Lyric coloratura soprano Yi Liu received her early musical training at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Belgian soprano Prof. Qilian Chen. She later continued her studies at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi di Milano under soprano Adelina Scarabelli, graduating with top honors for her master’s degree. She is now in her second year of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) program in Vocal Performance at The Ohio State University, studying with Dr. Helen Allen.

In October 2025, Yi Liu was invited to perform as a guest artist in the solo recital of Welsh baritone Sir Bryn Terfel at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, conducted by Italian maestro Gianluca Marcianò with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. She sang Donizetti’s duet “Quanto amore” from L’elisir d’amore with Sir Bryn Terfel, as well as Violetta’s “Sempre libera” from La Traviata and Manon’s “Je marche sur tous les chemins (Gavotte)” from Manon. Her elegant stage presence and expressive singing received warm praise from both the audience and the media, and Sir Bryn Terfel personally commended her performance.

In the summer of 2025, she performed at the Stefaniensaal in Graz and the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, appearing with the AIMS Festival Orchestra in the gala concert “To Vienna with Love”, where she sang the role of Violetta in La Traviata. Her performance was praised for both emotional depth and technical mastery. She also sang Liù in Puccini’s Turandot at the Italian opera scenes concert “Buona Sera, Graz!” in the Kammermusiksaal, further showcasing her strengths in the lyric repertoire. 

Beyond Europe, Yi Liu has also appeared on stages in the United States and Asia. She sang in concert at Lincoln Center in New York in March 2025, and in June presented a solo recital at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, followed by performances at the Nantong University Concert Hall and Shandong University Concert Hall, all to enthusiastic acclaim. In 2024, she performed Violetta in La Traviata at Teatro La Creta in Milan and gave her solo recital “The Voice of Yi” at the Shanghai Concert Hall during the 39th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, with guest tenor Zhang Long, earning both critical and public acclaim. In 2023, she gave a solo recital at Casa Verdi in Milan in the Premio Dragoni Winners’ Concert, further demonstrating her artistic excellence.

Yi Liu has sung many important operatic roles, including Violetta in La Traviata, Louise in Louise (performing “Depuis le jour” with orchestra at Helmut List Hall in Graz), and Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw. She has also appeared in Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Don Pasquale, and Rigoletto, and performed Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, singing “Regnava nel silenzio” at the Daegu Opera House in South Korea.

In competitions, Yi Liu has received numerous awards. In 2025, she won Third Prize at the AIMS Meistersinger Competition in Graz (only Chinese winner), as well as First Prize in the Bellini International Vocal Competition (China Division) and First Prize in the American Protégé International Vocal Competition. In 2023, she received the Entrepreneur Award and the President of the Jury Award at the Daegu International Vocal Competition in South Korea. She also won Third Prize in the Music Academy Award Competition in Milan (2022) and, earlier in her career, received the Special Gold Prize at the Osaka–Kobe International Vocal Competition in Japan and the “Youngest and Most Promising Singer Award” at the Luciano Neroni International Vocal Competition in Italy. In 2025, she advanced to the district round of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.

Yi Liu’s repertoire includes works in Italian, German, French, Korean, Chinese, Russian, and English, ranging from art songs to grand opera. Her voice is known for its clarity, agility, and warmth, combining technical brilliance with natural expressiveness. With more than ten years of dance training, she brings grace and freedom to her stage presence and musical interpretation. 

Looking ahead, Yi Liu will continue to share her artistry on international stages. She will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York on December 20, 2025, as a winner of the American Protégé International Vocal Competition, marking another milestone in her flourishing career.