Growing up in the province of Guizhou in China, Yinjia Gong developed an interest in music early on, partly inspired by his maternal grandfather, who had been active at the opera in Beijing. Initially studying Chinese popular music at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, he gradually became fascinated with Western opera, and the bel canto tradition in particular. Further studies soon led to successes in various national singing competitions.
Yinjia Gong’s admiration for the great Swedish tenors Jussi Björling and Nicolai Gedda led to a wish to study in Sweden, and in 2008 he entered the singing class at the Malmö Academy of Music, winning a regional competition for young singers already the following year. Continuing his studies at the University College of Opera in Stockholm, in 2011 Gong received the prestigious ‘Confidencen Scholarship’ from the Anders Wall Foundation. The same year he was invited to perform at a gala concert at the Royal Swedish Opera, commemorating the centennial of the birth of Jussi Björling. Appearing alongside singers such as Jonas Kaufmann and Charles Castronovo, Yinjia Gong was given the honour of performing Nessun dorma – one of Björling’s ‘greatest hits’.
After graduating in 2012 with a Master’s degree, Yinjia Gong made his professional début as Riccardo (Un ballo in maschera) at Folkoperan in Stockholm. This was followed by Rodolfo (La Bohème) at NorrlandsOperan in 2013. He has repeated the role of Rodolfo at the Theater Regensburg, where he has been a regular member of the ensemble since 2013, and where he has also appeared in the roles of Tamino (The Magic Flute) and the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto).
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