as a soloist, performing with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. She then studied with Xue Geng Tang and Lin Chen at Beijing Conservatory.

Ms Rao's talent was discovered by the violinist Hellmut Stern, who was touring in China with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (under Herbert von Karajan) in 1979 when he listened to her performance. With Stern's help, Ms Rao was awarded a seven-year Deutsche Bank scholarship to study in Germany (a scholarship rarely awarded to foreign artists).

In Germany, Ms Rao studied with Professors Arleen Auger, Reiner Hoffmann and Hartmut Hoell, three internationally-recognized sopranos, and graduated from Frankfurt Music Academy. She then completed her master degree with professors Reri Grist, Erik Werba and Helmut Deutsch at the Munich Music Academy. During her studies, she won first prize at the International Lieder (German song) Competition in Vienna and the Singer's Achievement Prize for the Lieder Competition in Frankfurt/Main.

Since then, Ms Rao has performed as a concert soloist with renowned orchestras from Europe, USA an Asia. These include the Schlewig-Holstein Festival Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein, where she sang his opus "Song Festival" in Germany, London and Moscow. She has also appeared as soloist with the Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin, Classical Philharmony Bonn, Baden-Baden Southwest Radio Orchestra, Germany Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Concerto Bamberg, Munich Bach-Motette Choir and Orchestra, Goettingen Symphonic Orchestra, Wiesbaden Johann Strauss, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Arturo Toscanini (Italy), Belgium Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Vlaanderen, Lincoln Orchestra (USA), Russia String Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and many others.

Ms Rao's repertoire ranges from Baroque to late Romantic. In addition to German songs, she has also devoted herself to Chinese compositions. For the past decade she has also been very successful in singing 20th Century compositions. Her technical ability and variety of musical expression has afforded her the opportunity to premiere many works, some of which has been dedicated especially to her.

Ms Rao's numerous concert performances, radio and television appearances, as well as her CD recordings with BMG-Arte Nova, Wergo, Salto Records, Cala, Cavallie Records and China Records attest to her being one of the outstanding singers of her generation. Her CD recordings of works for sopranos and piano include music by F. Schubert, C. Schumann, J. Brahms, F. Hensel Mendelssohn and various 19th and 20th century female composers. Ms Rao has also recorded works for soprano and orchestra by Koehnls, L. Zhou, the Trio Roter Phoenix and the World Famous Collections Vol. 1.

Most recently, Ms Rao was invited to China as a soloist for a number of concerts, where she performed with the Beijing Central Philharmonic Orchestra (Mahler Symphony No.2), at the Beijing International Music Festival (Solo concert featuring songs with lyrics by Goethe) and with the China Philharmonic Orchestra (Mahler Symphony No.4 and No.8 "Symphony for 1000"), Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra (Beethoven's "Egmont"), Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (2001 New Year Concert: Solo cantata "Exultate jubilate" by Mozart, and 2004 Christmas Concert) an the Macau Chamber Orchestra (Easter Oratorio Concert).

Among German audiences and European critics, Ms Rao has been hailed as a Chinese soprano who can convincingly interpret and present the works of German composers:

"Her voice is phenomenal in size, nuances and coloration" (South German Post)

"Her mellow artistic voice can build striking bridges between the East and the West." (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)